Corporate social responsibility is rooted in a basic biblical and societal principle — to love our neighbor as ourselves. But before there can be charity, there must be prosperity. Free-market principles have brought more people out of poverty than any other economic idea in history. It creates the opportunity to form companies that generate jobs that can turn deteriorating … [More]
Louie Moses, Moses, Inc.
Behind every successful company is a solid connection to its consumer, and that takes effective marketing. It’s the last legal means to gain an unfair advantage over your competition. As a card-carrying creative person, I’ve spent my entire career coming up with ideas and connecting great companies with their consumers. There’s never been a time in our lives when we have … [More]
Governor Doug Ducey, the State of Arizona
The start of a new year is traditionally the time we step back — if only for a moment — from our daily routines to take stock of where we are heading and what opportunities the new year may hold in store. Arizonans have a lot to look forward to in 2017 — and the credit goes to our business owners, entrepreneurs and their hard-working employees making it clear that our state … [More]
Courtney Klein, SEED SPOT
The entrepreneurial fever is alive and well in Arizona, and there is no dearth of people with ideas on how to build the proverbial “better mousetrap” — new products or services to meet emerging needs or fresh takes on those that already exist. And all of that energy is what powers a growing economy. But a successful business takes a lot more than an idea, however great it may … [More]
James Lundy, Alliance Bank of Arizona
Banking is the foundation on which business and commerce are built. Persistent low interest rates, tougher regulations, capital requirements nearly double their pre-financial crisis levels, and emerging competition from “Fintech” firms are today’s challenges, but banks continue to be the critical financial intermediary from global conglomerates to small, local … [More]
Paul Johnson, Redirect Health
Healthcare is being disrupted. While innovators are advancing alternate coverage and delivery programs — such as benefit packages and telemedicine — insurers are changing the playing field for businesses by closing out individual policies as an option for their employees. This disruption is causing distress and even dread among small-business owners and their employees, both … [More]
Neil G. Giuliano, Greater Phoenix Leadership
Every four years, our nation is embroiled in a debate about — essentially — leadership: Who will lead? How? And to what end? This is leadership at its most visible, and it is generally agreed that leadership at such a level has deep and far-reaching impact. Yet, in its own context, your leadership has a similarly impactful scope. I define a leader as one who influences … [More]
Sam Fox, Fox Restaurant Concepts
We locals know the Valley has been a dining destination for some time. Now, the rest of the country is taking note. We’re finally being recognized as a city that’s driving dining trends by way of some incredible culinary talent. Truth is, we’re tired of not being seen as the food-centric market we’ve become. Phoenix has earned its seat at the table and I’m more excited than … [More]
Don Smith, CopperPoint Insurance Companies
Small business is widely recognized nationally as the foundational building block of our economy. In Arizona, especially, this segment is healthy and thriving; our state has been named one of the best for entrepreneurialism. CopperPoint Insurance Companies, renamed and reorganized from the former SCF Arizona, was the state’s dedicated workers’ compensation insurance … [More]
Christine Mackay, City of Phoenix
What does successful economic development look like for Arizona? The state’s early economy was built on the famous “5 C’s”: copper, cattle, cotton, citrus and climate. In the post-5 C’s era, other vital industries have come to the fore, such as biomedicine and technology. Much of this is concentrated in the Greater Phoenix area. The region is moving into an innovation-based … [More]
RaeAnne Marsh, In Business Magazine
The commercial real estate truism of the boom days of single-family housing developments was “retail follows rooftops.” Today’s housing market is dominated by multifamily projects, and the hot trend now is to concentrate them near employment centers. So, although construction is no longer the key economic foundation of the heyday of Arizona’s famous “Five C’s,” commercial real … [More]
Steve Purves, Maricopa Integrated Health System
Employers have long recognized the importance of healthcare as an issue in their business operations. Today’s federally mandated requirements have added to their responsibilities, to not only provide the level of healthcare benefits that makes their company competitive in attracting and retaining talent but also meet the ongoing roll-out of compliance provisions. Add to those … [More]
David Adame, Chicanos Por La Causa
Arizona is home to more than 21,000 nonprofits, with missions as varied as our population. And while it is recognized that these organizations serve the community through services to their various constituents — from providing the basics of food, shelter and clothing to mentoring to medical assistance and research — it is not so generally recognized that the nonprofit sector … [More]
Daniel Mahoney, Snell & Wilmer
Greater Phoenix is now home to some major events, from the home-grown Waste Management Phoenix Open to Spring Training, including events we have to beat out other locations for the privilege to host, like the Super Bowl, the College Football National Championship and the Final Four. This isn’t just headline entertainment; it’s an industry that involves businesses ranging from … [More]
Rick McCartney, InMedia Company
A healthy state economy is the common goal of our state’s leaders in politics and business — so Arizona will continue to be an attractive home for individuals and companies. Both forces earnestly and energetically pursue courses of action they believe will achieve the best results. That they don’t always see eye to eye on specifics is no surprise to anyone who reads the … [More]
Chris Camacho, Greater Phoenix Economic Council
New jobs are bolstering the economy in the Greater Phoenix area, and it’s not just the number of people employed but the types of jobs being created. Even as we diversify our economy with a broader array of industries, the jobs within the workplace are evolving due to changes in both technology and demographics. Within the past five to ten years, we have seen a significant … [More]
Matthew Feeney, Snell & Wilmer
Arizona is recognized as a key state for entrepreneurship and business startups, but our economic vitality also needs those small businesses to scale and grow. There are resources available to the business community to assist companies in reaching that higher level. But businesses can look inward to leverage their resources and invest in themselves to grow business, opportunity … [More]
R. Allan Allford, Delta Dental of Arizona
Workplace health is a complicated issue, and employers face a multitude of responsibilities. One aspect, of course, is the healthcare mandate expressly imposed by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. In addition to physical well-being is the more subjective psychological well-being — much of which derives from the workplace environment created by company culture. And … [More]
