Suncorridorfall2016

66 BizTucson

<<<

Fall 2016

www.BizTucson.com

www.BizTucson.com

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 67

BizECONOMY

Trajectory Sun Corridor Inc.’s Bold and Bullish Outlook

By Rhonda Bodfield

F

ive years ago, Southern Arizona could not have won the hypercompetitive race to bring Caterpillar’s Surface Mining & Technology Division central hub to downtown Tucson – bringing more than 600 new, high-skilled jobs to our region and significantly expanding Caterpillar’s presence in the state to nearly 1,000 jobs.

There was too much work yet to be done.

Partners – both in the public and private sector – needed to align their efforts to accomplish a single vision.

Regionalism had to take root so there was a clear understanding that a win in one area was a win across the map – whether a company located in Oro Valley, Tucson or Marana. The players still had to coalesce into a team. Success had to feed confidence.

Those elements had yet to gel. Tuc68 BizTucson

<<<

Fall 2016

son was seen as a great place to golf – not as a hub for industry.

When Joe Snell was tapped 11 years ago to lead the region’s economic development efforts, he came to a conclusion in those initial months of his tenure.

“There was no doubt in my mind that Tucson had the right ingredients to be an economic juggernaut. We are surrounded by physical beauty. We have a world-class university. Our livability is unmatched,” said Snell, president and CEO of Sun Corridor Inc. “We had it all except for one thing – we didn’t have a recipe.”

Catalyst for change

The thing about economic development is that there’s typically no magic bullet.

Sustainable growth more often than not demands a slow and steady build.

“Looking at the evolution of where we were, and where we are today, there were defining occasions – a series of ‘aha’ moments that brought us a step closer to the place we’re at now – which is a bold and bullish outlook about Tucson’s growth opportunities.”

As with most change, there was a catalyst. If you ask Snell to pinpoint the moment when things really shifted, he points to Raytheon’s decision in 2010 to build a new $75 million missile production facility in Huntsville, Alabama, instead of in Tucson.

Huntsville was really aggressive – so aggressive that they had folks on the ground knocking on doors in Tucson, trying to lure them away. It helped that they had something to sell – a massive business park that feeds innovation through shared access to talent and suppliers, and fuels collaboration among www.BizTucson.com

of

Success complementary businesses. Plus, Alabama offered tax incentives that Arizona could not offer.

But more than that, what local leaders saw on a trip to Huntsville organized by Snell was political leadership in lockstep alignment from the federal level down.

There was agreement on what the prize was and how they would get it.

That loss coincided with the fact that Tucson in the recession era had to work a little harder than Tucson in the prerecession era, which had been riding a wave of massive in-migration.

“I’m a big believer that you don’t waste a good crisis,” Snell said. “The recession brought with it an awareness we had to be more competitive. We couldn’t just wait for something to change.”

First step on the forward path

When Snell sat down to trace a trajectory of success for his board of directors, he started it with the successful recruitment of Accelerate Diagnostics in 2014.

It was a startup – but it was important for its potential. Led by a talented team with local ties, it was another step in growing a critical mass of biotech firms.

By early 2016, the company had grown its employee base from 20 staff members to more than 140 – at an average wage of more than $90,000 a year.

Accelerate Diagnostics could have chosen another communtity. The new company needed specialized lab space that didn’t exist here. Snell credits Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry with coming up with a creative solution – the County built the specialized space in its Abrams Public Health

Center building, and leased it to Accelerate. When that lease period ends – ideally with Accelerate Diagnostics as a mature, growing bioscience firm – that space can be used to attract another bioscience or medical firm.

“To me, that built confidence. Instead of why we couldn’t do something, we figured out how we could,” Snell said.

Loss leads to victory

If Tesla Motors’ “gigafactory” was the one that got away, it also did more than anything else to set the stage for success, Snell said.

Government and business leaders, including TEP’s Dave Hutchens, Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, Pima County Supervisor Sharon Bronson and Huckelberry, helped craft a competitive offer. The private sector also brought incontinued on page 70 >>>

www.BizTucson.com

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 69

BizECONOMY

Top Site Selectors Pick Tucson for 2017 Conference

By Rhonda Bodfield

Fewer than 400 people make 95 percent of the decisions about where companies should relocate or expand.

Companies hire these site selectors for their expertise on everything from overall business climate to tax structure, environment and livability.

Now, thanks to a statewide effort that included a joint pitch

by Sun Corridor Inc. and Visit Tucson, the world’s foremost consultants are coming here in March for the 2017 Site Selectors Guild conference – a first for Tucson and a rare opportunity for a city of this size.

“Hosting the 2017 Site Selectors Guild Conference in Tucson will provide an excellent opportunity to showcase everything Arizona has to offer in terms of both pro-business environment and unmatched quality of life,” said Sandra Watson, Arizona Commerce Authority President & CEO. “By bringing the world’s leading site selection professionals together in our state, we will be well positioned to highlight the many advantages Arizona offers to their corporate clients considering expansion or relocation.”

The guild is a prestigious, invitation-only professional organization that shapes the corporate growth strategies of the nation’s top companies. Members lead corporate location projects valued at more than $30 billion in annual capital expenditures each year.

70 BizTucson

<<<

Fall 2016

“The timing of the conference couldn’t be better for Tucson.

On the heels of the Caterpillar relocation, combined with Comcast and HomeGoods, Tucson is on their radar, with a lot of people scratching their heads wondering, ‘What’s up in Tucson?’ ” said Fletcher McCusker, CEO and president of Sinfonia HealthCare Corp and chairman of the Rio Nuevo board.

“In selecting locations for our annual conference, SSG seeks to partner with global leading locations that are important to site selection and economic development – and Arizona certainly falls on this list,” said William N. Hearn, chairman of the guild’s annual conference committee and senior VP for CBRE, Consulting & Economic Incentives Group in Atlanta.

In addition to showing off the allures of the region, the conference will provide an opportunity to highlight Tucson’s competitive strengths – not only in aerospace, academics, logistics and bioscience, but as a foodie destination with an accessible airport and sweeping changes taking place downtown.

McCusker said, “I believe we will surprise a lot of people and generate significant new interest in Tucson as a corporate destination.”

Biz

continued from page 69 centives to the table.

“We knew we had a good offer. And even though we didn’t come out on top, what it did was give us the formula,” Snell said. “We now had our recipe.”

So when HomeGoods came a few months later looking for a site to build a West Coast distribution center that would employ 400 people, there already was a clear marriage of the public and private sector.

HomeGoods executives said part of what sold them was that they had rarely seen such unity from key leaders in a community.

Comcast, with its new advanced services center and 1,100 jobs, gave the community a chance to refine the formula further. Now Tucson really was on the radar. Interest was piqued from site selectors and real estate professionals – what’s going on over there?

Success begets success

Enter Caterpillar, one of the world’s most valuable brands. A Fortune 100 company, Caterpillar is bringing its new Surface Mining & Technology central hub downtown, a decision that translates into a direct infusion of $1.9 billion in economic benefits to the community in the coming years.

Snell ticks off a list of key players working together.

Governor Doug Ducey and Sandra Watson of the Arizona Commerce Authority. Bronson and Huckelberry. Rothschild. Jim Click Jr. Fletcher McCusker.

Members of the Sun Corridor Inc. Board of Directors. In some cases, polar opposites politically worked in unison. “We saw people come around the table to remove every obstacle placed in front of us. And with that alignment, there was no way we were going to lose.”

Hutchens, the vice chair of Sun Corridor Inc. and head of TEP agreed. “Collaboration has been the key to our economic development success,” he said.

Chair of the Sun Corridor Inc. Board, Dennis Minano, said there is an unsung hero in the success.

“The community really led all of this. We would not get anywhere without unifying, collaborative partnerships. We know how to leverage the successes and communicate our message – and collectively we are solving problems and meeting our client’s needs.

That’s a powerful combination.”

This is validation for Snell of the new strategies Sun Corridor Inc. implemented – a big win in a year of huge transition, following rebranding with a new name and a bigger footprint that now envelops everything south of Maricopa County and extends deep into Mexico.

Sun Corridor Inc.’s eight staff members have developed the strongest pipeline of new prospects that has existed in the organization’s history, he said.

“We’re hunting bigger fish and higher wages. Locally, we’re building assets that we can put these businesses into. We’re thinking big. We’re aggressive. And we’re going to win,” Snell said. “I couldn’t say that five years ago, but it’s just going to get bigger from here.”

Biz

www.BizTucson.com

After Hard Decision, A ‘Soft Landing’

By Rhonda Bodfield There was a moment, as Caterpillar executives were meeting with local leaders, that it became obvious that Southern Arizona was not well-understood as a business location or a place to live.

Sun Corridor Inc. had long offered an informal program to help employees relocating to the area – from helping their spouses find employment opportunities to answering questions about neighborhoods and schools. But the size of the Caterpillar workforce moving here caused board leadership to step back and reevaluate.

“It became clear right away that we needed a more formal mechanism to really highlight the strong assets we have and to demonstrate what we love about Tucson,” said Joe Snell, president and CEO of Sun Corridor Inc. “It was also clear that we were dealing with a company that loves their people, so it was important to us to make sure there were no barriers for these newcomers to our community.”

Enter the Soft Landing solution.

Sun Corridor Inc. launched a series of live webinars in May and June, designed to highlight this region’s strength in key areas. Community leaders – including Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, Tucson Metro Chamber’s Mike Varney and Visit Tucson’s Brent DeRaad – answered questions about the renaissance of downtown and what makes this community special.

Education, healthcare and housing experts gathered on separate occasions at 6 a.m. to accommodate the time difference with Caterpillar’s Surface Mining & Technology employees in the Midwest, and to answer questions specifically about their areas of expertise.

Along with FAQs, videos and other resources, Sun Corridor Inc. also deployed a concierge program to help spouses/partners seek out job prospects, and linked relocating employees with a www.BizTucson.com

Tucson “buddy” who could help assist in specific areas of interest.

“Everything was designed to say welcome and to ease that transition to a new culture and a new climate,” Snell said.

Judy Rich, president and CEO of Tucson Medical Center, said she was pleased to participate in the health

“

Sun Corridor Inc.’s Soft Landing program has been a powerful and proactive way to connect our employees with key leaders of the Tucson community to help in change management.

– Benjamin

”

S. Cordani Lead HR Manager Caterpillar’s Surface Mining & Technology Division

sector webinar, which also included Banner-University Medical Center and Northwest Medical Center.

“Caterpillar’s decision to establish offices downtown is clearly one of the largest economic development projects in recent memory – and this was a great opportunity to deepen our relationship, share our strengths and welcome them

to their new home,” she said.

“It also provided a road map and a network to continue this kind of effort in the future for other companies that could benefit from this kind of support.”

More than 2,200 attendees participated across 12 sessions.

“Sun Corridor Inc.’s Soft Landing program has been a powerful and proactive way to connect our employees with key leaders of the Tucson community to help in change management,” said Benjamin S. Cordani, lead human resources manager for Caterpillar’s Surface Mining & Technology Division.

“These community leaders transparently shared their honest views and experience on a range of topics including the community, housing market, education landscape and health options.

Through that, our employees felt a very real and personal connection with Tucson and are better equipped to make a decision on relocation and quickly integrate into the community.”

Xavier Manrique, senior VP for Arizona regional commercial banking at Wells Fargo, was assigned as a buddy to a Caterpillar executive from Illinois.

They talked about everything from schools, neighborhoods and summerbreak activities to veterinarians. “I enjoyed sharing my knowledge of our community. It’s given me an opportunity to appreciate all the wonderful aspects of our region,” he said.

Manrique helped introduce the exec to the principal of her first-choice high school and was heartened to hear that the enrollment process was soon underway, helping many other important pieces fall into place.

“We can show prospective companies that kids and family come first in our community – and we have educators ready to help, putting kids’ needs first,” he said.

Biz

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 71

BizECONOMY

Caterpillar on the Move

Selects Downtown Tucson for Growth-Focused Central Hub

By Rhonda Bodfield Caterpillar is one of the world’s most valuable brands. After careful consideration and a yearlong process, this Fortune 100 company chose Tucson as the place to substantially expand its Surface Mining & Technology Division.

That’s a decision that translates into a direct infusion of $1.9 billion in economic benefits to this community and brings 600 new jobs paying an average of $90,000.That’s good for us.

Yet to Caterpillar, this move is the foundation for the company’s long-term growth strategy. “We view this as a longterm decision,” said Tom Bluth, Caterpillar’s VP in charge of the Surface Mining & Technology Division. “We’re really planting the future of our business in Tucson.”

Bluth recently took time out of his hectic schedule to have a conversation with BizTucson and share insights about Caterpillar’s decision to expand in Tucson and its vision for the next half century and beyond.

Q. When did the process begin

in seeking a new site and what were your goals?

Let’s talk a little bit about this. The Division of Surface Mining & Technology for Caterpillar really is an end-toend business unit focusing on surface mining. It is a combination of three elements – all of our manufacturing plants across the world that support the surface mining product; a collection of different product groups, including engineers who are designing the products; and what we call our go-to-market group, which is our sales and marketing organization that supports the customers in the field.

When we looked at our business, we had big parts in North America that were splintered. We had parts of our team in Milwaukee, in Peoria, in 72 BizTucson

<<<

Fall 2016

Decatur, as well as key parts of the team overseas in Germany.

Step one was strategic. As we look to the future, we thought it would make sense to bring parts of this team together to get better synergy. These different product groups would be able to share resources more and be able to work as a systems team. We also wanted to get them closer to mining. They are not necessarily as close to the customers as we’d like.

Long story short, back in early 2015, we went through the process of asking ‘Should we bring this group together?’ and the answer was yes. Then it moved into the next phase, which was, ‘OK, where do we do this?’ I would say from the spring of 2015 through the fall, we had a dedicated project team working everything, and we looked at a number of sites.

Q. What did Tucson do particu-

larly well through this process?

I think the single biggest thing Tucson did was demonstrate a tremendous partnership across all levels of the different organizations involved – from the state, to the city, to the county, to Sun Corridor Inc. to the Rio Nuevo team. It was really well-handled. They were very flexible and very welcoming in terms of how they engaged.

Earlier in my career at Cat, about 1518 years ago, I was very involved in a new manufacturing site selection – so I had fair amount of experience in visiting sites when we were considering new manufacturing plants and engaging with different governmental agencies.

I’ll tell you, this group in Arizona really showed best-in-class teamwork in terms of how they cooperated at all levels of government. Sometimes you don’t see that type of coordination.

Q. What were the top three

attributes that attracted you to Tucson?

One of the strongest things Tucson had going for it was that we had a degree of presence in Tucson already.

We have our Tucson Proving Grounds, which is where we test and develop not only our equipment but our technology solutions, and a customer center.

We also wanted to be in mining country. Tucson is right in the heart of it.

The third is probably somewhat under-appreciated. When we started the process, I think folks were not sure we’d have the diversity in workforce that we would need or whether we could attract and retain the talent we need. We view this as a long-term decision. We’re really planting the future of our business there. I would say that what really started to come out, as we spent time there, was a better appreciation for the workforce capabilities.

Q. What first came to mind

when you heard Tucson as a possible future site?

For me personally, when Tucson first bubbled up and we had our initial group of three to five potential areas on the list, I liked the idea that we had a presence there.

But I have to say, one of the strongest things that helped Tucson more than anything was our employees based there. I spent a lot of time asking them about their experience in Tucson as a place to live and what they thought about the overall environment. Probably Tucson’s biggest ambassadors are some of these Caterpillar people who are working there right now. I would say to a person, they were very favorable to continued on page 74 >>> www.BizTucson.com

Meet Tom Bluth Tom Bluth, a native of Davenport, Iowa, graduated from Iowa State University with a bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in electrical engineering, Northwestern University with a law degree and the University of Chicago with an MBA. He joined Caterpillar in 1995 and has held numerous positions since, including corporate attorney in the Legal Services Division, industry manager in the Latin America Commercial Division, district manager in the North America Commercial Division, worldwide medium wheel loader product manager and president/managing director of Caterpillar France. In 2007, he was named VP of Caterpillar Inc. with responsibility for Asia Pacific Operations. Two years later he be-

PHOTOS: COURTESY CATERPILLAR

came VP of the Earthmoving Division. Since 2013 heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been VP of the Mining Products Division. He now heads the Surface Mining & Technology Division that is establishing its centralized hub in downtown Tucson.

www.BizTucson.com

continued on page 96 >>>

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 73

continued from page 72 Tucson as a place to live. When I heard them say they prefer not to leave Tucson – that really helped me feel better about it.

Then there was the other equation.

The concern was as you start to bring in a broader cross-section of employees there, and a bigger piece of Caterpillar, are you doing the right thing? That means doing the right thing for the people who are working there now – in terms of the right school systems, the right type of housing options, the right type of environment – but then your future employees. Are you going to be able to compete to attract the best of the best? That was the piece as we investigated that we got more comfortable with – but I had to learn a bit more and get a little closer as part of that process.

Q. What was the biggest

surprise you experienced as this process unfolded?

The biggest surprise was how supportive the existing business community has been. Sometimes when you explore a new community, the other businesses think of you as a competitor for talent. Then you don’t necessarily see that same type of outreach. So the biggest surprise was how much in partnership the business community was with the local government – and then just to see the diversity of the businesses there and the depth of the technology businesses there.

Q. So how important was that private sector piece in driving your decision to move here?

I would say it was important. It really helped as we were in the decision-making process to hear directly from business leaders, to have them share their experiences and to be able to connect our HR managers with their counterparts at some of these other companies.

That was an important part of the formula and it also spoke well of Tucson – that you not only saw cooperation on the different government levels, but also saw private industry hand in hand. It is a conducive environment in which to work.

74 BizTucson

<<<

Fall 2016

Q. Why did Caterpillar choose Tucson for its next evolution?

It goes back to what I said in the beginning. It starts with our vision to bring pieces of our organization together to drive a more synergistic approach to both our product and solutions development.

Tucson’s location within mining country is important, because you have that mindset.

It was also important to have a strong linkage to educational resources such as the University of Arizona, which we’re tying into a greater degree for some of our development programs.

Then you tie in the proximity to customers in the southwest region of the United States, which will help drive a more customer-centric organization, which we’re always looking to evolve to.

And finally, the ability to take the footprint of Caterpillar that’s already there and leverage it to an even greater degree. We believe that will help create a real culture of design – with our engineering and sales staff being as comfortable behind the computer as they are walking on the mine site and operating the equipment.

Tucson becomes a very opportune place to try to pull those together.

Q. What kind of work will be done at the site?

For our surface mining group, we will have individual product teams based in Tucson, so you’ll have the engineers who are designing and developing the actual product.

We’re moving our technology-enabled-solutions team to Tucson, so they’re developing elements of our solutions via autonomy, for example. Automation is a growing trend to help miners lower their cost and improve their efficiency. That’s a worldwide team but large pieces will be based in Tucson.

In fact, we already do our initial autonomy testing at the Tucson Proving Grounds. People maybe underestimate the pieces we actually have there. We develop mine operating systems there, which are combinations of the suitemanagement systems that miners use to manage their mine site. We do the testing in Tucson and now we’ll be bringing the engineers and programmers to cre-

ate more of a mine-site focus as we do the development. We’ll also be bringing elements of our sales and support team – again the ones who are in contact with our customers.

Think of it as pieces of product development, sales and technology, then support functions for the team on everything from supply chain to purchasing, HR and business resources.

Surface mining and technology really is a worldwide business with a worldwide footprint, but we’re taking a lot of those pieces scattered throughout North America and bringing them together to be an end-to-end group closer to the mining environment.

Q. Even though you’ve just come off a strong earnings report, is this a challenging time for the industry?

We pointed out there are still challenges as we go through the second half, particularly with mining. We are very, very optimistic long term in mining. It’s a cyclical business and our customers are going through the same pain we are as we keep that balance of managing for the current cycle you’re in while making sure you are investing in the future and positioning yourself so you can continue to serve customers as you come out of this cycle. A large part of this story is thinking of the future and how we want to continue serving our customers.

That’s why we’ve been so appreciative of our partnership in Arizona. We’re in a unique time because we’re painting our view of the future. And it’s actually the right time to do this work that we’re establishing in Tucson because we’re probably at the lowest employee cycle we’ve ever been in or will be in the future. Now is actually the opportune time to plant and then regrow.

The unique partnership and approach taken by the state of Arizona, the county, the city, Rio Nuevo and Sun Corridor Inc. made it feasible in this unique timeframe. We’re very appreciative of that partnership.

As we grow significantly from our current footprint, we really want to do the right thing to be partners in the community. I can guarantee you that you’ll see us come in and be valued members of the community.

Biz

www.BizTucson.com

BizECONOMY

Mexico Strategy – Build Binational Megaregion New Directions in Foreign Investment

By Rhonda Bodfield When thinking about cross-border investment, consider this – automobile components typically will cross international borders in the United States, Mexico and Canada eight times before a car leaves the assembly line.

No longer is border trade simply a question of sending products back and forth.

“If you look at the traditional way of looking at foreign investment, there was a very narrow focus,” said Lorena Montes de Oca, an international relations consultant hired to help Sun Corridor Inc. capitalize on a new direction in foreign investment. When Sun Corridor Inc. announced its expanded mission in 2015, commerce with Mexico was one of the key priorities.

“Of course, we’re trying to attract investment and jobs here. But we’re also thinking a little more broadly – looking at the supply chain to see where we might work together more closely to build relationships and potentially make things together so this region can benefit.”

David Welsh, Sun Corridor’s executive VP, said, “Our Mexico strategy is intended to move the economic needle in a tangible way, providing real economic benefit to the entire region. This can only happen by leveraging the many efforts in place with our regional and international partners.”

By virtue of proximity, Sonora still remains a natural place for relationshipbuilding.

But because Mexico is a country of advanced manufacturing and because opportunities exist all over the country, Montes de Oca, who is from Mexico City and has deep ties with many key business families in the country, led an www.BizTucson.com

exploratory trip to Mexico City with key Sun Corridor staff in April. The trip was designed to generate sales leads and develop opportunities.

“This was an opportunity to see how these strategies made sense and how to shape them,” Montes de Oca said. “It’s ultimately about investment on both sides of the border – not just this area investing in Mexico – but Mexico investing in us as well.”

The group learned, for example, that there are significant gaps in the Mexican automotive supply chain impacting profitability and capacity – from stainless steel casting to aluminum die casting and the manufacturing of molds for plastics. Opportunities are abundant.

As a Sun Corridor Inc. Mexico City Executive Mission gears up for October, four primary industries in particular have surfaced as having strong potential for Foreign Direct Investment: u

Aerospace – Mexico is the sixthlargest supplier to the American aerospace industry, with a reported growth rate of more than 17 percent annually since 2004.

u

Automotive – Not only is Mexico the leading auto parts supplier to the U.S., but 10 of every 100 light automobiles in the U.S. are manufactured in Mexico.

u

Mining – Mexico is the fifth-largest destination for mining investment in the world, with a sector estimated to reach a market value of $17 billion in 2017.

u

Energy – Mexico will require significant additional capacity in the coming decade and aims to transition to a larger supply of clean energy.

Duane Froeschle, president of West Alliance Bank and a member of the Arizona Mexico Commission, said he believes the area is well-positioned to capitalize on this binational megaregion.

“Today’s manufacturing supply chain is now multinational. Current trends to near-shore production, along with opportunities derived from Mexico’s recent economic reforms, provide many new opportunities for Tucson and Southern Arizona,” said Froeschle, who plans to attend the October Executive Mission to Mexico City.

He said the results are measurable.

Exports from Arizona to Mexico, totaling roughly $9.2 billion, rose 6.3 percent last year, while total U.S. exports to Mexico declined by 1.6 percent.

Sharon Bronson, chair of the Pima County Board of Supervisors, also agreed with the approach. “We live in a global economy. It’s imperative that we have global partners and take advantage of our similar and shared strengths.”

Timing is crucial. Economic development efforts in California and Texas, for example, have placed significant emphasis on border cooperation and collaboration. And it’s been paying off. Exports from California and Texas have swamped those from Arizona – although Arizona numbers continue to climb.

But, as Montes de Oca points out, those efforts are typically driven by the public sector, with the bureaucracy and regulation that can come with it.

“This is a new private sector strategy designed to build private sector relationships, and it’s more than a novelty.

It’s something that can help investment move faster.”

Biz

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 75

SUN CORRIDOR INC. LEADERSHIP

Denny Minano Board Chair

By Rhonda Bodfield enny Minano is a retired senior auD tomotive executive who spent 32 years at General Motors in Michigan.

is built on the region’s appreciation of innovation and technology anchored by an entrepreneurial spirit and a top-20 research university.

He now serves as a consultant on binational business expansion, environmental, governance and infrastructure strategies as managing director of CMM. Minano, who holds a law degree and served as an adjunct professor of environmental law at the University of Detroit Law School, brings a varied corporate background to to his Sun Corridor Inc. chairmanship role, a critical asset in economic discussions.

We have an economic development organization that can back up the brand I spoke of. Sun Corridor Inc. has tremendous staff talent, very focused with the right expertise and dedication to make the Southern Arizona region successful for all of the community.

What is this region’s “brand”?

What’s next down the road?

This region is the location for strategic business growth. We are one of the top 10 economic megaregions in the country, recognized for long-term population growth with easy access to binational market opportunities. Our geographic location is strategically placed for east/ west and north/south transportation destinations and we have a pro-business public and private sector leadership who recognize the business value of speed and ready access to markets. All of this 76 BizTucson

<<<

Fall 2016

What was the single most important step in building the foundation for the success we’re seeing today?

Continuing the strong momentum built on recent successes like Caterpillar, HomeGoods and Comcast. We also need to enhance deeper and ongoing business relationships in Mexico.

Thinking about your own industry, what makes this region a draw?

The impressive growth of both the automotive and aerospace industries in Mexico provide great opportunity for Southern Arizona – so closely aligned culturally as we are with Mexico. The

two industries intersect as well. For example, innovation is occurring in the aerospace industry that can be transferred to the auto world as it moves to greater electrification of its vehicles and the emergence of accident-avoidance systems and self-driving capabilities in vehicles. Other examples include space guidance systems and safety measures in aircraft that can be leveraged in other industries like auto. It’s so exciting to see this perfect storm of connections and opportunities.

How can the business community help with recruitment/retention of business?

We need all of our Southern Arizona businesses to talk about the region’s success with their industry and other counterparts. This is a place to start, build and grow a business. When we have new opportunities and potential relocates, take the time to speak with these companies. Peer meetings with these companies are invaluable – our partners provide insights that these companies want to hear.

Biz

www.BizTucson.com

www.BizTucson.com

Summer Fall 2016 2015 > > > BizTucson 77

SUN CORRIDOR INC. LEADERSHIP

David Hutchens Vice Chair

By Rhonda Bodfield avid Hutchens understands what D companies are looking for in a community.

A resident of Tucson for more than 20 years, Hutchens runs a business that has served the community since 1892 and boasts more than 400,000 customers. He is president and CEO of UNS Energy Corp., Tucson Electric Power and Unisource Energy Services.

Engaged in Sun Corridor Inc. for the past five years, Hutchens ticks off some of the important elements employers are looking for – including a qualified workforce and the availability of affordable, reliable and sustainable energy options.

The importance of maintaining a constructive, collaborative business environment in Southern Arizona is one of the foundations for growing business, said Hutchens, who graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in aerospace engineering and an MBA with an emphasis in finance.

What is this region’s “brand”?

I think of Tucson as a “big small town” because we have the best of both.

78 BizTucson

<<<

Fall 2016

We enjoy small-town benefits of parks, open space, clean air, easy commuting, friendly people and local flair. We also boast some of the best aspects of big cities – including a top university, good jobs, cutting-edge technology companies, great restaurants and a growing, vibrant downtown.

Thinking about your own industry, what makes this region a draw?

Our region benefits from affordable, reliable power, provided by a company that’s committed to our community’s sustainability and long-term success.

Tucson Electric Power’s affordable rates help attract new employers while promoting the expansion of our existing businesses. TEP also is an industry leader in solar energy development with a growing “green” energy portfolio and an expanding array of renewable energy options.

What was the single most important step in building the foundation for the success we’re seeing today?

We know that our community depends on every sector – private, government, education, nonprofit – to be suc-

cessful. We now see leaders from all of these sectors coordinating their efforts and pulling in the same direction to improve our community through economic development, education, community service and other efforts.

What’s next down the road?

We must continue and extend our current collaborative approach. We should build on our economic development successes and apply that same approach to other challenges that face our community.

How can the business community help with recruitment/retention of business?

Sun Corridor Inc. needs continued support. We’re on the front line of these efforts, and we need the resources to get businesses to consider Tucson and Southern Arizona. Once that happens, we also need our business leaders to become committed ambassadors for our community, actively advocating for Southern Arizona as a great place to live and do business.

Biz www.BizTucson.com

www.BizTucson.com

Summer Fall 2016 2015 > > > BizTucson 79

SUN CORRIDOR INC. LEADERSHIP

Greg White

Secretary/Treasurer

By Rhonda Bodfield

G

reg White is responsible for the bottom line at the community’s largest private employer, directing everything from financial planning to financial systems and business planning.

He is VP of finance and CFO at Raytheon Missile Systems.

White brings expertise and experience in defense and aerospace markets, as well as executive-level financial experience. And, as someone who recently moved to Southern Arizona, he has a unique perspective about what businesses can expect in relocating to the area.

What is this region’s “brand”?

The Sun Corridor brand is a great place to live that has opportunity for real economic growth. With a number of large employers and the combination of high-tech work and a major university, the region has the necessary components to grow as a commerce center.

Thinking about your own industry, what makes this region a draw?

The region’s wide-open spaces and pleasant living conditions make Southern Arizona a great place for firms in the aerospace and defense sector. Space is often needed for the type of manufacturing done here and the proximity of testing facilities makes Southern Arizona very attractive.

