Susan Clark-Johnson, Morrison Institute

Arizona’s history is rich in contributions from women — in business, in politics, in education, in philanthropy — in every aspect of Arizona’s evolution as a state. In business, whether as independent entrepreneurs or after ascending to the corporate C-suites, women bring diverse talent and drive to the economic fabric of our state.

We are fortunate here that women indeed have the influence, the respect, even the power, to change policy, to improve, to grow, to nourish, to motivate and to develop others. This state has remarkable young women who want to make a difference. It also has some remarkable seasoned women who care deeply about Arizona and want to contribute to making it a great state some day. One only has to look at the gubernatorial office — occupied by women who have shaped (whether you agree with them all or not) this state for the past decade. One has only to look at the power of innovative philanthropic work being done by women who run foundations and funds. Or at the number of women who run companies, large and small.

Women continue to strengthen economic development throughout the state. In her cover story, “Women at the Top: Are They Making a Difference in Business?” Sue Kern-Fleischer explores leadership styles of women in today’s globally connected business world as well as the entrepreneurial challenges of women small-business owners, and the contributions of women-owned and women-led businesses to the Arizona economy.

A reality of human resources management in today’s business environment is the mobility of the younger work force continually job seeking to advanced opportunities. J. Rentilly delves into the challenges of businesses trying to retain and develop its work force and leadership in “The ROI of Training Programs.” Ron Kaufman offers 12 keys to creating uplifting service in today’s marketplace in this issue’s Focus feature on customer service. And in the Roundtable feature, Marsha Friedman discusses the proliferation of fake blogs as a marketing ploy on the Internet and the importance — and value — of a business establishing credibility in its website messaging.

In Business Magazine is a strong tool for businesspeople from the entrepreneur to the chairman of the board, focused on bringing its readers relevant and useful information on subjects important to business. Enjoy the read.

Sincerely,

Susan Clark-Johnson
Executive Director
Morrison Institute for Public Policy

Susan Clark-Johnson, retired president of the publishing division of Gannett Co. Inc., is currently executive director of the Morrison Institute for Public Policy at Arizona State University. She served a term as chairwoman of the Newspaper Association of America and has been recognized by numerous organizations, including lifetime achievement awards from The Washington Women’s Center and the National Association of Minority Media Executives. A member of the Council on Foreign Relations, she also serves on the boards of public companies Pinnacle West Capital Corp. and Chyron Co. as well as a variety of nonprofits that include the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGEN).