You can expect more slow growth in Arizona next year, but we’re still two to three years away from full economic recovery. That’s according to experts today at the 50th annual Economic Forecast Luncheon co-sponsored by Arizona State University’s W. P. Carey School of Business and JPMorgan Chase. About 1,000 people attended the event at the Phoenix Convention Center. Key … [More]

Wells Fargo will conduct a ground breaking ceremony on Wednesday, December 11. As it formally announces plans to double the size of its current facilities at the Ocotillo Corporate Center. Wells Fargo will invest approximately $125 million to expand its current facilities by 410,000 square feet, which will allow the company to further invest in the community and bring more of … [More]

For businesses looking to reduce expenses in 2014, now is the best time to upgrade lighting to maximize SRP rebate dollars and energy savings. Lighting consumes up to 40 percent of a commercial facility’s energy and is typically the least expensive equipment to replace. It can be very cost-effective to take advantage of SRP’s rebates, which can help lighting projects pay for … [More]

The Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA) announced today that $1.375 million has been raised from Arizona organizations to fund implementation of The Arizona We Want 2.0: The Case for Action, released in January 2013. Based on the Gallup Arizona Poll, the 2.0 report identifies eight citizen goals and proposes action steps for how Arizonans can achieve them. The … [More]

’Tis (or ’twil soon be) the season for family gatherings, gift giving and, of course, the company holiday party. Since no good deed goes un-litigated, ’tis also the season to prepare for the employee claims that always seem to arrive shortly after the company holiday party. In the midst of holiday merriment, companies should not lose sight of the regulations that continue to … [More]

With Black Friday, Cyber Monday and holiday shopping season about to start, a new customer-rage study shows more American consumers than ever are dissatisfied with the products and services we buy. Also, despite companies’ big-money efforts to create customer-care programs, we’re less happy with the service received when we complain. The study shows 56 million American … [More]

With online shoppers predicted to spend $1.6 billion on Black Friday, under-fire bricks-and-mortar stores are finding innovative ways to fight back and protect their market share. Black Friday was formerly perceived to be the high street retailer’s day of salvation, with Cyber Monday its online counterpart. However with online purchases predicted to be up 17 percent , retailers … [More]

With the October 1 opening of the exchanges and marketplaces across the country, individual consumers and employers are trying to navigate and learn how to operate the new websites and call centers. Many are finding that they have access to the same type of information all along through health insurance agents. The new marketplaces offer the advantage of shopping for rates … [More]

The Greater Phoenix Economic Council today announced the region has been selected as one of eight metro areas in the country to join a new exchange network created by the Global Cities Initiative, a joint project of Brookings and JPMorgan Chase. The Exchange is a network of metropolitan areas committed to promoting greater global trade and economic competitiveness. As part of … [More]

WGM Associates, a Scottsdale-based information technology consulting and application development firm, has acquired Phoenix-based Nimbus Optimized Computing. Terms of the deal between the two privately-held firms were not disclosed. Nimbus plans, designs and delivers cloud computing solutions to help small and medium-sized businesses consolidate and standardize their … [More]