What was the single most important step in building the foundation for the success we’re seeing today?

I believe that the pillars of government, private development, education and private citizens have united together to communicate the benefits of our area and answered the call when new companies expressed an interest in moving to Southern Arizona. The flexibility our economic development teams have shown in meeting the needs of companies moving to Southern Arizona

has been remarkable and has resulted in more and better jobs for our community.

What’s next down the road?

We must continue our progress to further develop our region and to put the increased tax revenue to good use for our schools, roads and quality of life.

How can the business community

help with recruitment/retention of business?

Although it may seem like businesses compete against each other, more often than not, a successful business community makes the individual businesses more successful. By growing the number of jobs in the area, business creates a more dynamic economic environment. The members of Sun Corridor Inc. help to welcome new businesses to town and ensure they meet the local business leaders who can help their time in Southern Arizona be more successful.

Biz 80 BizTucson

<<<

Fall 2016

www.BizTucson.com

www.BizTucson.com

Summer Fall 2016 2015 > > > BizTucson 81

SUN CORRIDOR INC. LEADERSHIP

Guy Gunther

Immediate Past Chair

s a key leader of a large organizaA tion that is investing millions of dollars in infrastructure across the region, Guy Gunther is deeply involved in delivering the components that drive growth and prosperity. He is VP of operations at CenturyLink.

With more than 20 years of senior management experience, including finance, strategy, sales and marketing roles, Gunther said the communications industry shares a key need with all other businesses – hiring skilled workers and advancing strategic capabilities.

What is this region’s “brand”?

As one of the fastest-growing megaregions in the U.S., the Sun Corridor offers unique and differentiated opportunities across healthy and active lifestyles, high-technology businesses and research institutions, as well as a strong binational position with Arizona’s largest trading partner, Mexico.

Thinking about your own industry, what makes this region a draw?

Because CenturyLink is a global communications company, providing voice,

82 BizTucson

<<<

Fall 2016

By Rhonda Bodfield internet, hosting, cloud and IT services, we look for growth markets where our investments will both connect our customers to the digital world and strengthen and grow companies.

What was the single most important step in building the foundation for the success we’re seeing today?

The most important step that has been taken, which came under Sun Corridor Inc. leadership, was identifying and promoting the region’s drivers of economic growth. The Economic Blueprint laid out the keys to strengthening our competitiveness. It provided insight on addressing talent, infrastructure, healthcare and collaboration that will ultimately differentiate Southern Arizona in the marketplace for highwage jobs.

What’s next down the road?

What’s next includes continuing to attract and expand high-wage jobs across key industries. Another important step will be promoting the megaregion as a gateway for near-shore products and the movement of goods. Finally, we will

continue leveraging a larger talent pool, increasing competitiveness, enhancing our influence at state and federal levels, and representing the greater geographic economic super region that is the Sun Corridor.

How can the business community help with recruitment/retention of business?

The business community can help by supporting the development of a talented, highly skilled workforce, as well as support for innovation and adequate infrastructure/road investments.

The business community can also help by supporting Sun Corridor Inc. Our focus is to facilitate higher-wage job and investment growth, to increase wealth and accelerate economic prosperity throughout Southern Arizona.

This work demands a competitive, business-friendly environment that allows primary employers to flourish and succeed. We coined a phrase last year in the midst of updating our economic blueprint – We Win As One.

Biz www.BizTucson.com

www.BizTucson.com

Summer Fall 2016 2015 > > > BizTucson 83

SUN CORRIDOR INC. LEADERSHIP

Joe Snell

President & CEO

By Rhonda Bodfield a young age, Joe Snell knew the Fandrom power of hard work, thinking big that education could lead to greater

Thinking about your own industry, what makes this region a draw?

economic prosperity. He was one of the first in his family to go to college, getting through on tenacity and student loans.

With 30 years in economic development, including widespread success in helping position Denver as a leading technology hub, Snell led a process here to develop an economic blueprint for the region, to help diversify the economic base. More recently, he built greater financial support for Sun Corridor Inc. with major employers across Southern Arizona – and has set an aggressive pace in building ties with Mexico.

In my view, there simply isn’t a silver bullet in this industry. A multitude of actions have led to our strong foundation of success. The first step taken some years ago was a greater engagement of the private sector in regional economic development. A more recent step, with our transformation to Sun Corridor Inc., includes coalescing all Southern Arizona assets under a unified brand.

Finally, we have learned most from our failures – losing Raytheon business to Huntsville, for example. It caused all of us to collectively and honestly ask ourselves – what can we do to improve?

What is this region’s “brand”?

What’s next down the road?

We are a region that embodies a New American economy – a region that combines a strong cowboy pioneering spirit with tools, skills and innovations necessary to compete in the 21st-century economy.

84 BizTucson

<<<

Fall 2016

Working feverishly to develop a true binational economy. Mexico has gained enormous economic strength, leading to increased opportunities we have not seen for a very long time. We have to leverage our collective business climate,

culture and like minds. Our goal is to be a true binational economic development organization, tying economies north and south of the border as one.

How can the business community help with recruitment/retention of business?

I am proud to say our Chairman’s Circle and Board of Directors have been actively engaged in all our recent projects – HomeGoods, Comcast and Caterpillar, to name a few. We purposely built a bigger board for that very reason – to act as our sales agents. There is just no substitute for CEOs talking to CEOs.

Biz www.BizTucson.com

www.BizTucson.com

Summer Fall 2016 2015 > > > BizTucson 85

SUN CORRIDOR INC. CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

Sharon Bronson Chair Pima County Board of Supervisors

Pima County is the only jurisdiction in Southern Arizona with an Economic Development Plan that outlines specific action items and goals to grow our economy. The plan identifies 14 areas that the county and our regional government and private sector partners need to work on to achieve growth and prosperity for our region. Highlights are: u Promote high-wage, export-based job development u Invest in transportation and utility infrastructure u Protect our existing major employers u Develop the Sonoran Corridor logistics and manufacturing center near Tucson International Airport u Leverage higher education u Promote tourism u Increase Foreign Direct Investment u Enhance downtown u Develop workforce u End poverty Our Economic Development Office can access the skills of more than two dozen county employees to help achieve these goals. The county also works with

86 BizTucson

<<<

Fall Fall2016 2016

other jurisdictions to provide a regionally collaborative approach to present the best options to site selectors and prospective employers.

What is your view of our economic development future?

Very bright. Four of this nation’s largest corporations – HomeGoods, Comcast, ADP and Caterpillar – recently expanded or relocated here, adding nearly 3,000 jobs, most paying medium to high wages. Tucson has kicked into gear. We’re now growing as fast or faster than the rest of the state, including Maricopa County. And there are more major announcements in the pipeline.

The county’s Sonoran Corridor initiative has its first success in World View, an innovative space technology company that located here. That’s generating interest from space tech companies, especially now that Pima County will have a spaceport. I have never been more optimistic about the prospects for our local economy and sustained, intelligent growth.

What are we doing right?

What could we be doing better?

What we’re doing right is cooperating as a region. Of the recent major new company and new job announcements, the common theme was that the county, cities and towns, the state, Sun Corridor Inc. and the Arizona Commerce Authority all worked together.

To do better, it’s imperative that all our government jurisdictions and the private sector work together to develop our workforce. We have major employers here now who have dozens if not hundreds of jobs that they can’t fill with local employees because they don’t have the education, training or skills needed.

This inhibits our growth and affects our ability to retain and attract employers.

Pima County has workforce programs, but it’s going to take significant cooperation with public schools, colleges, universities and private job-training centers to provide people the training they need to land these existing well-paying jobs and those yet to come.

About Pima County u

Year Established – 1864 u Annual Budget – $1.2 billion u Employees – 7,200 Did you know?

There are 33 corporate headquarters in Pima County. On a per-capita basis that is greater than Maricopa County.

www.BizTucson.com

PHOTOS COURTESY PIMA COUNTY

What are your thoughts on economic development in Southern Arizona?

www.BizTucson.com

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 87

SUN CORRIDOR INC. CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

Jim Click President Jim Click Automotive Team

It’s critical for the local business community to work together with city, county and state governments – and we need to do everything we can to attract new industry here.

We need to let the world know that we’re open for business here in Southern Arizona. But “open for business” requires a spirit that supports business growth and expansion. That’s critical in staying competitive with other regions in attracting industry here.

We can do better if roadblocks to growth were removed, if the right climate for business and investment was created and sustained, and if businesses were treated more like customers.

The recent news about Caterpillar bringing one of its divisions to Tucson is an example of what can happen when we all work together on a common goal – the city, the county, the state, Sun Corridor Inc., Rio Nuevo and others.

This was true teamwork, and we’ll have hundreds of new jobs and a significant

88 BizTucson

<<<

Fall Fall2016 2016

economic impact to our community to show for it.

We need strong economic growth that supports higher wages with clean industry, to encourage people and corporations to come here and prosper together.

About the Jim Click Automotive Team u

Founded in 1971 More than 1,000 employees today u Southern Arizona’s largest dealership u Serving Tucson and Southern Arizona for three generations u Brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mazda, Hyundai, Nissan, Chrysler, Jeep, Ram, Dodge and Kia - plus 1,000 used vehicles u Community giving is a long-held company value. The Jim Click Automotive Team, Click Family Foundation and Click Charitable Contributions Program work together to help local citizens. u

Key community investment areas include: u

Persons with Disabilities Development u Community Education & Development u Childhood Development u At-Risk Youth u The Millions for Tucson car raffle has raised nearly $3 million for local charities. u Other organizations receiving major support include the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson, the Beacon Group, San Miguel High School and The University of Arizona.

Did you know?

Each of the general managers of the Jim Click Automotive Team’s dealerships is a partner in the business – and started out in the business as a car salesperson.

www.BizTucson.com

PHOTOS COURTESY JIM CLICK AUTOMOTIVE TEAM

What are your thoughts on economic development in Southern Arizona?

www.BizTucson.com

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 89

SUN CORRIDOR INC. CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

Michael Crow President Arizona State University

Southern Arizona is already taking the two most important steps toward economic growth.

