Power Players: Arizona Technology Council’s Members are Tops in Industry, Training
By Tara Kirkpatrick
Members of the Arizona Technology Council are perhaps the greatest ambassadors of its success as the premier trade association advancing technology synergy across the state.
From The University of Arizona and Pima Community College to kingpin companies such as Raytheon and Caterpillar with a strong regional presence, these members trust the council for events and pro-technology advocacy that offer connection and collaboration, foster relationships to propel the technology industry forward and catalyze innovation for global impact.
“At Tech Parks Arizona, we recognize the immense value of being a member of the Arizona Tech Council,” said Carol Stewart, VP of UArizona’s Tech Parks Arizona. “Through the council, we join forces with like-minded innovators and technology-focused business leaders, creating a robust tech ecosystem that has elevated Arizona to a preferred global innovation hub.
Ian Roark, PCC’s vice chancellor of workforce development and innovation, said of the council: “Part of our mission is to meet the workforce development needs of business and industry here. It’s just a great organization for connecting with lots of companies at one time. It helps us get better connected to employers we may not otherwise have the opportunity to work with.”
A look at some of the members of the Arizona Technology Council:
Caterpillar
With sales and revenues of $59.4 billion (2022), Caterpillar Inc. is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. In 2016, the company chose Southern Arizona for its Surface, Mining & Technology Division headquarters, bringing an estimated $600 million impact and 600 new jobs to the region and strengthening its footprint here, which was already home to its 6,500-acre Tucson Proving Ground.
Edmund Optics
A premier provider of optical and imaging components, Edmund Optics chose Tucson in 2021 for its Advanced Design and Assembly Facility–its second location in Arizona. Its state-of-the-art facility covering more than 21,000 square feet supports advanced design efforts and high-volume manufacturing services, including cleanroom assembly and incoming inspection with numerous testing capabilities such as modulation transfer function, stray light, thermal cycle, shock and vibration. Edmund Optics CEO Robert Edmund said the move would “allow Edmund Optics to build a larger collaborative partnership with Arizona Optics Initiative and the Arizona Technology Council. It solidifies our commitment to Tucson and AZTC Optics Valley initiatives.”
Hexagon
With its beautiful new hub in Downtown Tucson, Hexagon’s Mining Division employs 140 people. The company solves surface and underground challenges with proven technologies for planning, operations and safety. Hexagon Mining helps to connect all parts of a mine with technologies that make sense of data in real time. Earlier this year, this division received the EcoVadis gold sustainability rating, putting the global leader in mining technology for planning, operations and safety in the top third percentile of those assessed.
IBM
IBM Tucson employs 2,000 people and develops all of IBM’s storage products. The facility includes employees from its Systems and Technology Group, Software Group, and Global Services. IBM Tucson is home to one of two IBM TotalStorage briefing centers in the Americas, and IBM is the managing operator for the site’s UA Tech Park.
Leonardo Electronics
Leonardo Electronics—which provides defense, security, medical and industrial products—announced it would be building a $100-million, state-of-the-art semiconductor laser manufacturing facility on 13 acres at Innovation Park in Oro Valley in 2021. The one-story, 120,000-square-foot building includes manufacturing, assembly, testing, research and development, administrative and office space. Leonardo’s approximately 170 jobs comprise engineering, production, quality control, IT, HR, marketing, business development, purchasing and finance.
Pima Community College
Consistently named one of the top college employers in Arizona, Pima Community College is dedicated to producing a skilled workforce for the region’s industries. With a full-time enrollment of 6,238 and part-time enrollment of 23,762, the school has focused on creating Centers of Excellence and over the past five years has welcomed an Advanced Manufacturing Building, an Automotive and Technology Center and an expanded Aviation Technology Center.
Raytheon
The region’s top private employer with 13,000 workers, Raytheon, an RTX business, produces a broad portfolio of advanced technologies, including air and missile defense systems, precision weapons, radars, and command and control systems. With a legacy of more than 70 years here, the company’s economic impact in Arizona tops $2.6 billion. As President and CEO Wes Kremer told BizTucson in 2022, “We’ve created a hub of technology right here in our backyard of Tucson.” During the Council’s 20th annual Governor’s Celebration of Innovation in 2023, Kremer was awarded the People’s Choice AccountabilIT Lifetime Achievement Award.
University of Arizona Office of Research, Innovation & Impact
Overseeing an ambitious engine that includes Tech Parks Arizona, Tech Launch Arizona and the University of Arizona Center for Innovation, UArizona’s Office of Research, Innovation & Impact helms more than $824 million in research activity. UA Tech Park recently celebrated 25 years of success and the University of Arizona Center for Innovation marked 20 years here, with an annual economic output of $35.3 million.
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