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]
Steven G. Seleznow, Arizona Community Foundation
Arizona is home to a wide range of highly effective and even nationally recognized charitable organizations, giving businesses a variety of ways to support the community through philanthropic investments and activities. Successful companies — whether family-owned businesses or large corporations — recognize the value of aligning their charitable giving with strategic business … [More]
Robert J. Blaney, U.S. Small Business Administration, Arizona District
Business in Arizona is in growth mode, from startups creating their space in the marketplace to established companies expanding their operations. It is also interesting to see new methodologies develop for raising capital to either start or grow a business. Crowdfunding was not part of the business lexicon a few years ago. The world of business, especially small business, … [More]
Ken McMahon, CenturyLink
Arizona’s strength in technology is broad. Leading and emerging companies in a wide range of technology sectors have operations in our metropolitan centers and are helping Arizona claim a reputation as a second-to-none business destination. Arizona has a wealth of assets that we can leverage to build an ever-stronger and more diversified economy. Our enterprising and active … [More]
Bryon Carney, DTZ
Commercial real estate affords insight into what is driving the economy, through industry accounting of the strength of its various sectors — office, industrial, retail and multifamily. All sectors of the Valley’s commercial real estate market are seeing significant new development, with more than 7.5 million square feet of office, industrial and retail space and more than … [More]