First is a regional approach to economic development. The evolution of the Sun Corridor, an economic zone that extends from north of Phoenix to the Mexican border south of Tucson, creates a rich foundation for collaboration in order to grow the economy. City and county governments, along with ASU, recognize that the Sun Corridor represents a critical opportunity to spur economic growth and development.

Cooperation in the region will strengthen the economy by creating a broader economic base and cultivating a skilled workforce. Expanding trade and improving infrastructure will not only lead to the movement of people and goods within the Sun Corridor and Southern Arizona – it also will drive growth throughout the state and region.

Second, Southern Arizona recognizes the importance of increasing access to higher education. On the individual level, educational attainment drives social mobility, life expectancy and the success of one’s children. More broadly,

90 BizTucson

<<<

Fall Fall2016 2016

a commitment to higher education enhances the health of our economy by expanding the pool of college graduates capable of developing cutting-edge ideas, products, processes and companies.

As one of the top public research universities in the nation, Arizona State University is committed to producing the workforce of the 21st century. We understand that the best way to positively impact the economy is by providing graduates with the skills necessary to drive innovation in technology, science, engineering, business and any fields that guide us forward. Their efforts and abilities can lead not only to personal success, but also to greater economic competitiveness.

But achieving this will depend on continuously looking for opportunities to think more regionally and build the connections that will make the Sun Corridor a more significant player in Arizona and the nation. That includes recognizing the value and purpose of higher education as a catalyst for economic growth. ASU is proud to be a part of this effort, helping to produce the workforce and ideas that will shape a more successful future for our state.

About ASU u u u u u u

u

Year established – 1885 Number of employees – 12,900 Economic impact of $4.2 billion in Arizona in 2014 66,000 jobs created by ASU spending and investment 75 startup companies launched since 2003 $16 million worth of student volunteer hours in the community in a single year More than 200,000 ASU grads work in Arizona with aggregate earnings of $11.4 billion, contributing $820 million in taxes

Did you know?

ASU is proud to partner with 35 school districts, 22 community colleges, 22 state tribes, and 20 public libraries to improve access to education.

www.BizTucson.com

PHOTOS COURTESY ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY

What are your thoughts on economic development in Southern Arizona?

www.BizTucson.com

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 91

SUN CORRIDOR INC. CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

Ann Weaver Hart President The University of Arizona

The key business elements necessary for successful economic development are all related to talent availability and quality of life for the people who work in forward-looking and modern businesses. The UA and our partners play a crucial role in talent development, and encouraging graduates to stay in Southern Arizona is critical.

From educating students in high-demand fields to innovating technologies that help power the state’s 21st-century economy, the UA is focused on improving the prospects and enhancing the lives of all Arizonans.

What is your view of Southern Arizona’s economic development future?

The future of economic development in Southern Arizona depends on the commitment of the people who live and work here to embrace new ways of doing business and new solutions to sometimes daunting challenges.

92 BizTucson

<<<

Fall Fall2016 2016

What are we doing right?

What could we do better?

Southern Arizona recognizes the importance of technology and innovation in the economy of the future and is emphasizing knowledge about what needs to be done. The MAP Dashboard database collaboration with the UA, the Southern Arizona Leadership Council and the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona is a great example of this. What we could do better is to make the hard choices and sacrifices required to create the reality we envision. Making it a reality requires grit, determination and continual re-evaluation of progress, plans and goals.

About the UA u u u u u

Year established – 1885 Enrollment – more than 42,000 students Number of employees – 12,479 Annual revenues – $2.1 billion Annual economic impact – $8.3 billion

u

The UA is among the nation’s top 20 public universities with annual research activity of $606 million u The first total artificial heart to win FDA approval was developed at the UA u The UA has been a part of every NASA planetary exploration mission u The UA’s Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab makes giant, lightweight mirrors for some of the largest telescopes in the world u The UA College of Education is home to the world’s largest collection of children’s literature Did you know?

The UA is leading the $805 million NASA OSIRIS-REx mission, which will launch a spacecraft to an asteroid on Sept. 8, 2016, and return to Earth with a sample.

www.BizTucson.com

PHOTOS COURTESY THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

What are your thoughts on economic development in Southern Arizona?

www.BizTucson.com

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 93

SUN CORRIDOR INC. CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

Lee Lambert Chancellor & CEO

What are your thoughts on economic development in Southern Arizona?

Arizona’s economic success is dependent on making a substantial investment in our human resources, particularly through training and education. Education – and particularly higher education – not only prepares people for employment, but helps them understand the world around them. Education helps promote technological advances and entrepreneurship while increasing workers’ earnings and productivity. The rate of return on investing in community colleges is high – citizens who attend community college earn significantly higher wages than those who go no further than high school.

Employers tell us that education and training are essential to developing and maintaining a talent pipeline. When we equip our citizens with the attitudes and skills necessary for economic success in an increasingly knowledge-based economy, we ensure that our community can

94 BizTucson

<<<

Fall Fall2016 2016

continue to be competitive in the global economy. A better educated workforce not only makes our area more attractive to businesses wanting to relocate, but it also helps our existing businesses thrive, grow and adapt to market challenges.

Increasingly, economic success in a globalized world also will depend on cross-cultural leadership skills, fluency in multiple languages, respect for other peoples’ perspectives and the ability to work collaboratively.

Last year, Pima Community College completed an economic impact study that showed that for every $1 of public money spent on PCC, Arizona taxpayers receive a cumulative return of $5.80 over the course of students’ working lives in the form of higher tax receipts and public sector savings.

About PCC u

Year established 1966 – Ballot initiative approved to form a junior college district 1969 – First classes held

u u u u u

u

Number of employees – 2,170 FTE, including faculty Enrollment – Fall 2015 semester – approximately 24,000 Annual revenues – $247.8 million Total payroll – $122.1 million PCC is one of the 25 most affordable two-year colleges in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Education PCC is approved to offer online classes in 28 states

Did you know?

Pima Community College was the only institution in the U. S. to have two students selected for the USA Today All-American Academic team in 2016.

www.BizTucson.com

PHOTOS COURTESY PIMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Pima Community College

www.BizTucson.com

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 95

SUN CORRIDOR INC. CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

Lisa Lovallo Market VP, Southern Arizona Cox Communications

Southern Arizona is making substantial progress in economic development efforts. A winning attitude continues to allow for growth in many areas of the local community. There is more work that we can collectively contribute, but we are moving in a positive direction.

Forging a strong partnership between the public and private sector continues to be key in the long-term growth and sustainability of Southern Arizona’s economy. The climate for collaboration between local businesses and local government has dramatically improved in recent years. Large business leaders in the community including the University of Arizona have an influence both regionally and across the country, and must continue to bring a unique brand of economic and human development to the community as a whole. These efforts are beginning to form through strong leadership at all three of our state universities resulting in partnership opportunities.

What is your view of Southern Arizona’s economic development future?

Southern Arizona has a bright future and the area’s assets far outweigh implied deficiencies. As a community, we are strengthening our value proposition

96 BizTucson

<<<

Fall Fall2016 2016

throughout the country. With continued focus and perseverance, we will position Southern Arizona as a global business leader.

What are we doing right?

What could we do better?

We have positioned ourselves in Southern Arizona to better align with the immediate business needs locally, which has positively affected our ability to improve global competition opportunities. We have become increasingly more efficient at completing initiatives and our focus has greatly improved.

With that said, there is still a vast opportunity to do more in our community.

This can be achieved by identifying and addressing neighborhood needs individually. For example, there is no need to wait for the city to clean up trash or pull weeds in our community. We can organize members of the community to contribute in neighborhood clean-up efforts with the goal of making Tucson one of the cleanest cities in America.

About Cox Communications u

Year established – 1962 u Year established in Arizona –1995 u Number of employees – Approximately 18,000 nationwide u According to a recent study, Cox Communications has contributed

more than $1 billion to the Arizona economy u Cox also is committed to supporting the communities in which we live and do business. Our employees performed more than 3,500 hours of hands-on volunteer service in Southern Arizona last year. Cox and its employees also support hundreds of worthy organizations each year through Cox Charities. Last year, Cox Charities awarded more than $110,000 in grants to 32 local nonprofits in Southern Arizona.

Did you know?

Cox Enterprises was founded in Dayton, Ohio, in 1898 by former schoolteacher and news reporter James M. Cox. Today Cox is still family-owned and family-run. Three generations of Cox family members are involved in the business today. Meanwhile, Lovallo spends her spare time growing her own food and flowers in a 120-foot greenhouse.

www.BizTucson.com

PHOTOS COURTESY COX COMMUNICATIONS

What are your thoughts on economic development in Southern Arizona?

www.BizTucson.com

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 97

SUN CORRIDOR INC. CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

Fletcher McCusker CEO

What are your thoughts on economic development in Southern Arizona?

Sinfonia has 1,175 employees − most of whom are downtown, making a huge impact on area restaurants and venues.

Tucson and the region are celebrating a number of new wins − HomeGoods, Comcast, Caterpillar, pro hockey. There is a buzz everywhere I go and our downtown is now identified as the next Austin − young, hip, food and entertainment.

We are following more than 20 residential projects in the urban core. That’s huge for the live-work-and-play culture that makes urban environments work.

Our connectivity to Mexico is also beginning to pay off with increased trade, tourism, medical visits and staycations.

I am very optimistic about our future.

Caterpillar did remind us, however, that incentives matter and the State of Arizona needs to resolve the gift clause issue so that Arizona can compete.

About Sinfonia and its related divisions u

Year established – 2013 u Number of employees – 1,175

98 BizTucson

<<<

Fall Fall2016 2016

u

Annual revenues – About $70 million

u

Sinfonia provides primary medical care with behavioral health treatment

u

Assurance HealthCare provides home-based medical services

u

Assurance Health & Wellness integrates traditional medical care with behavioral health

u

Sinfonia RX medication- management company provides healthcare solutions for health plans, patients and caregivers

u

Sinfonia Family Services provides evidence-informed comprehensive services to children, adults and families

u

SinfoníaRx received URAC Drug Therapy Management Accreditation in 2015

u

Medical Director Christian Moher for Sinfonia HealthCare and Assurance HealthCare Innovation was selected one of Tucson’s “Top Doctors for 2015 & 2016”

u

CEO McCusker currently serves as the chair of the Rio Nuevo board and is a champion of downtown development. He has served on the board of The Gregory School, the Fox Theatre Foundation, the UA Eller School and the Social and Behavioral Sciences College, the YMCA of Southern Arizona, Tucson Metro Chamber and Sun Corridor Inc. He also participates in numerous charitable causes.

u

Employees participate in and support the American Heart Association, Heart Walk, the NAMIWalks, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Arizona Pharmacy Association and many others.

