Even though Arizona’s economy hit bottom four years ago, we’re still at least two years away from a full recovery. That’s according to experts from the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, who delivered their midyear forecasts today at the school’s annual Economic Outlook Luncheon. Research Professor Lee McPheters, director of the JPMorgan Chase … [More]

BMO Harris Bank today released the results of a small-business-owner poll that found less than half (39 percent) of small business owners would sell their business if they won the lottery. The results were revealed in advance of National Small Business Week (May 12 – 16), designated by the U.S. Small Business Administration.  “Owners of their own business are extraordinarily … [More]

The College of St. Scholastica, a 102-year-old Catholic Benedictine college, has announced the expansion of its program offerings in Arizona and its first on-the-ground program. Following approval from the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education, St. Scholastica will offer in-person Bachelor of Arts in Social Work beginning January 2015. With an emphasis on … [More]

Central Arizona Project's (CAP) delivery of Colorado River water from 1986 through 2010 has generated in excess of $1 trillion ($1,090,000,000,000) of Arizona's gross state product (GSP), according to a study recently commissioned by CAP with the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. The GSP represents the dollar values of all goods and services produced in … [More]

NRG Energy, Inc., through its wholly-owned subsidiary NRG Solar, along with partner MidAmerican Solar announced they have achieved substantial completion at their Agua Caliente Solar Photovoltaic Facility, a 290 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic facility located on 2,400 acres of land between Yuma and Phoenix, Ariz. The electricity that is generated by the station, which can support … [More]

Westwood Financial Corp., one of the largest privately held owner-operators of retail properties in the U.S., has announced that Flower Child, a farm-fresh fast-casual restaurant, has opened at the firm’s Camelback Village shopping center in Phoenix. According to Randy Banchik, executive vice president of Westwood Financial Corp., the concept that was developed by restaurateur … [More]

GoDaddy, the world’s largest technology provider dedicated to small businesses, has announced its continued expansion into international markets. After beginning this international expansion fewer than two years ago and a recent successful release across Latin America, GoDaddy is now extending its offering more broadly across Europe. With the announcement, GoDaddy is … [More]

On Friday, April 25th, the 17-member Tribes of the Arizona Indian Gaming Association unveiled a featured wrap on one of the Valley Metro light rail cars as part of an informational campaign to educate Arizonans of the benefits of Tribal gaming to the State. After more than a decade of Tribal Gaming and nearly $1 billion later going to Arizona communities, all Arizonans have … [More]

GoDaddy, the world’s largest technology provider dedicated to small businesses, has announced the results of two surveys - one targeting small-business owners and another targeting their customers. The customers were asked about their expectations of SMBs, while SMBs were asked how they are using technology to handle customer demand. The findings revealed rising customer … [More]

Marketing services firm, LaneTerralever, is off to an unprecedented jumpstart in its first quarter with the announcement of several new business wins – solidifying its merger strategy for exponential business growth. Topping the list of prominent new engagements are Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, Republic Services, an internationally renowned manufacturer of … [More]

The guayule industry took one step closer to commercialization this week as PanAridus company officials announced the United States Department of Agriculture Plant Variety Protection Office has granted the company eight new Plant Variety Patents, certifying the company has invented and reproduced eight new strains of the guayule shrub. Guayule, a native Sonoran Desert plant, … [More]

Arizona companies will soon receive more than $13 million in SBA small business loans, based on financing approved in the first quarter 2014 by Small Business Finance. The SBA-504 loans, provided in partnership with local banks, will help 10 small businesses expand and create and/or preserve more than 150 jobs. The largest single loan approved was $8.7 million. Total SBA-504 … [More]

USI Insurance Services, based in Valhalla, N.Y., announced today the closing of the acquisition of Webb & Greer Insurance Agency, Inc., based in Tempe, Ariz. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 1995, Webb & Greer provides personalized, value-added commercial property and liability insurance programs in the Phoenix metropolitan area and throughout … [More]

Humana Inc., one of the nation’s leading health and well-being companies, has reached an agreement that provides its members access to Dignity Health facilities in Arizona. The new network agreement, which takes effect May 1, 2014, includes Humana’s Medicare Advantage (including PPO, HMO and Private Fee for Service plans), employer groups and individual plan … [More]

The 2nd Annual Scottsdale Commercial Real Estate Summit was held on Friday, April 11, at the Scottsdale Fairmont Princess Resort. Attended by more than 250 real estate professionals, developers, and consumers, the event highlighted Scottsdale as a hub for new and growing businesses. The morning program was opened by Grady Gammage Jr., who said Arizona is “in pretty good … [More]

Deca Technologies, a Tempe based electronic interconnect solutions provider to the semiconductor industry, today announced that it has shipped its 100-millionth component. The company attributes this milestone to strong demand from portable electronics manufacturers for wafer-level chip scale packages manufactured using Deca¹s unique, integrated Autoline production platform, … [More]

Discoverture Solutions, a proven provider of high-value IT services and solutions to the Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance industry, and FirstBest Systems, Inc., provider of insurance software solutions for American and global insurance carriers, today announced a strategic alliance between the two organizations. The partnership will enable carriers to better drive … [More]