At the inception of the semiconductor industry in the 1950s, the United States represented 100% of the world’s semiconductor manufacturing capacity due to its origins in the U.S. defense industry. Today, that number has dropped to 8%. With the increasing cost of integrated device manufacturing in the 1980s, the semiconductor industry was prompted to outsource fabrication to … [More]
Semicon Valley: The Emergence of Arizona’s Semiconductor Landscape
Becoming a powerful force in the industry’s global footprint
From Mines to Microchips
Mining helps drive and build technology and is the very foundation of almost everything around us, from the copper, gold and silver used in electrical equipment, smartphones and healthcare equipment to the critical minerals that build the batteries, wind turbines and solar panels. Copper is crucial in semiconductor development, especially in advanced chip manufacturing … [More]
SHIELD USA Boosts Cutting-Edge Microelectronics Development in Arizona
Arizona State University has secured up to $100 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce as part of the CHIPS for America program for the SHIELD USA initiative. This initiative positions ASU as a key player in reshoring advanced microelectronics packaging to the United States, with the potential to transform the semiconductor landscape. The grant, awarded … [More]
Metrocenter Mall Redevelopment Begins
As walls came down at Metrocenter Mall on November 18, a new vision was unleashed for the 80-acre property. The demolition marks the start of an $850 million redevelopment, transforming the site into a vibrant multi-use, self-contained, transit-oriented community encompassing the city’s new Metro Light Rail station, which will serve as one of the major focal points of the … [More]
Ultra Infill Industrial for Sky Harbor Submarket
Full-service commercial real estate firm Lincoln Property Company will redevelop an infill site in the heart of Tempe into Sky Harbor Logistics, a two-building Class A industrial campus situated minutes from Interstate 10 and Sky Harbor International Airport. Lincoln acquired the property, located on 16.25 acres at 1515 W. 14th St., for $18.3 million. Originally built in 1977 … [More]
Redevelopment Adds Industrial in Airport Submarket
Evergreen Devco, Inc., a leading retail, multifamily and industrial development company, has entered the airport submarket with a $13-million investment for 12.68 acres on two key sites that will become 48th@Alameda. Currently housing a vacant two-story office building, 2727 South 48th Street will be redeveloped to construct two speculative industrial buildings totaling 171,025 … [More]
Office with Warehouse Near Sky Harbor
Cohen Asset Management, a private real estate investment firm headquartered in Los Angeles, contracted Tempe-based Sun State Builders to construct its 33,450-square-foot office suite and airconditioned warehouse project located just west of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. The Cohen Sky Harbor Building is a ground-up tilt panel construction that is targeted for completion in July … [More]
Brandon Maxwell: Building His Legacy through Shared Ownership
M Culinary Concepts’ Journey to an ESOP
Brandon Maxwell isn’t just the CEO of M Culinary Concepts; he’s a visionary leader who’s reshaping success by sharing it with those who helped build it. In 2023, M Culinary made a bold move, transitioning to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), making it 100% employee-owned. This decision wasn’t just about numbers on a balance sheet. For Maxwell, it was about legacy — … [More]
My Doctor Brand Lets Physicians Own Their Visibility
My Doctor Brand is a product startup launched earlier this year by Ryan Caracciolo, a veteran sales professional and marketer with more than 15 years’ experience in the medical industry, that empowers physicians to manage their personal digital identities independently of their practice or hospital. As founder and president of business growth agency Striventa, he recognized a … [More]
Arts and Culture Contributed $14.2 Billion to Arizona’s Economy
New data released on March 25, 2024, show arts and cultural industries hit an all-time high in 2022, contributing 4.3% of gross domestic product, or $1.1 trillion, to the U.S. economy. Arizona’s arts & culture sector added a staggering $14.2 billion in value to the state’s economy, a 16.6% increase over 2021! These findings and more come from the Arts and Cultural … [More]
The Business of Arts & Culture: How Growing Arts & Culture Benefits Our Economy
“Arts and culture is a significant industry in Arizona,” says Chris Camacho, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, citing numbers that support the statement: The sector represents 3% of the state’s total GDP, employs more than 84,000 individuals and in 2022 added $14.2 billion to the economy. That last figure, he notes, is “nearly as much as agriculture, … [More]
Sandra Watson, Arizona Commerce Authority
Valuing Arts & Culture
The value of arts and culture is vital when evaluating the strength of an economy. Arts and culture is not only a revenue-generating sector on its own, it has been proven over and over to be a significant element of the health of the business community and in economic development. Arizona’s vibrant arts and culture scene is critical to our unbeatable quality of … [More]
Buying or Selling a Business? Look Out for Employee Benefits Issues!
There could be unexpected impacts on liabilities and more
When a company is bought, sold, merged or reorganized, unexpected employee benefits issues may surface that can significantly affect the structure of the deal, liabilities and future benefit plan design for the surviving entity and its employees. Those buying, selling or merging businesses should consider the following situations in the early stages of exploring potential … [More]
Building Resilient Teams – The Core of Organizational Agility
Achieving sustainable, long-term success
Organizational agility, the capacity of an organization to adapt, respond to challenges and innovate, is often viewed through a project management lens. However, Agile principles also serve as leadership principles that guide organizational agility. At the core of both is resilience, the capacity for individuals to learn, adapt and grow through constant change and challenge. … [More]
Plexus Worldwide Nourishes Communities
Founded with a commitment to hope, health and impact
Founded in 2008 by Tarl Robinson and Alec Clark, Plexus Worldwide has grown from selling its Breast Chek™ Kit to offering more than 20 health and wellness products, including its flagship "pink drink" Slim Microbiome Activating. Yet, beyond Plexus's product line and its expansion into international markets like Canada, Mexico and Australia, its true impact can be felt in its … [More]
It’s All in Your Mind … Set
How to Foster a Growth Mindset
You start by opening your mind to different circumstances, different inputs, different ways forward, different people around you, and different feedback based on your newfound mindset. Soon enough you’ll find yourself more open and curious, with a newfound ability to feel empathy, see problems in a new light, see new opportunities, pay attention to unforeseen … [More]
Upskilling Employees Is an Investment in Company Growth, Success
It’s especially critical in our ever-evolving economy
As technology advances and a new generation steps into the workforce, organizations face increasing pressure to provide professional growth and development opportunities. Current and potential employees are placing emphasis on the presence or absence of professional development programming to not only grow within organizations, but also to expand their own development through … [More]
Unpaid Wages, Compensation and Tips, Oh My!
Three legal issues employers need to know
It sure seems like wage-and-hour lawsuits are flooding Arizona court dockets these days. And most of the defendants appear to be small to mid-size business owners. These lawsuits — typically brought by employees against their former employers — usually arise from one of the following three situations: Unpaid overtime wages Unpaid commissions Unpaid tips This … [More]
