Becoming a leader. Many people spend an entire career looking for ways to accomplish this. Middle and high school students are getting the chance now, thanks to a program based in Arizona. When the Chief Science Officers (CSO) program was launched by Arizona SciTech a few years ago, it was viewed as a way to increase student voice in school and community discussions about … [More]
Summer 2017 President’s Message
This question has been on my mind lately. We now live in a world where we hear from our president not in stately messages delivered from the Oval Office but in middle-of-the-night rants on Twitter. And they usually are filled with vitriol aimed at the lawmakers on Capitol Hill — on both sides of the aisle. And Congress is not much better. Instead of representing the will of … [More]
A Test for Tech
Being in the top 10 most definitely carries its rewards. However, there are no promises that such rankings are permanent. There is always something, somewhere that could take that away. That best describes the situation where it comes to Arizona’s technology industry and its role as a key exporter in the United States. Arizona ranks No. 8, with approximately $5.6 billion in … [More]
Not Just Whiskey Row
Not too many organizations can claim that one of its members is home to the College of Security and Intelligence, which trains professionals — cyber and otherwise — to work at the national and international level. And not too many cities can claim it’s home to this college. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott is one of the newest members of the Arizona … [More]
Going Global
Good news travels fast — and far. That’s what organizers of the Arizona-based Chief Science Officers (CSO) program learned when their promotional video was named winner of the Facilitator’s Choice Award in the STEM For All 2017 Video Showcase supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF). (The video is at stemforall2017.videohall.com/presentations/907). Separately, the … [More]
Taking the Lead
After a decade of success as president of her own company, Kathryn Odland was looking for something more for her company — and herself. She found it in the Arizona Technology Council’s Transformational Leadership Program, which “provided tremendous self-reflection, so much that I became amazed at some gaps between my perception and the perception of others in my organization,” … [More]
Innovator and Entrepreneur from Academia Named to Board
Two key members of Arizona’s university community have been appointed to a three-year term on the Arizona Technology Council Board of Directors. David B. Bolman is provost of the University of Advanced Technology (UAT) and Stephen Fleming is vice president, strategic business initiatives at The University of Arizona (UA). Bolman has been instrumental in growing UAT from a … [More]
Steven G. Zylstra Spring 2017 Message
With all the public conversations lately about keeping manufacturers in the United States, it’s time for a reality check: A lot of the jobs we typically equate with this sector will never come back. If you think this has anything to do with bad trade deals, think again. The reason is, 20 years of lean manufacturing have created incredible improvement in productivity and … [More]
Stronger Foundation
Once a solid foundation has been created, it’s the perfect time for growth. This rule of thumb is especially true for the Arizona Technology Council Foundation, which most notably has served as home base for the Arizona Science & Engineering Fair, the High School and Middle School Science Bowls, and the Arizona SciTech Festival. The foundation has set into a motion a new … [More]
Festival Was Just the Start
When the Arizona SciTech Festival debuted in 2012, it was declared a success as more than 222,000 guests attended more than 200 events. Fast forward to the February launch of this celebration of science’s sixth season: More than 800 organizations planned to stage nearly 1,500 events for an audience total exceeding 400,000. “It’s just a really great testament to the … [More]
For Arizona’s Future
Two measures backed by the Arizona Technology Council hold the promise of investing in a better tomorrow for the research community while promoting economic development. At press time, the Arizona Senate had voted to support a measure that, if passed, ultimately would protect the dark sky corridor that takes hold after the sun sets. Headed to the House of Representatives was … [More]
Council Launches Initiative to Create Mega PAC
Anyone who follows the shaping of public policy in Arizona no doubt notices the voice of the Arizona Technology Council continuously grows stronger. An example is its annual Public Policy Guide, which lays out its agenda to state and federal lawmakers in addition to Council members. To support this massive agenda, the Council is taking the next step. While it has had a state … [More]
Congressional Connection for the Tech Industry
With a new administration and Congress coming into power, members of the technology community headed to Capitol Hill to get a sense of what lies ahead for their industry. Arizona’s was among some 20 state technology councils that joined the Technology Councils of North America (TECNA) and more than 140 technology executives and business owners representing 29 states at the … [More]
Board Gains Talents of Five
The Arizona Technology Council has named five new members to its board of directors. They are: Chris Koziol, president of Aspect, which helps enterprises break down the walls between people, processes, systems and data sources. He has more than 30 years of progressive experience in managing and directing high-growth, mature and startup technology companies. Koziol has … [More]
Steven G. Zylstra Fall 2016 Message
In my time, I’ve seen a variety technologies evolve from infancy to leaving lasting impacts that have profoundly changed our lives. Color televisions, transistor radios, DVRs, cell phones, computers, software — all moved at some point from “gee whiz” to “how did I even live without it?” And all have played roles in shaping what we have become as a society. In my role, I … [More]
Head of the Class
Capturing the attention of the White House and Gov. Doug Ducey. That’s not bad for the inaugural year of a special program whose participants aren’t even old enough to vote. These are just a few highlights of the very much non-partisan Chief Science Officers (CSO) program that, in its first year, counted more than 130 sixth- through twelfth-grade students throughout Arizona … [More]
Eye On Success
In a move to boost ongoing efforts to grow the science and technology sectors of Arizona’s economy and increase the number of high-paying jobs in the state, the Arizona Technology Council has signed an agreement to launch collaborative efforts with the Arizona Optics Industry Association (AOIA). The Council has agreed to form an Arizona Optics Industry Committee to advocate … [More]
Council Staff Recognized With Awards, Promotion
Steven G. Zylstra, president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council, was named the Leader of the Year in Public Policy in the technology category by the Arizona Capitol Times in recognition of his efforts to influence Arizona’s technology industry. Under Zylstra’s leadership, the Council’s Public Policy Committee is directly involved with the process of evaluating … [More]
