MAY 2025

Cover Story

The Ultimate Office: Productive and Innovative Workspaces Elevating Arizona’s Workforce

Papago Buttes lobby renovation for Metro Commercial: A work-play think-tank space shared by the entire building, allowing tenants to design their spaces even more efficiently because they do not have to replicate similar spaces in their own … [More]

Features

The ROI of Employee Engagement

Employee engagement is often viewed as a feel-good initiative, but its impact on business success is undeniable. Companies that invest in engagement strategies see improvements in productivity, profitability and retention. However, many organizations … [More]

Unlocking Potential: The Business of Autism Education and the Neurodiverse Workforce

In a quiet Phoenix campus, every single graduate is headed to college. This isn’t a typical preparatory academy, but Gateway Academy — a private school exclusively serving students with high-functioning autism. Its 100% post-secondary placement rate … [More]

Atlasta Catering’s Recipe for Impact

Atlasta Catering is more than a culinary powerhouse redefining what catering can be; it’s a beacon of sustainability and community engagement. Since its inception, Atlasta has been guided by an ethos that combines innovation, environmental … [More]

Creating Healthier Spaces in Our Built Environment

In Arizona, where extreme heat keeps us indoors for much of the year and air quality challenges persist, it’s more important than ever to think about the air we breathe inside our homes, schools, offices — and commercial properties. It’s important … [More]

Guiding Principles: The Blueprint for Enduring Business Success

Senior leaders understand that building an enterprise isn’t just about navigating market trends or chasing the next big idea — it’s about establishing a foundation that lasts. In decades of working with companies striving to stand out in competitive … [More]

Employers’ Guide to Hiring Veterans

Veterans can be some of the best workers a company could have. They tend to prize attention to detail; they understand the importance of following the rules; and they know how to persist, even when the going gets tough. Despite these advantages, … [More]

Tariffs and Their Impact on Commercial Real Estate

In recent months, there has been increasing concern among commercial real estate professionals with the potential impact of new tariffs. These tariffs, introduced as part of broader trade policies, have affected various industries, with commercial … [More]

Roundtable

Are Cultural Divides Growing at Work? And Why Does It Matter?

A recently released report from Leapsome, the AI-powered people platform for HR excellence, spotlights the growing pressure on People teams to juggle … [More]

Economy

Sweep Accounts: Strategy to Manage Deposits that Exceed the FDIC Limit

Managing deposits that exceed the standard FDIC insurance threshold can seem like a daunting task. Businesses and individuals alike often seek a way … [More]

Legal

Estate Planning for Business Succession

John Mercer never imagined his sudden heart attack at age 58 would leave his business vulnerable. With no formal succession plan in place, his family … [More]

Nonprofit

Elevating Corporate Social Responsibility through Collaboration

Collaborations between businesses and philanthropic organizations are more common than ever. The strongest partnerships that communities can rally … [More]

From the Top

Shining Light on American Solar’s People-Centric Vision

For many leaders, the path to the top is carefully planned. For me, it was forged through experience, adversity and a deep sense of responsibility. My outlook was shaped by my upbringing as a classic … [More]

By the Numbers

Forces and Factors Impacting Marketing Performance

Are marketing dollars going to the right places? What’s the bang for the buck? The index indicates CMOs should allocate spend to mostly digital channels that engage target customers more actively, … [More]

Startups

Kitchen Switchen: More than Retail

Kitchen Switchen was created to be a first-of-its-kind culinary content creators' community, says co-founder Brittney Valentine, who describes it as “a haven where you can discover the latest and … [More]

HomeLyfe Provides Roofing Solution

HomeLyfe is a home maintenance company that helps homeowners build, maintain and protect their equity, starting with their roof. “Ninety percent of asphalt shingle roofs do not need to be replaced — … [More]

Healthcare

Growing Demand for Mobile Medical Care

Imagine having to travel to a doctor's office, walk into a building and down long corridors while wheezing and being short of breath from chronic heart or lung disease. Joint pains, back problems or leg or backside wounds overwhelm the assistance … [More]

Technology

Avnet Commits to STEM and Empowering the Next Generation in Arizona

Avnet, a global technology solutions provider with deep roots in Phoenix, is working to expand STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education through a range of initiatives. By supporting local robotics competitions, funding STEM projects … [More]

Semi Insights

Can a Customer-First Culture Reignite U.S. Chipmaking?

Expectations were high when Lip-Bu Tan stepped on stage at Intel Vision 2025. The semiconductor giant has fallen from grace, ceding technological leadership to global competitors and watching its foundry business hemorrhage money. But Tan, Intel's … [More]

Arizona’s Space Age

Arizona already sits at the center of America's semiconductor surge. Now, it may be charting a new trajectory — straight into space. From research labs to manufacturing floors, the state has become a powerhouse in advanced chipmaking. Governor … [More]

CRE

Behavioral Health Services Battle Stigma in Office Space Search

Most business owners in search of office space have a variety of options — the real challenge is finding the best space to fit operational and financial criteria. That is not the case for providers of behavioral or mental health services. In fact, … [More]

Tariffs and Their Impact on Commercial Real Estate

Briefs

Phoenix Coffee Shop Doubles as a Design Lab

When Thomas Porter of Porter Barn Wood decided to join his many restaurant clients in the hospitality business by opening his own coffee shop and café, he saw it as a unique way to combine his love of coffee and construction — hence the name The … [More]

Edo Japanese Grill – U.S. Debut from Canada

Edo Japan, one of Canada’s premier fast-casual franchises known for its fresh, flavorful Japanese-inspired cuisine, has made its U.S. debut with the opening of Edo Japanese Grill in Chandler, Arizona. “Bringing Edo Japanese Grill to the U.S. has … [More]

Generational Divides about Workplace L&D

The annual L&D benchmark report recently released by TalentLMS, an award-winning SaaS training vendor, uncovers how four generations of employees view workplace learning and development programs and what they expect from them. The TalentLMS … [More]