Arizona AZ Commerce Authority Full of Wrong Industry

By Derek Neighbors, Published on August 2, 2011

Governer Jan Brewer announced the new AZ Commerce Authority Board today. It is no surprise that it is full of Land Developers, Sports/Tourism and Manufacturing. All industries that were leaders of the OLD economy.

All of the people appointed appear intelligent and successful. However, they are all part of the problem. We can’t rely on the institutions that were part of getting us here, to help us get out of here. I hope you find this lack of diversity as equally disturbing as I do.

Manufacturing/Industry (6)

• Gary Abrams – Abrams Airborne
• Richard Adkerson – Freeport-McMoRan
• Craig Barrett – Intel
• Stephen Macias – Pivot Manufacturing
• Roy Vallee – Avnet
• Michael Manson – Motor Excellence

Land Development/Utilities (4)

• Paul Bonavia – Tucson Electric Power
• Drew Brown – DMB
• Doug Pruitt – Sundt Construction
• Mike Ingram – El Dorado Holdings

Sports/Tourism (2)

• Michael Bidwill – Cardinals
• Jerry Colangelo – Phoenix Suns/Diamondbacks (now a land developer)

Other/Government (2)

• Don Cardon – AZ Commerce Authority
• Mary Peters – Former US Secretary of Transportation

Finance/Administrative (2)

• Candace Wiest – West Valley National Bank
• Tim Jeffries – P7

Retail (1)

• Phillip Francis – PetSmart

Agriculture (1)

• Victor Smith – JV Farms