Keeping Business Booming
It takes a community, and Greater Phoenix’s business community has a well-earned reputation for being supportive. In Business Magazine has coordinated a collection of experts in key pillars for this month’s cover story to help businesses address concerns about surviving and thriving in these uncertain times.
As reflected in this month’s issue, workforce, trade and technology have been top priorities of my administration, especially as we’ve entered 2025 and look toward building an economy of the future. Arizona’s emergence as a top market stems from our efforts to build a strong talent pipeline. Addressing challenges like childcare is a crucial part of that effort, which is why my Executive Budget includes the Bright Futures AZ initiative to lower childcare costs for families by up to two thirds.
Amid unprecedented economic uncertainty, I’ve already begun preparing for next year’s review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to ensure that Arizona has a strong voice at the table and continues to advance its economy. Additionally, in March, I made my second trip to Taiwan to further strengthen our unique, innovation-driven bilateral relationship. On the innovation front, I’ve established Arizona as a leader in advanced manufacturing, securing our place in the AI industry. This includes forming the Governor’s AI Steering Committee and setting policies for responsibly integrating AI into state government operations. This year, Arizona achieved another milestone by securing its first national laboratory for semiconductor packaging and prototyping. We’ve also seen significant investments in biosciences, aerospace and clean energy sectors, further solidifying our tier-one economy status.
Our shared success requires partnerships and collaboration. It’s essential we continue communicating our ideas and working across the business community and across sectors to break down silos and overcome challenges.
Within their own organizations, businesses have the ability to shape positive workplace environments. Nina Sharpe discusses the critical value of communication in her feature article “Feedback Loop: Building a System for a Thriving Workforce.”
Joel Zuckerman leans into another aspect of communication in this month’s Roundtable feature,
“The ‘Why’ & ‘How To’ of Gratitude at Work.” He points out that expressions of gratitude can be simple, but the benefit is grand — and promoting it benefits everyone throughout the company.
Building a skilled workforce continues to dominate discussions among business leaders. Nicholas Wyman, in his article “Why Apprenticeship Is the Workforce Strategy More Businesses Need,” offers an approach for achieving outcomes that are difficult to achieve through traditional hiring alone.
A recent Littler survey highlights a growing concern among employers over increasing remote and flexibility work requests (as distinct from legal obligations to employees with disabilities), and attorney Alexis Knapp expands on employer responsibilities in this month’s Legal feature.
Additional articles this month include “AI: A Revolution with Risks” in the Technology section, which takes a cautionary look at various aspects artificial intelligence; “The Power of Community Partnerships for Local Businesses” in the Briefs section; and the From the Top article spotlighting how Chef Rocco and Marco Pezzano of Sfizio Modern Italian Kitchen built a family business, one decision at a time.
This month also presents In Business Magazine’s annual Legal Guide, the most comprehensive guide to local lawyers and their firms. The guide lists local firms, and the attorneys by practice areas relating to business. The guide is available online for the full year and can be found on the homepage at inbusinessphx.com.
I’m proud to present this June edition of In Business Magazine, with its diverse range of topics designed to help strengthen our business community. Enjoy the read!
Sincerely,
Katie Hobbs
Governor
State of Arizona
A native Arizonan, Governor Hobbs has more than a decade of public service to the State of Arizona. Governor Hobbs sees her role as Governor as an extension of her social work and has already moved the needle forward on some of our state’s biggest challenges, including housing affordability, water security and public education. By bringing people together, Governor Hobbs is paving the way for an Arizona for everyone.
