Global Manufacturing in Arizona: MTD Products at AZIGG Jan 11th

The next AZIGG event is January 11th at ASU-SkySong and will feature the Chandler-based President of MTD Southwest Phil Clouse. MTD Products manufactures well known brands of power equipment like Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt and MTD. Phil will discuss how their manufacturing in Arizona and Nogales beat an alternative plan to manufacture in China.

"Global Manufacturing Can Succeed in Arizona If..."

Phil Clouse - President of MTD Southwest

Arizona International Growth Group

Monday, January 11th, 7:30 - 9:00am

Networking starts at 7:00am

ASU SkySong

Investment: $15 includes coffee and pastries

RSVP Here: www.azigg.com

MTD maintains their global headquarters for handheld products in Chandler, Arizona. The MTD family of brands includes Cub Cadet, Cub Cadet Yanmar, Troy-Bilt, White Outdoor, Yard-Man, Yard Machines, Bolens, Arnold, GardenWay and MTD Pro.

President of MTD Southwest Phil Clouse will be discussing how the Arizona division was able to successfully put together a business case for manufacturing outdoor power equipment in their plant here and in Nogales instead of in China. Many of those success factors can be translated to other manufacturers in Arizona looking to compete and win in the global marketplace. Phil will be joined by Director of Manufacturing Stanton Knight, and he will be sharing his overall perspective on how manufacturing in Arizona can compete.

Phil Clouse has 20 years of diverse manufacturing and management experience with multi-site, multi-functional and P&L oversight in sophisticated, global operations. He has a CPIM certification and MBA from the University of Akron. Before MTD, Phil held senior executive positions at Newell Rubbermaid and The Little Tikes Company

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Dec 7th AZIGG Photos; Next AZIGG Jan 11th

At the December 7th Arizona International Growth Group (AZIGG) event at ASU-SkySong, Haru Yamasaki, CEO of TechBA (Technology Business Accelerators) presented on the new program. Arizona has one of six TechBA locations in the world - joining Madrid, Montreal, Michigan, Silicon Valley and Austin last year.

TechBA is a program supporting top-tier companies based in Mexico so that they can bring their innovative technology, products and services to global markets. TechBA works with companies in Information Technology and Telecommunications, Automotive, Aerospace, Food, Advanced Materials, Alternative Energy, Multimedia, Gaming and Life Sciences.

Picture above: Hector Correa of Orinoco Systems. To his right, Leonardo Hernandez (Grupo Hergo), Haru Yamasaki (TechBA) and Arturo Freydig (ECN Automation). More pictures coming soon to the AZIGG website. All photography at AZIGG is by the best business photographer in Metropolitan Phoenix: Laird Brown of Small Business Photo www.smallbusinessphoto.com

Additional pictures are posted on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=168242&id=699598645&saved#/album.php?aid=168242&id=699598645

The next AZIGG event is January 11th at ASU-SkySong and will feature the President of MTD Products Phil Clouse. MTD Products manufacture high profile power tools like Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt and MTD, and they are based in Chandler. Phil will discuss how their manufacturing in Arizona and Nogales beat an alternative plan to manufacturer in China.

Thank you! All the best, Doug (AZIGG)

AZIGG, Inman, China, Solar and More Dec 2009

This next week is a busy one for internationalists in Arizona. It starts with Admiral Bobby Inman at PCFR with "Inman's View of the World". When he spoke a couple years ago here it was the most extraordinary discussion because he KNOWS the world - the history, the current state and a well-grounded view of the future.

Here is a summary of global info in Arizona courtesy of AZIGG, followed by additional information on Bobby Inman.

Enjoy "Inman's View of the World" December 2nd in PV
Admiral Bobby Inman circles the globe in about an hour. Not to be missed. At Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations www.pcfraz.org

"Hola Arizona: Technology Business Accelerator (TechBA)" at AZIGG 12/7
Haru Yamasaki, CEO of TechBA, is responsible for establishing and growing the Arizona division of TechBA, a program supporting top-tier companies based in Mexico to bring their innovative technology, products and services to global markets. There are 14 companies in the first group based at SkySong. RSVP at www.azigg.com

China Town Hall with Sidney Rittenberg December 8th in Scottsdale
Sidney has known every Chinese leader in the past 50 years. RSVP to Sue (see below) and more info www.wacaz.org

Invest Southwest December 9-11 in Scottsdale
This is the premier capital conference in Arizona, since 1992. Keynote speaker Michael Moe Finding the Next Starbucks and much more. See below.

SRP Announces a New Project, More Solar for the Valley
Salt River Project will build a 20-megawatt photovoltaic facility southeast of Phoenix with Iderdrola Renewables. SRP and Iberdrola have a partnership that extends to the Dry Lake Wind Farm, a 63-megawatt wind farm built on a combination of public and private land. SRP to Build 20-megawatt Solar Facility Near Phoenix


More on the Admiral Inman event December 2nd:

Jules Verne took eighty days to go around the world. Admiral Bobby Inman will make that happen for us in a little less than an hour. His unique encyclopedic eagle's eye view of every hot spot on the planet was sharpened during his domestic and global naval career from 1951 until 1982, and culminated when he served as Director of the National Security Agency, and Deputy Director of Intelligence.

