Inside East Valley Business

One would think one of the last populations to take to the Internet would be farmers.

But the Arizona Farm Bureau recently posted three videos on YouTube designed to catch the attention of a younger generation. The video features stories about a Yuma farmer, a southern Arizona rancher and a northern Arizona rancher . In each, the agriculturalists are asked why they pursued a career in agriculture.

“We see this as one way to connect to the community, especially YouTube fans, and share our experiences as agriculturalists,” said John Boelts, Yuma farmer and Yuma County Farm Bureau President. “In a world of 20-second sound bites, it’s exciting to see real people depicting real experiences.  Everyone has to eat. I hope they’re interested in hearing from the people producing it.”

Who knew the World Wide Web would ever meet the tractor?

To view the videos, go to YouTube and type in “azfb Meet” in the search window

Barry Wong, a former state lawmaker, announced his candidacy Tuesday for for Arizona Corporation Commission, the elected body that regulates state utilities.Wong was appointed by Governor Janet Napolitano to the five-member statewide commission to complete the remainder of the term of a commissioner who had resigned.  His tenure was from July 2006 to January 2007. He said he will support clean renewable energy (solar, wind, geothermal and biomass) as part of diverse energy production, and ensure quality and reliable water for Arizona’s future.  In addition he will work to protect Arizonans from investment fraud. “A strong leader must secure adequate energy and water for

Arizona’s future generations,” Wong said in a prepared statement.  ”I have the education, experience and commitment to work for people across the state to accomplish that goal.”  Wong is a native Arizonan.  He previously served four terms in the Arizona House of Representatives. He is a Republican running for one of three open seats in the September primary. Other candidates include Joe Hobbs, Rick Fowlkes, Keith Swap, Marian McClure, Bob Robson, Bob Stump and John Allen. All are Republicans. Democrats say they’ll also field candidates.

Maybe the topsy-turvy market needs a Super Bowl shot in the arm.

The New York Stock Exchange and some Arizona companies will kick off the Super Bowl XLII weekend in the Valley Friday Feb. 1 with a live, remote ringing of the exchange’s closing bell at 2 p.m. Arizona time.

Gov. Janet Naplitano, exchange executive Larry Leibowitz, and CEOs from 14 Arizona companies listed on the exchange will participate in the ringing at the Super Bowl Complex Media Center,  9494 W.  Maryland in
Glendale.

The companies participating are: Avnet, Allied Waste Industries, CSK Auto, Freeport-McMoRan,  Hypercom, Knight Transportation, Medicis Pharmaceutical, Meritage Homes, Pinnacle West Capital, RSC Holdings, UniSource Energy Corporation, Universal Technical Institute, US Airways Group and Viad.  

 FirstBank announced Monday it opened  its fourth Arizona branch at Miller Road and Indian School Road in Scottsdale.

Other East Valley locations include at Queen Creek and Val Vista roads in Gilbert and at 90th Street and Via Linda in Scottsdale. In addition to its Arizona locations, FirstBank has 119 branches in Colorado and three in California.

At  the end of 2007, the company had more than $8.7 billion in assets and $7.7 billion in deposits. FirstBank says its management and employees and their families hold a majority of stock.

If the Green Bay Packers win their playoff game on Sunday, a lot of happy cheeseheads could be flying out to the Super Bowl through Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.
Allegiant Air, which operates non-stop flights between Green Bay and Mesa, said it will add an additional roundtrip flight for the Big Game in Glendale on Feb. 2.
The added trips would go on sale within minutes after this weekend’s game ends, the airline said.
The proposed flight would depart Green Bay on Friday, Feb. 1 at 7 a.m., arriving in Mesa at 9:25 a.m. The return flight after the game will depart on the morning of Feb. 4 at 1:30 a.m., arriving in Green Bay at 5:50 a.m., local time.
More information is available at www.allegiantair.com.

A $5 million bump in annual sales tax receipts may sound like a paltry sum to many big city officials.

But for the small Town of Queen Creek, the $5 million they expect to net from two new retail projects represent a 37 percent boost.

Queen Creek Marketplace and Cornerstone at Queen Creek – both located along Ocotillo Road at the corners of Ellsworth and Rittenhouse roads respectively – will raise the town’s annual take about $13.5 million to $18.5 million annually, said the town’s­ manager, John Kross.

The projects’ openings will represent a watershed moment for a town with no major shopping centers. Currently, area residents must travel up to nine miles to shop for their daily needs, developers and town officials said.

Together, the Marketplace and Cornerstone will usher in 1,380,000-square-feet of retail space and provide up to 600 jobs.

The Arizona Business Leaders Confidence Index, a measure of sentiment about the future of the state’s economy from
Arizona business leaders, has reached its lowest level since the survey began in mid 2003.

The index, which is compiled by Compass Bank and the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona, declined by 2.1 points from the last survey to stand at 40.4.

Any number below 50 suggests deteriorating conditions.

The decline, however, was less severe than in the prior period when the index dropped 8 points.

The latest survey, conducted in early December, measures expectations for the economy in the first quarter of 2008.

Microchip Technology, the Chandler-based semiconductor company, has won recognition from two magazines for its business acumen. Forbes named Microchip to its annual list of the 400 Best Big Companies in America. Companies chosen for the list must pass Forbes’ standards for financial growth rates and returns, corporate governance, accounting standards and others. 
EDN magazine include Microchip’s newest family of microcontrollers in its “Hot 100 Products of 2007” list. Another family of Microchip products was voted the best in the “Embedded Systems” category of the “Readers Choice Tech Awards,” which are selected by visitors to the ECN’s Web site.