Did you know?

SinfoniaRx serves more than 45 million patients and reviews 4 million prescriptions a week, including all Walmart prescriptions.

www.BizTucson.com

PHOTOS COURTESY SINFONÍA HEALTHCARE CORP

Sinfonía HealthCare Corp

www.BizTucson.com

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 99

SUN CORRIDOR INC. CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

Judy Patrick Board Director CopperPoint Mutual Insurance Company

At any given point in time, our regional economy, like most across the country, can be on the brink – of boom, bust or that gray stretch in between. However, there is one thing that sets us apart from the rest of the nation’s business hub economies and that is cooperation.

Naturally, I believe Sun Corridor Inc. has played an important role in bringing this about – but the commitment to growth and binational commerce that exists among leaders in Pinal, Pima, Santa Cruz and Cochise Counties as well as growing relationships in Mexico, is clearly the critical ingredient. How else could we have weathered the dark years of the recession and come out on the other side building a positive foundation for a healthy economy? How else could we have successfully transitioned Sun Corridor Inc.’s strategy to advocating for issues that will improve our megaregion’s competitiveness and prosperity? Thanks to this cooperative spirit and the hard work of many we can all take pride in the job creation and business expansion that’s already occurred this year.

100 BizTucson

<<<

Fall Fall2016 2016

Yes, there’s always room for improvement. But when our area’s economy boasts the state’s first designated launch pad for commercial space, a new 12,000-square-foot training facility, a communications center for excellence, large-scale expansion of an international manufacturer and a highly desirable direct flight from Tucson to New York, I’d say we’re on the right course.

About CopperPoint u

Founded in Phoenix in 1925

u

A. M. Best has assigned CopperPoint Mutual and its subsidiaries an A- “Excellent” with a “stable outlook” rating

u

CopperPoint is a leading provider of workers compensation insurance in Arizona, providing coverage to more than 12,500 businesses and their employees in 2015

u

CopperPoint is funded entirely by employer premiums and investment dollars

u

In 2015, CopperPoint paid out $72 million in lost wages to injured workers and their families as well as $107.4 million to medical providers

u

This mutual insurance company is governed by a board of directors who are elected annually by the mutual members (policyholders) u The company partners with industrial associations and business organizations to provide workplace safety training and support u

The board of directors has approved safety dividend payments every year since 1969, returning more than $1.5 billion to qualifying policyholders

u

CopperPoint is a supporter of the Tucson Metro Chamber, Greater Tucson Leadership, the Tucson Hispanic Chamber and Sun Corridor Inc.

Did you know?

CopperPoint supports community nonprofits throughout Southern Arizona and its employees have volunteered more than 5,500 hours with more than 100 nonprofits.

www.BizTucson.com

PHOTOS COURTESY COPPERPOINT MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY

What are your thoughts on economic development in Southern Arizona?

www.BizTucson.com

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 101

SUN CORRIDOR INC. CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

Robert D. Ramirez President & CEO Vantage West Credit Union

As John F. Kennedy quoted many years ago, “A rising tide lifts all boats.”

The best way to lift our economy in Tucson is to focus on creating jobs by attracting key employers to our town.

However, before we attract new employers to town, we need to focus on our educational system. We need to ensure that we promote education at all levels.

Last year, Tucson was ranked as the fifth poorest city in America, and based on those statistics, 35 percent of our residents earn less than $25,000 per year, about 25 percent hold a bachelor’s degree and just 3 percent earn an annual income greater than $150,000. We can change these statistics – and it starts by focusing on education as the key driver for this change.

What is your view of Southern Arizona’s economic development future?

Our future is on contingent on “collaboration” among key organizations

102 BizTucson

<<<

Fall Fall2016 2016

working with our city and county government – organizations such as Sun Corridor Inc. working with Southern Arizona Leadership Council, DM50, Tucson Metro Chamber and the Hispanic Chamber. These organizations can and will provide the links to attract and retain new employers. However, our city and county government have to work in laying the foundation to improve our city and county streets, parks and recreation – and most importantly our educational systems.

What are we doing right?

What could we do better?

We need to take the time to collaborate with each other to ensure that we are doing the most important things first for our community.

About Vantage West u

In business 60+ years u Among the top 200 healthiest credit unions in the United States u Largest credit union in Southern Arizona

u

Largest indirect auto lender in Southern Arizona u Encourages employees to take up to 16 hours of paid volunteer time u Among the few local businesses that grew through the recession – continued lending, continued growth, no layoffs Did you know?

Bob Ramirez was the bronze medal winner in Judo Junior Olympics 1969.

He likes to rollerblade and fly electronic drones and helicopters. His first job at age five was assembling bicycles, tricycles and other toys at Capin Mercantile Corp.

www.BizTucson.com

PHOTOS COURTESY VANTAGE WEST CREDIT UNION

What are your thoughts on economic development in Southern Arizona?

www.BizTucson.com

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 103

SUN CORRIDOR INC. CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

Judy Rich President & CEO TMC HealthCare

It is vital that we have a shared commitment to the power of regionalism.

The old adage, a rising tide lifts all boats, is true every time an expansion or relocation happens in this region, regardless of jurisdictional boundaries.

It is clear that it takes investment to compete for expansion opportunities – whether that’s in incentives or ensuring adequate infrastructure. What’s equally imperative is that we never lose focus on those foundational building blocks that foster entrepreneurialism and support businesses, large and small, in their efforts to grow jobs from within the community. Those blocks include everything from leveraging innovation within the university system to growing talent through workforce development efforts and creating a strong business climate.

What is your view of Southern Arizona’s economic development future?

The future of economic development looks bright, as reflected in recent market predictions that show this area’s job growth now rivals the Phoenix region.

As a barometer of our local economic health, TMC HealthCare is expanding its footprint in the community – from a growing primary care practice to building a new $11.5 million multispecialty

104 BizTucson

<<<

Fall Fall2016 2016

medical office complex to serve the southeast side. We wouldn’t make those investments if we didn’t have confidence in this region’s future.

What are we doing right?

What could we do better?

I am proud of the way this region has come together. There has been an evolution, a realization that strengthening economic development can’t solely be the responsibility of the public sector or the private sector, but that success has to come from a strong partnership and a shared voice. We are better at fostering those collaborations because we’ve seen them work.

I unwaveringly believe that we must do better for education. It’s crucial if we are going to grow the smart innovators of the future or draw the types of companies we want here. I also think we could tell our story better. We have a great community with so many things to celebrate. I hope we can communicate those victories as we gain momentum.

About TMC u

The first patient was admitted to TMC on Nov. 9, 1944

u

Licensed at 600+ beds, TMC had 3,700 employees and a payroll of nearly $220 million last year

u

TMC is Southern Arizona’s largest hospital, delivers the most babies and sees the most patients in an emergency. It is the only locally governed, nonprofit community hospital in the region.

u

In 2015 TMC invested $56 million – nearly 12 percent of net revenues – into community benefit efforts, including charity care, investment in AHCCCS services and outreach.

u

TMC spent $245 million in capital improvements over the past five years.

Did you know?

As an intensive care nurse, Judy Rich saw the challenges the staff faced in caring for their patients. That’s why she encourages the TMC staff to bring issues and concerns directly to her.

www.BizTucson.com

PHOTOS COURTESY TUCSON MEDICAL CENTER

What are your thoughts on economic development in Southern Arizona?

www.BizTucson.com

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 105

SUN CORRIDOR INC. CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

Anthony Smith Vice Chair Pinal County Board of Supervisors

I believe Arizona is poised for economic growth similar to the amazing growth we saw after WWII that moved Arizona from mainly an agricultural/ tourist economy to an aggressive aerospace/technology/manufacturing economy. The elements that supported that growth are the same we see reinventing itself today. Those elements include expanding our transportation infrastructure, providing a high-quality workforce, and the abundance of highquality sites for business expansion.

What is your view of Southern Arizona’s economic development future?

I’m very excited for our future. It is predicted that the majority of population growth in Arizona during the next few decades will be focused in the Sun Corridor. Pinal County is in the Sun Corridor’s epicenter and already is see-

106 BizTucson

<<<

Fall Fall2016 2016

ing exciting projects moving into the area. One-of-a-kind mega-projects like the Attesa Motorsports Park and PhoenixMart bring an interesting mix of innovation along with the more traditional manufacturing/logistics projects we see moving into the region.

What are we doing right?

What could we do better?

What we are doing right is developing strong economic development alliances like Sun Corridor Inc. We are moving away from fragmented efforts and toward a unified message with results.

What we need to do better is continue working with our main trading partner – Mexico – to help goods and services move more efficiently across our borders. Border crossings are a very complex operation with many moving parts.

Sun Corridor Inc. and other Southern Arizona interests need to continue making this a high priority for increased efficiency.

About Pinal County u u u u

u u

Year established – 1875 Number of employees – 2008 Annual revenues – FY-2016-2017 budget is $409.7 million Estimated transportation infrastructure investment – More than $68 million in road improvements over the next four years.

Estimated population – 410,000 Annual growth rate – second-fastest growing county in the U.S. during the mid-to-late 2000s. Current rate is 1.5 percent.

Did you know?

Pinal County was the first in the state to recover jobs lost during the Great Recession.

www.BizTucson.com

PHOTOS COURTESY PIMA COUNTY

What are your thoughts on economic development in Southern Arizona?

www.BizTucson.com

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 107

SUN CORRIDOR INC. CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

Sandra Watson President & CEO Arizona Commerce Authority

What are your thoughts on economic development in Southern Arizona?