After his retirement from the U.S. Navy with the rank of Admiral, he became Chairman and CEO of the Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation (MCC) in Austin, Texas for four years, and then Chairman, President and CEO of Westmark Systems, Inc, a privately owned electronics industry holding company for three years. In addition Admiral Inman also served as Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas from 1987 through 1990.

He continues to be influential in strategic advisory roles, notably as Chair of the Commission on Improving Security at the U.S. Foreign Installations, following the bombing of the Marine barracks and the April 1983 U.S. embassy bombing in Beirut, Lebanon. His commission's report has been influential in setting security design standards for U.S. Embassies worldwide.

Since 1990, one of Admiral Inman's primary activities has been investing in startup technology companies in the role of Managing Director of Definor Ventures and Limestone Ventures. He is a member of the board of Directors of Massey Energy Company, as well as of several privately held companies, and serves as a Trustee of the American Assembly of the California Institute of Technology. He is an elected Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.

Admiral Inman graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1950 and from the National War College in 1972. In 1987 he returned to Austin as adjunct professor at his alma mater. In 2001 he was appointed as a tenured professor, holding the Lyndon B. Johnson Centennial Chair in National Policy. Subsequently he served as Interim Dean of the LBJ School of Public Affairs from January to December in 2005, and again was appointed Interim Dean for a second time in 2009.

The Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations is honored to host Admiral Inman whenever he is here in Phoenix. Please Join Us! Cost: $48 for Members, $58 for Non-Members (by 11/30/09 after add $10) PLEASE REGISTER ONLINE at www.pcfraz.org Or call 602-494-4198.

All the best, Doug Bruhnke

Hola! Next AZIGG Event December 7th 7:30am - 9:00am

Hola Arizona: Technology Business Accelerator at AZIGG 12/7

On the morning of December 7th Haru Yamasaki will discuss the Technology Business Accelerator program that is based at ASU SkySong - one of 6 programs like it around the world. We'll be joined by many of the 14 companies that are involved in this unique technology initiative.

"Hola Arizona: Technology Business Accelerator (TechBA)"
Monday, December 7th, 7:30am - 9:00am
Networking starts at 7:00am
ASU SkySong, Scottsdale (SE Corner Scottsdale/McDowell, 1st Floor)

Haru Yamasaki, CEO of TechBA, is responsible for establishing and growing the Arizona division of TechBA, a program that supports top-tier Mexican companies to bring their innovative technology, products and services to global markets. There are 14 companies going through the program in Arizona. Haru holds a Masters in Science and Technology Policy from University of Sussex, UK and a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering from the National University of Mexico. She has held consulting and internal leadership positions in both private and public organizations across a broad range of industries including health care, government, higher education and petrochemical manufacturing.

Special guests: Tech BA company leaders such as Arturo Freydig of ECN Automation.

TechBA is a program operated by the US - Mexico Foundation for Science. The mission is to find the most innovative technology companies and take them to global markets. To accomplish that, TechBA has branches in the most innovative business ecosystems in the world: Silicon Valley, Austin, Montreal, Madrid, Michigan and Arizona. TechBA works with companies in Information Technology and Telecommunications, Automotive, Aerospace, Food, Advanced Materials, Alternative Energy, Multimedia, Gaming and Life Sciences.

Investment $15 includes coffee and pastries. RSVP: www.azigg.com

Finding and Serving Global Customers from Arizona - AZIGG 11/2

We are pleased to have an expert panel of Phoenix-area business leaders who are growing their companies by finding and serving large global customers. The discussion is Monday, November 2nd.

Jon Enwiller - Executive Director of The AIT Group

"Finding and Serving Global Customers from Arizona"
Monday, November 2nd, 7:30 - 9:00am
Networking starts at 7:00am
ASU SkySong, Scottsdale (SE Corner Scottsdale/McDowell)

Jon Enwiller - Executive Director, The AIT Group
Shashi Jasthi - President and CEO, Solugenix Corporation
Susan Cordts - President and CEO, Adaptive Technologies

Shashi Jasthi - President and CEO of Solugenix Corporation

Moderator: Doug Bruhnke - AZIGG and Growth Nation
Investment $15 includes coffee and pastries
RSVP for 11/2

Susan Cordts - President and CEO of Adaptive Technologies

Join Susan Cordts, Shashi Jasthi and Jon Enwiller on November 2nd at ASU SkySong for our next Arizona International Growth Group event. Thank you. Doug Bruhnke (AZIGG and Growth Nation)

Recap of Rod Miller at AZIGG

Rod Miller of The Jiao Group delivered his 3rd Annual Report Card for International Business in Arizona. You can see his presentation soon at http://www.azigg.com/events.html

A primary theme of Rod's presentation was that Arizona needs to more effectively plan and coordinate efforts to attract Foreign Direct Investment.

Most recent data has Arizona ranked #18 in the US for global trade and #26 for Foreign Direct Investment. If Arizona could improve Foreign Direct Investment to be #18, it would mean 80,000 more jobs with approximate average wages 30% above the current average.

