Please don’t ask to touch a person of color’s hair, say they speak well or ask where they are really from and other harmful and egregious implicit bias acts. It’s the same early morning grind that most Americans participate in on a weekday morning, the dreaded coffee run! Not glamorous or exciting, it becomes a necessary part of kicking the day off right, says every coffee … [More]
Strunk Insurance Group – A Legacy of Giving
Arizona loves its home-grown businesses. Many of them reciprocate this sentiment by giving back to society. For 40 years, the Strunk Insurance Group has served as one of these strong local leaders. Family-owned and -operated, SIG has a commitment to contribute and serve. The insurance company was founded in 1982 by Greg Strunk, a former Big 10 and NFL Football player with a … [More]
The Future of Work: Dynamic Environments
As we think about the future of work, we know we’re not going back to the old ways of doing things. We have an opportunity to explore new possibilities, bringing the best of how we worked during the pandemic to work better post-pandemic. We can imagine a new workplace ecosystem that puts the focus on what’s best for individuals and teams based on how they do their best work. … [More]
BCBSAZ’s Foundation for Hope and Health
Our healthcare system has been through the most strenuous of times. The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed communities to the brink, with many healthcare professionals receiving the worst of it. Despite this, one healthcare company has somehow completed a strategic transformation while handling the worst public health crisis in modern history. Blue Cross® Blue Shield® of Arizona … [More]
A Footprint for a Sustainable Future
Do you remember the infamous video, showing Christine Figgener, Ph.D., pulling a straw out of a sea turtle’s nose? The video went viral on YouTube and is widely considered to be the catalyst that launched the outrage and action about plastic ocean pollution. Long before that, though, in 2014 it was Troy Swope and Yoke Chung, who met at Intel and noticed that plastic residue … [More]
Sizing Up the Competition
When it comes to business expansion and recruitment, Arizona and Texas are two of the most successful and competitive states in the country. Both have emerged from the pandemic era with more jobs than before it started. With low tax rates and friendly business climates, both continue to be top targets for companies moving from states with higher tax rates, like … [More]
Materials Matter in Combating Climate Change
Tackling climate action in the building industry starts with making conscious decisions about the materials with which we build. Today, the production, maintenance and disposal of the materials used in building construction are responsible for 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions. This accounts for roughly a quarter of annual building sector emissions, a percentage which is … [More]
Ryan Companies, Building Stories of Impact
Through thick and thin, Ryan Companies has a history of doing the right thing. Its community support is rooted in its purpose to create places for people to thrive. Its leadership recognizes that commercial real estate leaves an imprint on customers, team members and the larger society, and they’ve made a commitment to be a valued partner in growing stronger … [More]
DEI Is Where It Starts
The one thing that going through a global pandemic for two-plus years has shown us all is that we all need and crave human interaction and connection. The overwhelming sense of isolation many of us felt was all too real and affected everyone, from the corporate CEO to the middle school student having to attend classes over Zoom. Now more than ever, we have an innate desire to … [More]
Affordable Housing Is an Employment Issue
Why is it that, when trying to solve problems, communities often wait until they are at the edge of a crisis before acting? That’s where things are now where it comes to affordable housing. The alarm bells are sounding. But the truth is, they have been ringing now for a few years and it looks like many cities in the Valley have not been listening. The resistance to … [More]
Capacity Impact through Strong Organization Core Values and Mindset
“The goal is not to do business with everybody who needs what you have. The goal is to do business with people who believe what you believe.” —Simon Sinek As the discussion continues around building capacity, one area often overlooked is the beliefs and values that an organization aspires to hold, which can have a significant impact on the organization’s success. I read an … [More]
TruWest Credit Union’s TruDifference
Steeped in Arizona history, TruWest Credit Union was originally established in 1952 as Motorola Credit Union. With more than 93,000 members and eight Phoenix locations, the TruWest of today is focused on building upon the rich legacy on which they were established and on building a stronger community. Operating under the philosophy “people helping people,” the organization … [More]
The Business Case for Volunteering
Arizona enters the new year on a roll. The state’s economy posted one of the most robust recoveries in the nation in 2021, with record job growth and business investment and healthy funding conditions for startups. All of that has received ample news coverage and is a worthy feather in the state’s cap as it looks to build on that success in 2022. But there’s another key … [More]
Capacity Impact through Sound Leadership
"The single biggest way to impact an organization is to focus on leadership development. There is almost no limit to the potential of an organization that recruits good people, raises them up as leaders and continually develops them." —John Maxwell We are living in different times right now, and I suspect everyone knows that, but one thing remains consistent: Strong … [More]
COP26 – Strategies for Decarbonization and Impact on the Built Environment
It is a known fact that there is a direct relationship between carbon dioxide emissions and global warming, and the real estate industry makes up 49% of global carbon emissions when accounting for construction and building performance. It is of great importance, therefore, to get to zero. At COP26 – UN Climate Change Conference, Gensler announced its green materials … [More]
STEM Sports® Audible Aids Education
STEM Sports® is committed to the educational enrichment of youth. Its focus on analog technology has empowered this commitment. Through a double-play combination of physical activity and cognitive thinking, the organization provides a comprehensive approach. Preparing students for future careers, STEM Sports is providing a turnkey, standards-aligned, K-8 supplemental curricula … [More]
Donate First, Trash Second – Muscular Moving Men & Storage to the Rescue
The dreaded process of moving. Not only can this be a stressful experience, but it also has a tendency of taking a toll on our environment. In truth, moving is a proven cause of unnecessary waste. According to the website Move Buddha, humans produce nearly 16.4 billion pounds of waste annually as a result of moving. And with Americans projected to move 20% more next year than … [More]
Are We ‘Hear’ for Each Other?
You can observe a lot just by watching. That’s one of the sayings made famous by Yogi Berra, a Hall of Fame baseball catcher perhaps best known for his off-the-wall quotes. While some of his “Yogi-isms” are hilarious, many of them have a deeper meaning if you take a minute to think about it. Here’s a twist on “watching” that might have a useful purpose. You can hear … [More]