It is important to remain focused on diversifying the economy through the development of base industries that create high-value jobs. Under Gov. Doug Ducey’s leadership, the ACA remains steadfast in its efforts to grow and strengthen Arizona’s statewide economy by targeting these industries.

It is also key for economic development organizations to work together to identify and pursue opportunities – not just within state borders but regionally as well. For example, the governor is working to build our relationship with Mexico, thereby increasing crossborder collaboration and trade. As a result, in June of 2016, Arizona and Sonora signed an agreement focused on economic development to leverage and market the many strengths of our neighboring states. Collectively the region has advantages – particularly in the industries of mining, aerospace and automotive – and this presents significant opportunities for economic development in Southern Arizona.

What is your view of Southern Arizona’s economic development future?

Southern Arizona is currently experiencing its strongest growth since prior

108 BizTucson

<<<

Fall Fall2016 2016

to the Great Recession and that is excellent news for our economy. Recent project wins such as Caterpillar, Comcast and HomeGoods demonstrate that global players are recognizing that Tucson and the surrounding area offer the workforce, location and quality of life they are seeking in the next location to expand their operations. When companies like these choose to locate in Tucson, it sends a signal to business leaders that Southern Arizona is a serious contender – and indicates that the economic development future is bright.

What are we doing right? What could we do better?

Arizona excels at a unique collaborative economic development approach – with state, regional and local organizations working in concert. This is designed to provide a strong foundation for companies to succeed in our state.

The strategic alliance of all economic development partners, led by the governor and including Sun Corridor Inc., Pima County and the cities is key to ensuring Southern Arizona is at the top of mind for decision-makers. The effectiveness of this strong partnership was demonstrated when Caterpillar chose Tucson, noting that they felt truly embraced by the Arizona business community during the selection process.

About ACA u

Statewide in Fiscal Year 2016 ACA results are: u Jobs – 17,629 u Average Wage – $50,803 u Capital Investment

– $920. 8 million u In Tucson from Jan. 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016, ACA results are: u Jobs – 3,399 u Average Wage – $47,998 u Capital Investment

– $191. 9 million Did you know?

With a surging innovation ecosystem and a $3 million Arizona Innovation Challenge, Arizona attracts global corporations and forward-thinking startups.

www.BizTucson.com

www.BizTucson.com

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 109

SUN CORRIDOR INC. 2 0 1 6 – 2 0 1 7 B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S Bonnie Allin

Bonnie Allin

Mara G. Aspinall

Duane Blumberg

President & CEO Tucson Airport Authority Established 1948 Operates Tucson International Airport (TUS) and Ryan Airfield (RYN) TUS – $3.2 billion economic impact, supporting 35,000 jobs and more than 100 tenants; all major airlines serving 18 nonstop destinations RYN – general aviation reliever airport with FAA contract control tower and base to 300 aircraft and 30 tenants

Mara G. Aspinall

President & CEO Health Catalysts Active venture capital investor in health IT and diagnostic companies Executive Chairman GenePeeks Computational genomics company identifying and eliminating inherited disease risk in future generations

Duane Blumberg Mayor Town of Sahuarita

27,777 population $69,425 median household income

Garry Brav

Population rose nearly 700 percent 2000-2010

Jacqueline Bucher

125 FTE

Garry Brav

President & CEO BFL Construction Founded 1973 Ranked among Tucson’s top 10 commercial contractors $60 million annual revenues 40 FTE

Jacqueline Bucher

VP, Head of Communications, Roche Molecular Solutions Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications, Roche Tissue Diagnostics / Ventana Medical Systems A world leader and innovator of tissue-based cancer diagnostic solutions Manufactures 220-plus cancer tests and related instruments, touching the lives of 14 million cancer patients each year in 90-plus countries

110 BizTucson

<<<

Fall 2016

www.BizTucson.com

Kevin Burnett

Joe Coyle

Tom Dickson

Kevin Burnett

Senior VP & CFO Sundt Companies Headquartered in Tucson since 1929 100 percent employee owned with revenues of about $1 billion

Won more Associated General Contractors Build America awards than any other U.S. contractor

Joe Coyle

Managing Director The Patrick Group Management consulting and executive search for the aerospace and healthcare fields Coyle previously held positions with Raytheon Missile Systems, Hughes Aircraft, Loral Aerospace and Ford Motor Companies

Tom Dickson

CEO Banner–University Medical Center Tucson and Banner–University Medical Center South Banner–UMC Tucson 4,090 employees 22,301 inpatient admissions, 2014

Jon Dudas

Banner–UMC South 992 employees 8,026 inpatient admissions, 2014

Michael Eastman

Jon Dudas

Senior VP Secretary of the University University of Arizona

Founded in 1885, this land-grant university has more than 42,000 students The UA ranks in the top 20 public universities nationally with research activities of $606 million annually An annual economic impact of $8.3 billion

Michael Eastman

Executive Director Tucson National Center of Excellence Comcast The new center houses over 1,100 employees, providing support for residential products and services At least 15 percent of these positions are being filled by reservists, veterans and their spouses or domestic partners

www.BizTucson.com

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 111

SUN CORRIDOR INC. 2 0 1 6 – 2 0 1 7 B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S Marc D. Fleischman

Marc D. Fleischman

Duane Froeschle

John C. Gluch

CEO BeachFleischman

One of the largest locally owned public accounting, business advisory and consulting firms in Arizona with offices in Tucson and Phoenix Serving more than 6,000 private enterprises, nonprofit organizations and entrepreneurs in the U.S., Mexico and Canada A “Top 200” largest public accounting firm in the U.S.

Duane Froeschle

President Alliance Bank of Arizona Founded 2003 11 offices in Greater Phoenix, Tucson, Sedona and Flagstaff Division of Western Alliance Bank, with $16 billion in assets

John C. Gluch

President Economic Development Group of Eloy (EDGE) A nonprofit created in the 1980s with a seven-member board of directors Works to improve the business climate of Pinal County by increasing its tax base, helping businesses expand and attracting new businesses

Ed Hadley

Michael Hammond

Ed Hadley

President, West USA Walton Development & Management (USA) Part of Walton Group of Companies, a multinational real estate investment and development group 97,000 acres of land under administration Assets over $4.1 billion

Michael Hammond President & CEO Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR Commercial Real Estate Services Founded 1985 Leading independently owned, full-service commercial real estate company Licensed in Southern Arizona and Sonora, Mexico

112 BizTucson

<<<

Fall 2016

www.BizTucson.com

Lawrence M. Hecker

Nancy Johnson

Bill Kelley

Lawrence M. Hecker

Managing Member Hecker PLLC Of counsel, Sun Corridor Inc. 41 years practicing law in Tucson Best Lawyers in America, Corporate Law, 1993-2015

Nancy Johnson

CEO El Rio Community Health Center Founded in 1970 as a neighborhood health center and currently provides medical, dental and healthcare for more than 93,000 individuals 11 healthcare campuses in Tucson with more than 1,100 employees

Recognized for innovative care delivery models reducing healthcare costs

Bill Kelley

CFO Diamond Ventures Founded 1988 Privately held company specializing in real estate development and private equity investments 2 million+ square feet of developed industrial, office and retail projects

Steve Lace

Robert Lamb

20,000+ acres of developed and planned residential projects

Steve Lace

Past President Tucson New Car Dealers Association VP Royal Automotive Group & Lexus of Tucson Tucson New Car Dealers Association Established 1947 Organized by dealers to offer support for economic development and transportation initiatives Collectively employed 2,700+, produced $750+ million in revenue and collected $60+ million in sales tax revenue, 2014

Robert Lamb

COO GLHN Architects & Engineers Established 1963 Employee-owned, offering services in architecture and mechanical, electrical, civil and technology engineering 65+ employees

www.BizTucson.com

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 113

SUN CORRIDOR INC. 2 0 1 6 – 2 0 1 7 B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S Marc Lebowitz

Marc Lebowitz

Clint Mabie

Xavier Manrique

CEO Tucson Association of REALTORS® Celebrating 95 years in business Represents nearly 5,000 REALTORS® in Southern Arizona and is the largest trade association in Tucson Advocates for homeownership and property rights issues Invests in the community through REALTORS® Charitable Foundation

Clint Mabie

President & CEO Community Foundation for Southern Arizona Connects individuals, families and businesses to causes they care about $150+ million granted to the community by the foundation and its family of donors since 1980

Xavier Manrique

Senior VP Arizona Regional Commercial Banking Office Wells Fargo Bank No. 1 lead bank in the U.S. for middle market and for business banking per Barlow Research Associates, fourth quarter 2015 More than $500,000 to Tucson nonprofits in 2015

Edmund Marquez

Kelle Maslyn

$4.5 million to help Tucson area families achieve homeownership in 2015

Edmund Marquez

Agency Principal Edmund Marquez Allstate Agencies Owns and operates three Allstate agencies, opened in 1996 Largest Allstate agency in Southern Arizona Actively involved in the community, serving on numerous local boards Born and raised in Tucson, graduate of University of Arizona

Kelle Maslyn

Director Community Relations – Tucson Office of University Affairs Arizona State University 83,301 enrollment 11,000 FTE $981 million total payroll $2.7 billion in labor income and nearly $4.3 billion in gross product overall economic impact to Arizona

114 BizTucson

<<<

Fall 2016

www.BizTucson.com

Frances Merryman

Omar Mireles

Mark Mistler

Frances Merryman

VP Wealth Strategies Group The Northern Trust Company Northern Trust Wealth Management ranked among top 10 U.S. wealth managers $233 billion in wealth management assets Named Best Private Bank in the U.S. by Financial Times Group six consecutive years

Omar Mireles President HSL Properties Founded 1975

Owns and operates 41 apartment communities in Arizona, with 32 in the Tucson metro area, representing 10,000+ units and 8 million square feet Owns and operates hotels and resorts, including Oro Valleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hilton El Conquistador Resort

Mark Mistler

CEO Southern Arizona BBVA Compass Company ranks among the top 25 largest U.S. banks, with 672 branches 19 Southern Arizona branches

