On stage at Arizona State University’s SkySong campus, student entrepreneurs presented their market-ready business ventures, showcasing how Arizona’s public universities are helping students turn innovation into enterprise. Some pitched new approaches to improving health care delivery, and others shared their ideas to improve sustainability or new ways to use artificial … [More]
CEO Advocacy Group Names New Chair, Board Officers
Greater Phoenix Leadership, the state’s premier CEO business advocacy organization, announced the election of Simer S. Mayo as Chair of the Board for a two-year term spanning 2026 to 2028. Exiting as Chair is Ken Van Winkle, Vice Chair of Womble Bond Dickinson, who served in the role from 2024 to 2026. Ken Van Winkle has been a member of GPL since 2009 and joined the board … [More]
ASU, GoDaddy Launch National Program for College Athletes
The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, announced a new collaboration with SPORTx at Arizona State University and GoDaddy that lays the foundation for student-athlete education and activation opportunities relative to Name, Image and Likeness. SPORTx Venture Studio built with GoDaddy will be recognized as NACDA's Annual and Convention sponsor ahead of the … [More]
Phoenix Riders to Get Early Access to Waymo’s Newest Autonomous Vehicle
Waymo will begin offering select riders fully autonomous trips in its new Ojai vehicles in the coming weeks, introducing the first public rider experience powered by the 6th-generation Waymo Driver. The Ojai represents a new rider-first vehicle platform designed specifically for fully autonomous ride-hailing and builds on Waymo’s experience serving more than 20 million fully … [More]
Copper Corridor Town Approves Landmark $20M Water Pact
The Town of Superior Town Council has unanimously approved a landmark water agreement with Resolution Copper, securing a long-term, more than $20 million water mitigation commitment designed to protect and enhance the community’s water future. “For the past several years, our town worked vigorously to ensure that Superior’s water future is protected,” said Mayor Mila … [More]
Volunteerism Is Emerging as a Business Imperative
Every May, Mental Health Awareness Month brings an important conversation back into focus. Businesses post statistics, share supportive messaging and encourage people to prioritize wellbeing. The bigger question is what happens next: what does meaningful action actually look like? The expectation is shifting from acknowledging community challenges to participating in solving … [More]
Arizona Anchors New Southwest Talent Hub for Semiconductor Industry
At a press event at JA BizTown, the Arizona Commerce Authority, in partnership with the National Network for Microelectronics Education, SEMI Foundation, and the National Science Foundation (NSF), announced the designation of NNME Southwest as an official NNME Regional Node—one of the nation’s anchor hubs for semiconductor workforce development. The National Network for … [More]
Prominent CEO Joins Phoenix Children’s Board
Phoenix Children's announced the appointment of D. Christian "Chris" Koch to its board of directors. Koch, a longtime advocate for improving health outcomes for children and teens, serves as Chair, President and Chief Executive Officer of Carlisle Companies Incorporated, a leading supplier of innovative building envelope products and solutions for more energy efficient … [More]
Bond Hits 98% Lease-Up with 33K SF of New Commitments
Phoenix-based developer George Oliver is approaching full lease-up at Bond, its Camelback Corridor luxury office redevelopment that blends superior design and highly curated meeting and workspaces with best-in-class wellness and culinary offerings. The hospitality-centric combination has attracted over 137,000 square feet in new leasing activity to Bond, bringing the Class A … [More]
Popular Specialty Grocer to Open First North Phoenix Store at Desert Ridge
Vestar, one of the leading privately held shopping center owners and operators in the western United States, announced that Trader Joe’s will soon open at Desert Ridge Marketplace in North Phoenix. Arizona’s premier shopping, dining, and entertainment destination is proud to welcome the nationally recognized neighborhood grocery store, known for its unique products and loyal … [More]
Extreme Heat Can Disrupt the Tech Small Businesses Rely On
Summers in Arizona mean more customers on patios, employees working from trucks and job sites, digital menus, payment systems, security cameras and Wi-Fi that have to keep running. But the sunshine and heat that define the season can also work against technology, both outside and inside a business. Phones, outdoor TVs, laptops, speakers, security cameras, routers and … [More]
AI Sales Tax Missteps Could Leave Refunds on the Table
Inconsistencies Categorizing AI As Product Or Service May Result In Companies Overpaying Sales Taxes, Making Them Eligible For Refunds
Sales taxes have come a long way since 2018, the year the Supreme Court’s landmark Wayfair decision opened the door for states to charge sales tax on purchases, even if the seller has no physical presence in the taxing state. Since then, sales tax responsibility and compliance have evolved considerably - expanding the definitions of “product”, “service”, and what it means to … [More]
Education Advocacy Organization Expands Leadership Team
Education Forward Arizona announced that Ricardo Lopez Valencia, a respected executive, strategist and civic leader with more than 30 years of experience across education, workforce development, business and community leadership, has joined the organization as Senior Vice President of Education and Workforce Alignment. In this role, Valencia will help advance Education Forward … [More]
West-MEC to Open Largest Campus Yet Near Thomas and the Loop 101
This July 2026, West-MEC will open the doors to its new Southeast Campus, expanding career and technical education opportunities in one of Arizona's fastest-growing regions. Located near Thomas Road and Loop 101, the campus represents West-MEC's continued commitment to preparing students for high-demand career fields aligned with Arizona's workforce needs. As economic growth … [More]
First Look at Scottsdale Shea’s Major Campus Expansion
HonorHealth, a leading Valley-based nonprofit healthcare system serving more than five million people across the greater Phoenix area, is marking a series of significant enhancements at HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center aimed at improving access, expanding specialty services and elevating the patient and visitor experience. Recent additions include the opening of a … [More]
Uptown Plaza Adds New Dining, Retail Concepts
Following a milestone 70th anniversary year, Uptown Plaza, the historic mid-century modern landmark at the intersection of Central Avenue and Camelback Road, has expanded its retail and dining roster with the addition of two exciting new tenants that are now open: Let’s Toast and Road Runner Sports. The new openings signal continued momentum for the North Central Phoenix … [More]
AI Tool Aims to Speed CRE Loan Quotes for Brokers
CommLoan, a technology company building the modern operating system for commercial real estate lending, announced the launch of its new AI quote generator, giving any commercial real estate mortgage broker in the country instant access to lender matching powered by nearly a decade of proprietary data. The generator allows brokers to upload any offering memorandum or manually … [More]
Arizona Expands Global Chip Push with Asia Mission
Building on record international activity and historic foreign investments, the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), will lead an economic and innovation-focused delegation to Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Taiwan from May 27 through June 3. The visit underscores Arizona’s accelerating international momentum and the state’s expanding leadership in the global technology … [More]
