Buried in the recently enacted Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was the creation of the Opportunity Zone Program. This new federal income tax incentive program is designed to encourage private capital investment in Opportunity Zones — designated distressed communities throughout the United States (including possessions of the United States). Specifically, the Opportunity Zone Program … [More]
Allergic to Work?
Americans miss 24.5 million workdays each year due to “occupational asthma” and lose energy and focus due to sneezing, coughing and watery eyes. And these numbers are getting worse as the number of people with allergies is increasing and global warming, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation, is fueling longer allergy seasons. With the EPA saying the lingering cold … [More]
Cyber-Secure Travel?
It has been recently reported that digital hotel door locks can be compromised by simple tweaks to their in-built security software, according to research from a cybersecurity firm. The hardware kit used to clone keys involves scanning the RFID tag or mag stripe included in a card key, which is then copied by a small device which is then able to generate a huge number of extra … [More]
A World of Difference in Leadership
Leadership has been a hot topic for several decades, and the ways women lead has landed at the top of the discussion. Although the pace has been less than dazzling, women have found their footing in every level of existing organizations or have created organizations to provide an environment suitable for them. I should know. I was one of the women who founded a company and … [More]
In Business for Good
Colleges have long been a source of innovative ideas, and in recent years many higher institutions of learning have adopted formal programs to assist students and faculty in starting up a business around their idea. The recent Collegiate Challenge, presented by Conscious Capitalism Arizona and hosted by Grand Canyon University, focused on encouraging startups that … [More]
Employers Benefit from Price Transparency in Healthcare
Employers as well as consumers have been pushing for price transparency in healthcare for some time, but now the idea is gaining momentum. Employers know price transparency can help their employees make informed healthcare decisions and, ultimately, better manage the cost of care. Nationally, healthcare represents nearly one-fifth of the total gross domestic product, and the … [More]
Capitalize on New Facebook News Feed Algorithm
Recently, Facebook announced some significant changes to its news feed algorithm that will, ultimately, affect both users and businesses. According to reports, Facebook’s executive team saw that news articles and marketing ads were creating an imbalance in the platform, drowning out all the personal moments people had to share. The new algorithm aims to correct this imbalance, … [More]
Workers Comp Damage Control
Arizona’s workers compensation system helps employees who are injured on the job receive necessary medical care and treatment. Injured workers’ claims are processed through the Arizona Industrial Commission. The ICA not only processes claims, but also resolves legal disputes that may arise concerning issues of compensability, continuing benefits, loss of earning capacity and … [More]
Medical Marijuana: Establishing Standards
With bipartisan support in place, Arizona Senate Bill 1420 should end up as law, and while this paves the way for medicinal use of marijuana in the state, healthcare providers — and dispensaries — will have strict regulations to follow. SB 1420 passed the Arizona State Senate by a vote of 27–3 in late February, and the Arizona State House of Representatives held a hearing … [More]
How Firms Manipulate Numbers for Market Gain
Businesses constantly hear that, to succeed when selecting partners, they need to do their homework. But what if the financials they review don’t really reflect reality? How does a firm make good decisions when it comes to their money? Or, maybe more importantly, how do businesses know the real strength of the firms they’re intending to partner with? GAAP vs. Non-GAAP … [More]
What Nonprofits Need to Know When Choosing a Bank
From managing cash flows to navigating tax-exempt regulations, banking plays an important role in the financial well-being of any nonprofit organization. So, when a nonprofit is looking to choose a bank, there are several factors to consider. Realize that cash is not always necessary to secure credit or a loan. A common misconception is that nonprofits need cash to secure a … [More]
2018 Mercedes Benz AMG GLE 43
This sleek and luxurious sports coupe is a (borderline) SUV with all the bells and whistles its driver needs to enjoy a smooth ride, take rugged terrain or speed through city streets. With its strong turbo boost and its dynamic exhaust system, the 3.0-liter V6 biturbo in the 2018 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE43 elevates horsepower and torque. An exclusive red engine cover insert … [More]
Hearth ’61 – A View Forward and Back
The Valley’s celebrated Chef Charles Wiley has brought his creative touch to Hearth ’61 at the newly reopened Mountain Shadows resort. The Paradise Valley property first welcomed guests in the mid-1950s, and retains its boutique nature. Guests entering from the valet station to the lobby make a quick left to reach the restaurant just past the bar. But it’s worth a short detour … [More]
Sexual Harassment Claims Rising?
In recent months, sexual harassment in the workplace has become a focal issue, with new headlines popping up seemingly every day regarding a Hollywood mogul or elected official being accused of sexual harassment. Although sexual harassment has always been an important issue in the workplace, the recent heightened publicity has caused employers to stop and rethink their policies … [More]
Daehee Park, Waking Up the Sleep Industry
Just seven short years ago, Daehee Park met JT Marino through a mutual professor at Penn State. Both had big dreams and aspirations that aligned and, today, those dreams have manifested into a $170-million national company headquartered right in the heart of Downtown Phoenix. As a Silicon Valley entrepreneur at the time, Park was a software engineer working on the “next big … [More]
Startups Are Thriving in Phoenix
If a startup is looking for a place to dig in its roots and flourish, that place is Greater Phoenix. There’s no other city in the nation full of more promise and potential of fostering a growing startup than the Valley of the Sun. And I saw it all begin in 2015 with the birth of what is now Techstars Startup Week PHX powered by Chase for Business. At the time I was local, … [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]
