Sustainability in Arizona Discussed at AZIGG

Thank you to Sue and Tony Makridis for hosting AZIGG August 3rd at Greekfest - the best Greek restaurant in Phoenix by far. Ask my wife (her maiden name is Stamos, related to John Stamos).

The event was sold out and we completely filled the restaurant. Our speakers were magnificent. Thank you to Bob Shatz and his team from ITDC (Innovative Technology Development Center, http://www.inno-tech.org/) for their wonderful contributions and their ongoing efforts to grow the Sustainability sector in Arizona.

Also special thanks to Dee Harris (Arizona Angels) and Chet S. Ross (Greater Phoenix SCORE and SCORE Arizona) for contributing their views of the investment in Arizona around Sustainability, Green Tech and technology.

Thanks also to all our attendees. And sorry for all those who signed-up in the last 2 weeks to find out that we were full. Next month we'll be back in larger venues to be able to accommodate all of you.

Our next event is the US-Asia Investment and Business Expo Sept 17-18. It will start on the 17th morning with a breakfast at Enterprise Network. It's all part of Arizona International Week.

Watch for more pictures and event information at www.azigg.com.

All the best, Doug

Doug Bruhnke, President/Founder of AZIGG

AZIGG August 3rd: Nurturing Sustainability in Arizona

Next AZIGG Event

Monday, August 3rd 11:30am – 1:00pm
"Nurturing Sustainability in Arizona”
Bob Shatz, Ron Richman & Richard McKinney – ITDC (Tucson)
Dee Harris – Arizona Angels

$27 Includes Lunch (Greek Specialties). RSVP Here: www.azigg.com

After a successful investment career in New York and Tokyo, Bob Shatz wanted to live in Tucson and make a difference. So he went about researching what industries to work in and to grow. His conclusion: Sustainability. Today his work with Ron Richman, Richard McKinney and the team at ITDC (www.inno-tech.org) is an Arizona success story that few below Ina Road know about. Now you will.

Bob, Ron and Richard will be joined by the one and only Dee Harris, long-team leader of the of Arizona Angels Investor Network. Dee is the definitive knowledge source for tech investing in Arizona.

Also joining the discussion will be Chet Ross - Director, SCORE Arizona District. Chet will update us on recent funding developments for small businesses including SBA and ARC loans.

Bob Shatz - Innovative Technologies Development Center
Bob is CFO at ITDC. He has been involved in alternative finance research and sales for the past 25 years. Fluent in Japanese, he became the first foreign analyst to be trained in Tokyo at Nomura Research Institute and sent to sell Japanese debt and equity research to institutional investors in the US.

After setting sales records and nurturing a $5 billion joint venture, he was promoted to top management of Nomura and played an instrumental role in facilitating the first mortage-backed securities mutual fund between Japanese investors and Trust Company of the West ($750 million). Bob retired to Tucson to raise his family and look for interesting investment opportunities in sustainable ventures.

Dee Harris - Arizona Angels Investor Network
Dee has held a senior leadership position at Arizona Angels (www.arizonaangels.com) since 2002. He has 25 years of legal and regulatory experience and 7 years of investment banking experience. Dee was Chairman, Arizona Bio Industry Association and served on the Arizona Bioscience Road Map Committee. Among his many prestigious prior roles, Dee was formerly the Director of Securities for the Arizona Corporation Commission in addition to being President of the North American Securities Administrators Association and Director of Enforcement of the Michigan Corporation and Securities Bureau. Dee has been serving on the Executive Commitee for Invest Southwest www.investsouthwest.org.

Ron Richman - ITDC and University of Arizona
Ron is CEO at ITDC and Co-Director of Arid Lands Bioenergy Institute at the University of Arizona. He has over 30 years of strategy, business development, marketing and technology transfer experience at IBM. Ron has many accomplishments in his leadership roles for the Service Provider, e-Business, e-Intrastructure and Industrial Sectors.

Richard McKinney - ITDC
Richard is COO of ITDC and his leadership experience includes supply chain management, manufacturing and general management. His past company experience includes Teledyne Divisions of Water Pik, Metal Forming, Aero-Cal, CB, Casting Services and Rodney Metals. Richard was President/CEO of IMI/Timet Castings.

All the best, Doug

Arizona International Growth Group (AZIGG)