For hundreds of members of the Arizona Technology Council, Deborah Zack is the Council. As senior director of membership services, Deborah Zack has been the one constant in the lives of many members. Whether it’s offering basic information about joining the group or responding to inquiries about how a company can become more involved in the Council, Zack is the go-to person. … [More]
December 2018 President’s Message
Like most people in fall 2009, it was hard not to still feel the effects of the slow recovery after the Great Recession that technically ended in June of that year. A national employment rate that hit 10 percent in October was perhaps the most telling sign of how bad things still were. I had been in my current role not quite three years and had heard more than my share of the … [More]
Introduction to Israel
There’s no denying the international outreach of the Arizona Technology Council. President and CEO Steven G. Zylstra has added his signature to an agreement formalizing a bilateral relationship that promotes growth and expands business opportunities for the Greater Phoenix and Hermosillo metropolitan regions. China was the destination for past trade missions he helped lead. And … [More]
Report update reveals good news for paychecks, venture capital
Whether you were looking for a better payday last year or an increase in venture capital this year, Arizona’s technology industry was the place to be. Those are a few of the highlights from the recent quarterly update of the Arizona Technology Council Industry Impact Report based on data collected from sources such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CompTIA and … [More]
Change for the Better
In an environment of exponential change — especially in the field of technology — every organization faces daunting questions of how it will adapt to add value for its constituents and community. With this in mind, the Arizona Technology Council continuously reviews and tests its value proposition. To assist with the latest analysis, the Council has enlisted myself, David … [More]
Whole New World
Editor’s note: The Chief Science Officers Program, a collaborative initiative of the Arizona Technology Council Foundation and Arizona Commerce Authority, recently brought together members from Arizona, Georgia, Michigan and Oregon, as well as Kuwait and Mexico for its CSO International Summit in Washington, D.C. The event gave the students opportunities to position themselves … [More]
Blockchain Technology
Blockchain, the technology principally known for powering Bitcoin, will be the focus of presentations by speakers and panelists at the Arizona Technology Council’s third annual Cybersecurity Lunch Forum on held Dec. 12. The forum organized by the Council’s Cybersecurity Committee will be co-hosted by the Arizona Cyber Threat Response Alliance (ACTRA)/Arizona InfraGard. The … [More]
Steven G. Zylstra Summer 2018 Message
It’s not often that you get a front row seat to history. Make that the driver’s seat. That’s what has been happening in Arizona, which has turned into a high-profile technology proving ground for autonomous, or “self-driving,” vehicles. Consider some of the companies that have turned our roads into their labs — Google, Ford, General Motors, Intel and Uber — and you can … [More]
Impact of an Industry
It was a rather simple question: How many technology-based companies are in Arizona? A few publications had put the total at more than 8,000. But staff at the Arizona Technology Council weren’t buying it since they didn’t see that many companies as they made their contacts in the sector here. They needed some proof. That came with the new Arizona Technology Council … [More]
Vote TechSmart
As every other session of the Arizona Legislature ends, the campaigning to fill seats of both chambers in the next session begins in earnest. But long before the drop of the gavel, a small group of people has already been working on the election outcome — except you won’t find any of their names on a ballot. They are members of the Arizona Technology Council’s Public Policy … [More]
Breaking the Mold
It’s not the norm. When it comes to presentations at the Institute for Learning Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers conference, it’s not the supposed-to-be-the-adults learning — let alone even hearing — from children. But then again, participants in the Chief Science Officers (CSO) program do anything but follow the norm. Recipients of National … [More]
It Takes a Team
While the year 2017 was one in which the Arizona Technology Council continued to best represent the interests of the state’s technology community, perhaps it was the partnerships that evolved during the year that demonstrate exceptional results can happen when people work together. Examples of such results are among the details of Council achievements included in the 2017 … [More]
April 2018 President Message
When it comes to career opportunities, everyone deserves a chance. That’s the message a group of Arizona Technology Council members and I took to Washington, D.C., recently as we met with lawmakers and their staff on Capitol Hill as part of the annual CompTIA DC Fly-In. (More details on page 4 of this section.) In meetings throughout the day, we shared our concerns about … [More]
The Sporting Life
Say “Fiesta Bowl” and college football comes to mind. But when the organization that even has staged national championships wanted to enter the arena of competitive video games, its leaders sought help from a new part of the Arizona Technology Council: the eSports Subcommittee of the Game Industry Committee. Fiesta Bowl organizers were looking for help drawing awareness to … [More]
Science for All
The Chief Science Officers (CSO) program was launched to help sixth- through 12th-graders in Arizona and beyond ultimately develop technical and employability skills through STEM activities. However, this collaborative initiative of the Arizona Technology Council Foundation and Arizona Commerce Authority may be only scratching the surface to help develop the potential of … [More]
New Director at the Helm of SciTech Festival
For anyone who has even been to an event staged as part of the Arizona SciTech Festival, there’s a good chance that Marisa Ostos has been right there, too. “I think she’s done more, seen more events, gone to more events than anybody around,” says Jeremy Babendure, Arizona SciTech’s executive director. “She just has passion for it.” It’s fitting Ostos marks her sixth year … [More]
Tech Champion
Steven G. Zylstra, president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council, was named a 2018 Tech Champion by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), the world’s leading technology association. Zylstra was recognized for his leadership in championing technology policy in Arizona and his commitment to the Council and its members, and his civic and community … [More]
Lawmakers Hear from Tech-Focused Constituents
A group of Arizona Technology Council members recently had the chance to let their voices be heard when they walked the halls of Congress to meet with members of the Arizona delegation and key staff members during the 2018 CompTIA DC Fly-In. The annual event brings together more than 100 solution providers, vendors and other IT professionals to discuss industry trends, … [More]