Farhad Moghimi

Tony Penn

Benefits Southern Arizona charitable organizations through employee volunteerism and financial contributions

Farhad Moghimi

Executive Director Pima Association of Governments/ Regional Transportation Authority Coordinates regional planning efforts to enhance mobility, sustainability, livability and economic vitality of the region Programs federal, state, regional and local funding for all regional transportation investments Manages the locally funded RTA and its 20-year, $2.1 billion regional transportation plan

Tony Penn

President & CEO United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona Building a better community by uniting people, ideas and resources Working to bring a collective impact strategy to Southern Arizona to address poverty 80+ years in Tucson

www.BizTucson.com

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 115

SUN CORRIDOR INC. 2 0 1 6 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2 0 1 7 B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S Ricardo Pineda

Ricardo Pineda

Walter Richter

Consul of Mexico Consulate of Mexico in Tucson Established in 1882

Adriana Kong Romero

The official representation of the Mexican government in Pima and Pinal counties Promotes stronger ties between Mexico and the Sun Corridor region Fosters trade and investments across the border

Walter Richter

Public Affairs Administrator Southwest Gas Founded 1931 in California Investor-owned utility 1.9 million residential, commercial and industrial customers in parts of Arizona, Nevada and California

Adriana Kong Romero Senior VP Tucson Market President Bank of America

$263 million in business loans to Tucson companies in 2015 $372,363 in grants and matching gifts to local nonprofits in 2015

Jonathan Rothschild

Jonathan Rothschild

Keri Lazarus Silvyn

Mayor City of Tucson 520,116 population Incorporated 1877 236 square miles $46,706 median family income

Keri Lazarus Silvyn Partner/Owner Lazarus, Silvyn & Bangs

Land use law firm that helps communities and developers grow responsibly across Arizona Lawyers in the firm practicing zoning, planning and land use law in Arizona for 40 years

116 BizTucson

<<<

Fall 2016

www.BizTucson.com

David Smallhouse

Kevin Stockton

Robert E. Walkup

David Smallhouse Managing Director Miramar Ventures

Real estate, private equity and venture capital investments Active investor in angel and earlystage ventures, many with close ties to the University of Arizona and Desert Angels of Southern Arizona

Kevin Stockton

Market CEO Northwest Healthcare Established 1983 Includes two hospitals, one freestanding emergency department, six urgent care centers and three physician groups 21,517 inpatient admissions in 2015

Guillermo Valencia

Chairman Greater Nogales and Santa Cruz County Port Authority (Not pictured)

Robert E. Walkup

Honorary Consul South Korea in Arizona Sworn in July 2013

Matt Wandoloski

Steven G. Zylstra

Provides efforts to protect overseas Korean nationals residing in Arizona Liaison for the promotion of trade, economic, cultural, scientific and educational relations Facilitates commercial transactions and/or introduction of foreign capital

Matt Wandoloski

VP of Corporate Strategy and Analytics Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Founded 1939 1.5 million customers Offices in Tucson, Phoenix, Chandler and Flagstaff 1,500 employees statewide

Steven G. Zylstra

President & CEO Arizona Technology Council Established 2002 Arizonaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier trade association for science & technology companies Events, resources & educational forums to grow Arizonaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s technology industry

www.BizTucson.com

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 117

BizECONOMY

Business Attraction Expansion

&

FY 2015-2016 ADP ADP is a well-known Fortune 500 global provider of cloud-based human capital management systems. The company plans to hire 450 employees. Total economic impact is $485 million.

Applegate Insulation Technology Applegate Insulation is the world’s largest family-owned manufacturer of cellulose insulation products. The company is expected to hire 50 employees.

Economic impacts are estimated at $69 million.

Arizona Turbine Technology Arizona Turbine Technology is an energy-production technology created by the leaders of Tucson Embedded Systems. The company will hire 22 employees and spend $6-8 million in capital investment. Economic impacts are estimated at $48 million over five years.

118 BizTucson

<<<

Fall 2016

Bayview Asset Management Bayview Asset Management is a mortgage investment firm focused on investments in mortgage credit. The company is expected to hire 95 new employees. Economic impact is estimated at $139.8 million.

Caterpillar Caterpillar, the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, will relocate its Surface and Mining Division central hub to downtown Tucson. The company is expected to hire 635 employees. Economic impacts are estimated at $1.9 billion over 10 years.

Dignity Health Urgent Care Dignity Health Urgent Care is opening a freestanding urgent-care facility in Queen Creek, Pinal County. The company is expected to hire 35 new employees. Economic impacts are projected at $23 million.

Dream in Color Dream in Color relocated its East Coast yarn-coloring operation to Tucson. The company is expected to hire 10 employees. Economic impacts are estimated at $6.8 million.

Geoworld USA This Italian-based company is relocating their world headquarters from Italy to Southern Arizona. Geoworld now operates in four business areas – educational toys, jewels in semiprecious stones, furnishing accessories and publishing. All business sectors have developed in a consistent manner, thanks to a thorough knowledge of the characteristics of the raw materials – stones and fossils. Currently the company operates facilities in Italy, Hong Kong and China. The new world headquarters in Tucson will bring 25 jobs and estimated economic impacts of $28 million.

www.BizTucson.com

A very good year for Sun Corridor Inc. • 20 successful projects

• 2,381 projected new jobs • 1,239 new jobs in targeted Industries • $159 million projected capital investment

• $2.43 billion economic and fiscal impact

Sheffield Lubricants Sheffield Lubricants’ proven technology recycles used lubricating oil into valuable products including lean-base oil, gasoline and diesel fuel. The company is expected to hire 30 new employees.

Economic impacts are estimated at $82.9 million.

GW Plastics GW Plastics is a global leader in plastic injection molding. The company plans to add 70 employees to its Tucson operations. Economic impacts are estimated at $38 million.

HTG Molecular HTG Molecular is developing proprietary gene-expression assays for a variety of tissue types and disease states.

The company is expected to hire 13 new employees. Economic impact is estimated at $66.9 million.

International Towers International Towers manufactures and erects towers and antennas worldwide for broadcasters, cellular providers and governments. The company is expected to hire 130 employees. Economic impacts are estimated at $48 million.

Mathematica Mathematica’s main focus is the innovation of programs to evaluate policy research. The company is expected to hire 75 new employees. Economic impacts are estimated at $35 million.

www.BizTucson.com

Truly Nolen Truly Nolen, a Tucson- based pest control company, established a state-ofthe-art training facility in Tucson where employees can take their lessons from the classroom and apply them to reality. The company is expected to hire 70 employees. Economic impacts are estimated at $34.4 million.

New Holland Agriculture New Holland is a global brand of agricultural machinery like tractors and combine harvesters. The company is expected to hire 25 employees. Economic impact is estimated at $20 million.

Otto Environmental Systems Otto Environmental Systems, a manufacturer and service provider in the collection and container industry, is estimated to hire 32 new employees. Total economic impact is nearly $9 million.

Samsung Smart Things Samsung Smart Things allows you to control your smart devices with a simple tap and automate your home to react to your unique preferences. The company is expected to hire 80 employees. Economic impacts are estimated at $38.6 million.

TMC HealthCare TMC HealthCare is expanding its Tucson operations. The company is expected to hire 61 employees. Economic impacts are estimated at $60 million.

Urgent Care Extra Urgent Care Extra is opening a freestanding urgent care facility in San Tan Valley, Pinal County. The company is expected to hire 25 new employees.

Economic impacts are projected at $16.5 million.

World View World View is a commercial balloon spaceflight company that is establishing a new corporate headquarters in Tucson. Three to five year projections anticipate 448 new high-wage jobs and $40 million in capital expenditure.

Estimated economic impacts are $384 million.

Source: Sun Corridor Inc.

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 119

Sun Corridor Inc. Investors Alliance Bank of Arizona

Cox Communications

Pima Community College

Arizona Commerce Authority

Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR Commercial Real Estate Services

Pima County

Arizona State University Arizona Technology Council Bank of America Banner-University Medical Center BBVA Compass

Diamond Ventures

Randstad

DPR Construction EDGE - Economic Development Group of Eloy El Rio Community Health Center

BeachFleischman

GEICO

BFL Construction

GLHN Architects & Engineers

BizTucson Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Bluespan Wireless Business Development Finance Corporation CBRE

Hecker PLLC Hilton El Conquistador Resort HSL Properties The Jim Click Automotive Team Lazarus, Silvyn & Bangs

The Northern Trust Company

Comcast Community Foundation for Southern Arizona CopperPoint Mutual Insurance Company

Rider Levett Bucknall Sinfonia HealthCare Corp Southwest Gas Corporation Sundt Companies The Temp Connection Tucson Airport Authority Tucson Association of Realtors® Tucson Electric Power TMC HealthCare Vantage West Credit Union

Miramar Ventures

City of Tucson

Raytheon Missile Systems

The University of Arizona

Lloyd Construction

CenturyLink

Pinal County

Northwest Healthcare Nova Home Loans Pima Association of Governments

Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. Venture West Walton Development & Management (USA) Wells Fargo

1985 E. River Road, Suite 101 Tucson, Ariz., 85718 Office (520) 243-1900 Toll Free (866) 600-0331 www.suncorridorinc.com info@suncorridorinc.com

120 BizTucson

<<<

Fall 2016

www.BizTucson.com

www.BizTucson.com

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 121

SUN CORRIDOR INC. STAFF

Top to bottom from left – Row 1 – Joe Snell, President & CEO; David Welsh, Executive VP Row 2 – Laura Shaw, Senior VP, Marketing; Cathy Casper, CFO; Daniela Gallagher, VP, Economic Development; Steve Eggen, Consultant Row 3 – Michael Guymon, Director of Marketing; Courtney Pulitzer, Executive Assistant & Office Manager; Skye Mendonca, Corporate Administrative Assistant; Lorena Montes de Oca, Consultant; Not Pictured: Jerah Yassine, Consultant

122 BizTucson

<<<

Fall 2016

www.BizTucson.com

SUN CORRIDOR INC. STAFF

www.BizTucson.com

Fall 2016

>>>

BizTucson 123

124 BizTucson

<<<

Fall 2016

www.BizTucson.com