ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Some 300,000 of our residents have lost their jobs since the recession began. We realize that people are counting on us to do our job.
global economy and Arizona’s somewhat tarnished reputation regarding school funding, immigration, gun laws and other issues. But he is optimistic. “Some 300,000 of our residents have lost jobs since the recession began,” Pr uitt says. “ We realize that people are counting on us to do our job. T he AC A takes this dut y seriously and is focused on a single task — getting businesses to invest in A r izona to create jobs.”
— Doug Pruitt, Sundt Contruction www.azcommerce.com www.gpec.org www.treoaz.org many opportunities moving forward.” And the ACA’s Curry says the new competitiveness package passed early this year opened a lot of doors for ACA to pitch the state’s wares. “Before our toolbox didn’t have a lot of tools,” Curry says. “Now Arizona is ranked high among Western states.” During a recent trade conference in San Francisco with international companies looking for a U.S. presence, the organization landed 19 meetings with interested prospects, and three are actively pursuing a possible Arizona relocation, he says. Pruitt adds the ACA still faces hurdles — the uncertain
13