PHX Business Journal The city of Phoenix’s airport system, which includes Phoenix Sky Harbor International, Phoenix Deer Valley and Phoenix Goodyear airports, has an annual total economic impact of $44.3 billion, according to a new study from Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business. The results of the study, which are based on data from the 2022 calendar year, were made public on April 25. Compared to 2016, the previous year ASU conducted a study on the system, the economic impact generated from Phoenix’s airports grew 15%. The report showed that the airports, with Sky Harb ..read more

Trade in Motion Growing Shortage of Skilled Talent The landscape of skilled labor in the United States and Canada is facing a critical challenge: a shortage of qualified engineers and technicians. This isn’t a recent development, nor is it a temporary blip. It’s a trend that’s been steadily growing for years, and it shows no signs of slowing down. Industry reports, news articles, and even anecdotal evidence from your colleagues in other companies all paint a concerning picture. A Perfect Storm of Factors: Several factors are contributing to this talent shortage. Here’s a closer look: Retiri ..read more

In Business PHX With Moore’s Law being stretched to its maximum, research and innovation are turning to advanced packaging to make electronics more powerful and enhance the capabilities of the tiny devices that drive the technology-based products consumers enjoy and that national defense systems rely on. Arizona State University is a key partner for the semiconductor packaging industry helping develop innovations that create more dynamic packaging opportunities. The university is one of a few in the country that teaches advanced packaging to its students, creating the skilled workforce that i ..read more

PHX Business Journal Four cities in the Phoenix metro are the best places in the nation to quickly recoup the expenses of installing home solar panels, according to a new report. It takes homeowners in Chandler, Avondale, Glendale and Mesa just around two years to make up the cost of a solar system installation through reduced electricity bills, according to an analysis by Market Watch. The average time nationally is eight years, Market Watch said. Chandler led the way as the only city to beat the two-year line. Homeowners there need 23.3 months to offset their up-front solar expenses ..read more

inBusiness PHX The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced new actions helping support communities to increase resilience to extreme heat. For the first time in its history, HUD published a webpage on Extreme Heat that serves as a hub highlighting actions communities can take to prepare and respond to extreme heat events and available resources to help fund climate resilience projects. HUD also shared two new technical assistance products, an Extreme Heat Quick Guide, to help communities plan for extreme heat and identify mitigation strategies, and a&n ..read more

PHX Business Journal A cybersecurity startup headquartered in Alabama is gearing up for expansion in Arizona with plans to double its workforce within a year. Huntsville, Alabama-based MARS Suite began establishing its presence in Arizona last year, driven by the state’s growing population and reputation as a hub for innovation in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, said Mark Dallmeier, company president and CEO. “We have less than a dozen employees across the U.S., but we would expect to double that in the next 12 months,” he said. “As we grow the company over the next two years, a ..read more

PHX Business Journal An Arizona city has been picked as the first U.S. location to debut Amazon’s latest delivery drone technology. The e-commerce giant’s new drone technology, called MK30, will deploy from Amazon’s same-day facility at 10601 W. Van Buren St. in Tolleson, which is located about 20 minutes west of downtown Phoenix. Amazon.com Inc.’s (Nasdaq: AMZN) drones could start flying packages straight to homes in the West Valley by the end of 2024, according to a company announcement on April 22. Amazon’s same-day sites like the one in Tolleson are smaller hybrid facilities for b ..read more

inBusiness PHX The Governor’s Office of Resiliency (OOR) was awarded $156 million from the EPA’s Solar for All grant program to improve access to rooftop and neighborhood-scale solar generation for all Arizonans. The Solar for All Arizonans program plans to deploy just over 61 MW of new solar resources throughout the state, benefitting thousands of low-income families, renters, and rural and Tribal communities. “Solar for All Arizonans is a critical program that will lower energy costs for thousands of Arizonans,” said Governor Katie Hobbs. “In addition to directly providing Arizona familie ..read more

ASU News The U.S. has work to do in the development of technologies that are going to help the country to reach the goal of being 100% carbon-pollution free by 2035, according to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. In moving toward this goal, the nation needs more people who have the knowledge to advance progress in this area. “Clean energy systems are keywords used by federal agencies when talking about reducing or completely removing the traditional oil-based or fossil-fuel-based economy, which will happen by 2040,” says Arunachala Mada Kannan, a professor of eng ..read more

KEO Marketing We are proud to announce that KEO Marketing, representing eSkill Corporation, has been honored with the prestigious Netty Award for Best SEO Optimization. This recognition is a testament to the exceptional results our SEO program has delivered, boosting our leads by an impressive 32% despite the heightened competition in the digital landscape. The Netty Awards, a beacon of excellence in the digital realm, have bestowed their coveted recognition upon KEO Marketing and eSkill Corporation. These awards, spanning over 100 categories, serve as a testament to the innovative spirit and ..read more