The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) announces that Gilbert, Arizona has been recognized as the first Arizona economic development organization, the second municipality and one of just 35 economic development organizations in the nation accredited by IEDC as an Accredited Economic Development Organization (AEDO). “The Gilbert Office of Economic Development … [More]
Small Business Strongly Opposes Expanding Medicaid
In a poll released today by their leading association, small-business owners overwhelmingly oppose the high-stakes effort at the Arizona State Capitol to expand Medicaid coverage to all Arizonans at or below 133 percent of the federal poverty level as envisioned by the federal health-care law. The recent survey conducted by the National Federation of Independent Business … [More]
Controversial NLRB Posting Rule Declared Invalid
On May 7, 2013, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit struck down the final rule issued by the National Labor Relations Board on August 30, 2011, which would have required that all employers subject to the NLRB’s jurisdiction post a prescribed notice to employees and also place the notice on their intranets or web pages if they use such tools to … [More]
Youngtown Becomes GPEC’s 21st Member Community
The Town of Youngtown recently joined the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) as its 21st member community. Youngtown is located at the Agua Fria River between Peoria, Sun City and El Mirage, and has a current population of approximately 6,200. "We’re thrilled to have the Town of Youngtown on board at GPEC," said GPEC President and CEO Barry Broome. "Youngtown is a … [More]
Help Honor the Best Businesses in Arizona
Want to help honor your favorite Arizona company? Nominate it for a 2013 Spirit of Enterprise Award. The awards from the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University recognize some of Arizona’s best businesses for creating jobs, boosting our economy and treating customers right. Past winners include well-known names like Cold Stone Creamery, China Mist, Ollie … [More]
Sports Means Business: Is It a Win for Our Economy?
When the Arizona Diamondbacks played its first game in Phoenix 15 years ago, it entered an already crowded National League West Division where many locals carried with them baseball traditions linked to other franchises, according to Derrick Hall, president and CEO. “In some markets, all they have to do to sell tickets is put out a pocket schedule and open up the gates,” says … [More]
Trucking: Moving Commerce
Once a semi gets up to speed on the open road, few things can stop its momentum unless it’s a car trying to edge past. Even then, it’s almost a sure bet who will keep moving if the maneuver is too close. “It’s not the smartest thing to cut off an 80,000-pound trailer,” says Tony Bradley, the new president and CEO at Arizona Trucking Association. And, despite the roadblocks a … [More]
Strengthening the Pipeline for References
Harnessing the power of references and referrals seems like an obvious win. What could make more sense for a business than to leverage the enthusiasm of happy customers to convince buyers that they need its products and services? And in an increasingly social and networked world — not to mention an economy where every dollar of revenue is critical — this type of third party … [More]
Check the Vital Signs of Client Relationships
Annual checkups play as vital a role in a businessperson’s professional health as physicals do for individuals — especially with regard to client and customer relationships, which are the lifeblood of every business. Most clients vote with their feet. They don’t tell a business they are unhappy — they simply start to give their business to its competitors. Client relationship … [More]
Stress and Bullying Take a Toll on Business
Stress hurts. Individuals may experience stomach problems, muscle tension or headaches, or loss of interest in their work, among a host of other expressions. And it spills over into the workplace in a number of different ways, all of which hurt a company’s bottom line — to the tune of $200–$300 billion in the United States every year in net effect of expenses that include … [More]
Michael Kennedy, Gallagher & Kennedy, P.A.
Here in Arizona, we have the year-round privilege of being able to root for our home-town team, as Metro Phoenix is host to professional teams for baseball, football, basketball and hockey. Not to mention such major events as Waste Management Phoenix Open, the Super Bowl, MLB All-Star Game and NASCAR. But sports has value far beyond entertainment. As an industry, the business … [More]
Navigate around the Quicksand in the Global Marketplace
Globalization has been the buzzword of the decade, yet many U.S. business managers are still unaware of the skill sets they urgently need to compete in a global market. There are 32 developed countries with 1 billion potential customers and 162 developing nations with 6 billion people, many heading into the middle class for the first time, with all the attendant needs and … [More]
Intellectual Property: Protecting a Core Business Asset
It is never too early to start thinking about intellectual property protection. Keeping a conscious eye on these assets is a critical part of a business’s success. Business owners are likely to face the following key issues during the early stages of their enterprises. Trade Name vs. Trademark Many business owners mistakenly believe that a company name is synonymous with … [More]
Aaron Matos: Morphing a Job Board to Recruiting.com
As founder and chief executive officer of Jobing.com and, now, Recruiting.com, Aaron Matos is devoted to helping companies hire the best people in the most timely and cost-efficient ways possible. “I went into human resources early in my career, and found out that most people didn’t really enjoy what they were doing at work,” Matos says. Along the way, he found a passion for … [More]
Packaged Water Company Aims to Help Local Economy
The idea was ahead of its time when Liesl Harder Kielp, founder and president of AguaSAC, L.L.C., began talking with colleagues three years ago about packaging water in a pouch. “The film structures available were not conducive to water — they would taint the flavor,” explains Kielp, who is also founder of EnVision Flexible Packaging, referring to the material used for making … [More]
‘First to File’ Patent System Replaces ‘First to Invent’
The change in United States patent laws that went into effect on March 16 of this year is intended to better align the U.S. with all other industrialized countries, in that all countries now utilize a “first to file” standard as opposed to “first to invent” when determining who has priority to an invention. Previously, if a company could show it was, in fact, the first to … [More]
Local Banks Merge, Establish Stronger Capital Position
The merger of First Scottsdale Bank and Commerce Bank of Arizona, Inc.’s parent company, CBOA Financial, Inc., will establish the new entity as the second-largest commercial bank franchise headquartered in Arizona when the transaction closes, which is expected to happen in the second half of this year. The new Commerce Bank — the name under which the merged entity will operate … [More]
Microsoft Biz Hub
Microsoft’s Business Hub is dedicated to helping small business thrive through business products, support and resources. Microsoft is supporting the Braddock’s Procurement Opportunities Guide online as an e-Guide. A key tool in helping small businesses secure government contracts, it provides information on how to compete with large corporations. … [More]
