Among business’s top five concerns are labor, capital and customers. Top of the list is qualified workers — therefore, says nationally recognized W. P. Carey School of Business economics professor Lee McPheters, “the education system is important.” He believes cutbacks in education funding could impact the workforce. Arizona is rightly proud of its universities, but the number … [More]
Rick McCartney, InMedia Company
As a business owner, I know that building business is a natural focus throughout each year, but the new year always inspires that special impulse to try to predict: What opportunities will the new year bring? What’s in store for my business? Great focus on the bottom line and other aspects of our businesses seems to be heightened as we start anew on January 1 — whether it’s … [More]
Language Training Benefits Business
As more and more companies are expanding into a global economy, it has become evident that having a multilingual workforce is a critical success factor. Think about it: What if a company’s employees couldn’t communicate with each other or key external contacts such as customers, consultants or vendors? It would be highly likely that this could significantly damage earning … [More]
Putting the ‘Why’ in Personal Finance
Alignment is a simple idea that can add 5 percent to a business’s top line and will have implications not before considered. People seek a purpose-driven life. A successful organization can help provide that through aligning the organization’s purpose from the CEO to every employee. An important aspect of alignment involves helping employees recognize the impact they … [More]
In Perspective: The U.S.-Mexico Border
My first academic position was at New Mexico State University in 1991. On my first day there, I was shown a plan to improve border crossing operations from Mexico to the United States. I’ve been involved in Mexico-U.S. issues ever since. Since I study transportation and logistics issues, I initially spent considerable time understanding, explaining and evaluating the … [More]
Tax Incentives: What Do Cities Offer?
The use of tax abatement between a private developer and a city with respect to a qualifying project has become a popular topic over the last several years as infill development in the Valley increases. In certain circumstances — when the arrangement occurs in a so-called single central business district of a city — the municipality may abate the government property lease … [More]
Don Fechter: Innovating Solutions through Cambridge Benefit Solutions
Don Fechter, president of Cambridge Benefit Solutions, started the company in 1998 with a drive and determination to support businesses with meaningful, valuable and relevant benefit offerings. It’s been Fechter’s comprehensive support of business owners, helping them make informed decisions for affordable, long-term, sustainable healthcare offerings, that has propelled his … [More]
Scottsdale-based Startup One of 15 Invited to TechCrunch Disrupt
Scottsdale-based eTrack Tech was one of just 15 startup companies worldwide invited to the 2017 TechCrunch Disrupt Berlin’s Startup Battlefield Competition to present its solution for heavy equipment fleet management. Excited about the opportunity to launch her company’s forklift solution at the competition, “along with other disruptive startups,” and demonstrate the technology … [More]
Valley Startups Part of Inaugural Cohort to China
Everyone always talks about the importance of networking for business growth and development, but what if you took it international? This past December, 50 American entrepreneurs from across the U.S. were selected to travel to Shenzhen, China, to meet, learn from, and build mutually beneficial relationships with 50 Chinese entrepreneurs in the inaugural U.S.-China Youth Forum … [More]
Mental Illness in the Workplace
Statistics show that one in four adults has a diagnosable mental illness. More than 50 percent of those with mental illness are not being treated. How does this impact their workplace? Stress and depression are two of the largest causes of absenteeism in our workplaces. It impacts our bottom line and causes difficulties for our employees. According to research by Harvard … [More]
Flu Season and the Bottom Line: A Direct Link
We all hate the feeling of coming down with a cold or flu while at work. But for businesses, office illness is, in fact, a financial concern. The flu results in 111 million sick days a year, which comes to $10.4 million in direct medical costs for American businesses. How can businesses improve their employees’ health and avoid unnecessary cost? Make an office plan. For … [More]
Avnet Pioneers Digital Platform for Technology Distribution
“Ask Avnet” is the first digital platform for technology distribution, affording access to the engineering knowledge base across the vast ecosystem of leading global technology distributor Avnet, including Hackster.io and element14. After five months of closed beta testing, Avnet recently moved the tool to open beta, rolling it out first to all avnet.com users in the … [More]
Valley Golf Course Embraces Future with High-Tech Golf Cars
Quintero Golf Club in Peoria has become one of the first courses in the country to implement a new fleet of state-of-the-art golf cars from Textron Fleet Management. Each of the ninety vehicles is equipped with a touchscreen video monitor that allows players to track their GPS location on the map, place food orders delivered to the course, keep score, communicate with the … [More]
‘Ask Avnet’ and ‘Engineer on Demand’
Ask Avnet, from leading global technology distributor Avnet, encompasses a range of tools and services, including an intelligent agent, customer service, technical support and a new Engineer on Demand service. The automated assistant provides users with 24/7 support and a single point of entry for basic inquiries regarding product search and order status, and seamlessly … [More]
Rethinking the Office Space: Trends to Adopt in 2018
As technology continues to shape the world around us, people in today’s workforce have become more mobile and less tethered to their desks than ever before. Files can be accessed virtually anywhere thanks to cloud storage while cubicles have given way to smart workstations that allow employees to choose how they work. Technological enhancements are continually changing how … [More]
CBRE’s ‘Workplace360’ Initiative
CBRE’s recently opened state-of-the-art office at The Esplanade in Phoenix is part of the company’s global “Workplace360” initiative, and, at 75,000 square feet, is its largest. Guests, clients and employees enter the space in what’s known as The Heart, where they will be greeted by concierge staff. The high-tech common area features both a media wall and an immersive, … [More]
Pima Center Flex Full
MainSpring Capital Group, developer of the 232-acre master-planned Pima Center, has fully leased the latest of its flex industrial buildings at the business park. The two-building project is the first industrial project built in the North Scottsdale submarket in nearly 10 years; both buildings were fully leased prior to completion. The two buildings, each containing … [More]
Investor Enters Phoenix Market
Denver-based Allante Properties, LLC has entered the Phoenix investment market with the $8,750,000 purchase of Apex off 7th Street, a seven-building apartment community at 948 E. Devonshire Ave in the heart of Uptown Phoenix. “This acquisition offered an outstanding opportunity to participate in the renaissance of Uptown Phoenix,” says Bill Hahn, executive vice president of … [More]
