Winter 2O18 • aztechcouncil.org
IN THIS ISSUE 2 Introduction to Israel
Arizona Technology Report
Arizona Technology Council: The Voice of the Technology Industry
President’s Message
Like most people in fall 2009, it was hard not to still feel the effects of the slow recovery after the Great Recession 4 Driven by Growth that technically ended in June of that New website uses visitor data to year. A national employment rate that maintain engagement hit 10 percent in October was perhaps 5 Change for the Better the most telling sign of how bad things Council sharpens focus on value still were. I had been in my current role proposition not quite three years and had heard 6 Whole New World more than my share of the bleeding Chief Science Officers use global happening in my sector, as well as Steven G. Zylstra, ties for early start on leadership President and CEO, Arizona others that make up our economy. Technology Council As they say, time heals all wounds. Nearly nine years later, a booming U.S. economy has given us plenty of cause to celebrate and forget those rocky times on The Arizona Technology Council is Arizona’s premier trade association for the earlier business front. September 2018 brought a 3.7-percent national unemployment science and technology companies. rate, which was a drop of two-tenths of a point from the previous month. This was the lowest rate since December 1969. The Conference Board estimated that for nearly twoPhoenix Office thirds of the U.S. population, this was the lowest unemployment rate in their lifetime. 2800 N. Central Ave., Suite 1530 Close to home, we saw the Arizona jobless rate hit 4.7 percent in September, which Phoenix, AZ 85004 Phone: 602-343-8324 • Fax: 602-343-8330 was a tenth of a point higher than the level for August. Before you say, “Uh-oh, not again,” info@aztechcouncil.org one news report using the state Office of Economic Opportunity as its source pointed out the uptick reflected the job creation rate was just matching the number of residents in Tucson Office our state who were entering or re-entering the job market. The real numbers to watch for The University of Arizona Science and an economic pulse were related to job creation. During September in Arizona, privateTechnology Park 9040 S. Rita Rd., Ste. 1150 (near I-10 & Rita Rd.) sector employment increased 11,300 while it jumped by 79,000 in the past year. Tucson, AZ 85747 I can vouch for the job creation as my staff and I constantly hear about technology Phone: 520-382-3281 • Fax: 520-382-3299 community members looking for new team members. That’s one reason we’ve begun tucson@aztechcouncil.org including job openings in Tech Talk, the monthly newsletter we publish for our membership, as well as our Monday morning Events announcement. MANAGEMENT AND STAFF To give you an example of the activity, consider what is happening at Steven G. Zylstra President + CEO information technology companies, which include enterprises involved in Leigh Goldstein COO + Vice President, Programs + Events such activities as telecommunications and data processing. In Arizona, this Pat Krueger Director, Finance + Administration Lauren Witte Director, Marketing + Communication sector had 46,800 workers in September 2018, which was 5.2 percent more Deborah Zack Senior Director, Membership Services than September 2017. Meredith Orr Director, Membership Services Laura DeGeorge Executive Assistant to President + CEO Taken by itself, 2,300 more employees may not seem like a lot for an entire Jeff Sales Executive Director, Southern Arizona Regional Office state. But consider there are also IT workers employed in other sectors, such Jamie Neilson Operations Manager, Southern Arizona Regional Office as government, education, insurance, banking and health, professional and Don Rodriguez Editor Ron Schott Executive Emeritus, Phoenix business services, and manufacturing. All reported year-over-year gains, so Don Ruedy Executive Emeritus, Tucson you can bet the collective technology workforce has been growing right along Justin Williams Executive Emeritus, Tucson with the rest. ARIZONA TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL FOUNDATION Those workers with their sights set on the information technology sector Jeremy Babendure, Ph.D., Executive Director should still have a shot at landing a job. The monthly jobless rate for that Kelly Green, Director, Arizona Operations group alone was 5.1 percent in September 2017 then plunged to 2.3 percent a Bruce Jones, National Systems Manager Kindra Maples, CSO Systems Coordinator year later. Once again, the technology field leads the way. Council members are part of delegation that explores new opportunities
WHO WE ARE
Marisa Ostos, Director, Arizona SciTech Festival Jasper Pena, IT Support Kaci Fankhauser, AmeriCorps VISTA Kal Mannis, AZ Rural and International Initiatives Sabrina Foy, Accounting Assistant
aztechcouncil.org
ARIZONA TECHNOLOGY REPORT
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