Rod suggested that local group work in a more integrated way, including: The Governor's office, GPEC, AZIGG, Arizona Department of Commerce, ASU and the University of Arizona.

Thanks to Bart Butler for helping with the event. Check out the pictures below from our group photographer Laird Brown (www.smallbusinessphoto.com).

Thank you Rod Miller! Have you heard about his new firm The Jiao Group? Here's more information:

The Jiao Group is a management consulting firm specializing in economic development strategies, public and private partnerships, workforce development strategies, business development solutions, strategic planning, international deal brokering and market penetration approaches. Whether your firm is an organization seeking to work with local government to develop real estate, a small business growing revenues from $5 million to $10 million, a local government building international partnerships for economic development, or a non-profit assessing how to better deliver on your mission regardless of the macroeconomic condition, The Jiao Group can focus, clarify, and assist you in implementing your vision immediately.

Jiao is the Mandarin symbol for interaction and connectivity. We pride ourselves on our high level of interaction with our clients, connectivity to the right resources, balanced thought in our approach to problem-solving, and ability to garner unquestionable results. With The Jiao Group you can rest assured that your vision, dedication, and goals will be earned through specific, actionable plans and strategies built for your success.

The Jiao Group is poised to handle complex situations with skill and leadership. We bring additional perspective and fresh viewpoints gathered from senior level management in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. We want you to be successful and believe that our success is inextricably linked to yours.

Connecting with Global Companies from Phoenix - 11/2

Thanks for Rod Miller for a wonderful AZIGG event on 10/5 - we'll have more information and pictures shortly. Also his presentation will be posted at www.azigg.com soon.

In November we have another interesting international program.

Next AZIGG Event - Monday, November 2nd, 7:30 - 9:00am
"Finding and Serving Global Clients from Arizona"
Panel Discussion Featuring:

• Jon Enwiller, Executive Director of The AIT Group
• Shashi Jasthi, President of Solugenix Corporation
• Susan Cordts, CEO of Adaptive Technologies, Inc (ATi)

Moderator Doug Bruhnke
Doors open 7:00am for Networking
Investment $15 includes coffee and pastries.

Phoenix, Arizona is not known for having its share of large global companies. Jon Enwiller (The AIT Group), Shashi Jasthi (Solugenix Corporation) and Susan Cordts (ATi) discuss successfully finding and serving global customers from the Valley of the Sun on Monday, November 2nd from 7:30am to 9am at ASU SkySong.

RSVP at www.azigg.com
Arizona State University – SkySong, Suite 1391475 N Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale


Jon Enwiller (The AIT Group)
Jon Enwiller is a founding member and Executive Director of The AIT Group. Jon has successfully implemented over 30 Lean implementations in aerospace, automotive and consumer products industries resulting in significant client savings. Clients include DuPont, Exxon Mobil, Siemens, Honeywell, Avery Dennison, Sanofi Aventis, Delphi Automotive and many other global companies.

Prior to founding The AIT Group, Jon was Operations Manager for AlliedSignal Aerospace where he led Lean production implementations in machining areas, assembly and test areas, and supporting administrative process areas, and was part of the initial work to integrate Lean and Six Sigma for AlliedSignal. Jon has an MBA with emphasis in operations management from Arizona State University (ASU) and a BS in mechanical engineering from ASU.

Shashi Jasthi (Solugenix Corporation)
As President and CEO of Solugenix Corporation, Shashi Jasthi is responsible for driving global client and partner value through innovative technology and business solutions. Shashi has over 20 years of experience managing Information Technology and Consulting organizations. He built IT organizations and turned around loss-making acquisitions in Chicago, IL, Phoenix, AZ, Provo, UT, Wellington, New Zealand, and Sydney, Australia. He joined Solugenix in 1992 and after a brief hiatus in early 2000, he came back to lead the company. Solugenix is a global technology services company with major clients in North America and beyond.

Shashi holds an MBA from the University of Chicago in Chicago, IL, an MS in Computer Science from Northwestern University, in Evanston, IL, and a Bachelor of Technology degree in Electronics Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in Chennai, India.

Susan Cordts (Adaptive Technologies)
Susan Cordts provides the leadership and vision that enables Adaptive Technologies, Inc. to continuously exceed global customer expectations. ATi has been providing expert solutions to customers across industries in the area of advanced analytics and technologies since 2001. Susan’s management and leadership demonstrate a continuous track record of success helping businesses repeatedly achieve their goals. Examples of projects she has led have resulted in increased performance, often times reaching triple digit improvements.

Prior to joining ATi, Susan was CEO and Managing Director of Universal Robot Systems, LLC. She has extensive international business experience and more than 15 years healthcare senior management experience. Susan was responsible for directing the marketing activities of one of the largest cardiovascular programs to all physicians, patients, providers and the community through a campaign of direct marketing and mass media. Her accomplishments also extend to creating one of the top CV programs in the nation for hospitals of like size, while leading market share in North Texas and Southern Oklahoma. She received her AD in Nursing, a BA in Marketing from Midwestern State University, and a Masters in International Management (MIM) from Thunderbird, The Garvin School of International management.