Saturday, February 6, 2010

AZIGG Monday March 1st: O Canada! Canada-Arizona Trade

The Next AZIGG event is Monday morning March 1st and features Glenn Williamson, Rick Stephenson and Chantal Ramsey discussing Arizona-Canada Trade Success and Opportunities. Not to be missed!



O Canada! Trade Successes and Opportunities with Arizona
Glenn Williamson, CEO of NestVentures, and Founder/CEO of The Canada Arizona Business Council (CABC)
Rick Stephenson, Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner of Consulate of Canada
Chantal Ramsay, Consul at the Int'l Marketing Centre in the Canadian Consulate General
Monday, March 1st, 7:30 - 9:00am
ASU SkySong, Auditorium 150 in Scottsdale
Doors open at 7:00am for networking
1475 N Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale
Investment $15 includes coffee and pastries
RSVP and more info: www.azigg.com
On March 1st at ASU-SkySong in Scottsdale, fellow Canadians Glenn Williamson, Rick Stephenson and Chantal Ramsey will discuss the progress made in Arizona-Canada trade, and the near and long-term opportunities still available. Business owners with a connection or potential connection in Canada will appreciate hearing more about how Arizona businesses can and will succeed moving forward. Those with connections into other countries and regions will enjoy hearing about ways they can improve trade with some best practices already implemented.

All the best, Doug Bruhnke

Arizona International Growth Group - AZIGG
Scottsdale, Arizona
www.azigg.com

Sunday, January 17, 2010

AZIGG Monday, February 1st with Don Burton


The next strategic industry sector for Arizona that we'll be discussing at AZIGG is education. Our speaker on Monday, February 1st will be Don Burton, President of Dunlap-Stone University and the International Import-Export Institute. Attendees will hear a global business success story based in Phoenix and receive an update from Thunderbird School of Global Management and on education in Arizona from Suzanne Taylor, Senior VP of Public Policy at the Arizona Chamber.

Thanks to Phil Clouse and Stanton Knight of MTD Products for discussing manufacturing at AZIGG on Monday. Their presentation and pictures can be found on the AZIGG site here: http://www.azigg.com/events_pages/201001-event.html.


"Education in Arizona Can Compete Globally If..."
Monday, February 1st, 7:30am - 9:00am
Networking starts at 7:00am in the first floor conference room.
ASU SkySong, Scottsdale (SE Corner Scottsdale/McDowell Roads)
Investment $15 - Coffee and Dunkin Donuts Served

On February 1st at ASU-SkySong in Scottsdale, President Don Burton of Dunlap-Stone University and the International Import-Export Institute will discuss how he and his team have successfully grown their education business. It's a global growth success story that is applicable for any business owners growing globally online.

The International Import-Export Institute based in Phoenix provides specialized accredited international trade education programs globally via an "asynchronous" online format. The Institute works with governments, individuals and companies worldwide to provide practical training. The Import-Export Institute is recognized worldwide as the global authority for professional international trade certification.
See you on February 1st! All the best, Doug
Doug Bruhnke
Arizona International Growth Group (AZIGG)

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Next AZIGG on Global Manufacturing in Arizona January 11th at SkySong

MTD Consumer Products, a global manufacturer of outdoor power equipment founded in 1932, 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 here can be more competitive.

Sign-up for AZIGG here: www.azigg.com.

Keep up with AZIGG on Twitter www.twitter.com/AZIGG

February event: 2/1/10 at ASU-SkySong to be announced

March event: 3/1/10 at ASU-SkySong to be announced

All the best, Doug

Doug Bruhnke
AZIGG (monthly meetings at ASU SkySong)

Monday, December 21, 2009

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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Saturday, December 12, 2009

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)

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

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

Saturday, November 7, 2009

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