Business

The Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED) has awarded three AAED Ben Warren Memorial Scholarships. The recipients of the scholarships, which provides full tuition for the Arizona Basic Economic Development Course, are:

SeaCa Packaging, which makes recyclable packaging for agriculture products, is expanding into Greater Phoenix. The company broke ground on a manufacturing facility in Surprise, Arizona, on Oct. 26, with plans to open by April 2019. The Arizona Commerce Authority anticipates a $17 million capital investment into the Valley through the facility.

Gov. Doug Ducey has signed an executive order to establish the Institute for Automated Mobility, a public-private partnership that will form a research center and proving ground where companies can vet and improve the safety of self-driving vehicle systems.

Chandler Fashion Center will become home to the newest Crayola Experience, set to open next summer. Guests will enjoy experiences, including naming and wrapping their own crayon, starring in their own coloring page, using their touch to bring art to life, creating melted wax spin art, as well as new experiences yet to be revealed.

In the past, companies focused on hiring leaders based on charisma, drive and dependability. Now, many organizations are realizing the most important trait for a leader to possess is humility.

Each year, the Tucson Metro Chamber honors and recognizes accomplishments of southern Arizona’s small businesses through its Copper Cactus Awards, presented by Wells Fargo.

The Greater Phoenix area has seen an uptick in job creation in recent months, which is leading to a higher demand for office space. Developers are responding to the need, and the market is seeing new projects coming online.

According to the Brookings Institution, Innovation Districts “are geographic areas where leading-edge anchor institutions and companies cluster and connect with start-ups, business incubators, and accelerators. They’re physically compact, transit-accessible, and technically wired, offering mixed-use housing, office, and retail.”

The Tax Foundation, the nation’s leading independent tax policy research organization, released its 2019 State Business Tax Climate Index. The index measures how well states structure their tax systems.

Thanks to funding from the Federal Transit Administration, Phoenix has received $6.4 million to replace city buses and upgrade local facilities.