I-10 closure update… Numerous restrictions and closures remain in effect, both directly on westbound I-10, as well as on the eastbound and westbound frontage roads and several cross streets. As always, the closure schedule is subject to change in order to accommodate the project’s accelerated schedule. Access to businesses and residences will remain open. Click here to view the latest press release detailing all closures associated with the I-10 widening project.

“You’re It” Business Breakfast was a tremendous success… Paula Stuht, Vice President of Business Development for the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, welcomed guests to this annual United Way Breakfast that was held on March 22. The featured speaker for the event was David Lawrence, President of Early Childhood Foundation and past publisher of the Miami Herald. Additional speakers included Donald Diamond, the Diamond Foundation; David Lawrence, President of the Early Childhood Foundation; Jim Kiser, Southern Arizona Leadership Council; and Lilliana Novak, Primavera Preschool. Many Chamber members attended to support our education community and make a difference in the lives of Tucson’s young children!

Housing prices creating fewer opportunities for average buyers… According to a report in the March 16 Biz Journal in which the 95 largest communities were analyzed, only 35 cities have less affordable housing than Phoenix, and only 37 are less affordable than Tucson. By utilizing data from the American Community Survey (conducted by the U. S. Census Bureau in 2005), the publication used a five-step process to determine affordability: 1) it collected the median value of owner-occupied homes in each city; 2) it then calculated monthly mortgage payments based on a 10% down payment and a 6%, 30-year fixed rate; 3) it further calculated the median monthly tax load per city; 4) it added the payments and taxes together resulting in a typical monthly house payment for each city; and 5) finally, it took the resulting payment and divided it by the median monthly household income for the same city and year. In the most expensive city in the study, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, California, 70% of the median monthly household income was necessary to make the median house payment of $3,536. Phoenix families, by comparison, spend 30.4% of their monthly income to make a median payment of $1,219, and Tucson households spend 29.3% to make a $1,015 payment. The national average is 27%.

Is your business ready for global expansion?… On April 26, from 8 to 10:30 a.m., SAIAT has arranged for Dr. Lawrence E. Koslow to present a program all about global business. The cost is $95 per person, which includes a continental breakfast, and participants in this program will also receive a FREE copy of Dr. Koslow’s book, Global Business: 308 Tips to Take your Company Worldwide. The decision to enter the global marketplace or to expand operations abroad is never easy. One of the biggest reasons why companies fail in expanding abroad is that they enter these markets piecemeal, with no overall assessment of global possibilities. This program will give your company an opportunity to undertake a preliminary assessment of its global readiness.

Each participant will undertake a “Readiness Profile” that is designed to provide them with:
− A preliminary analysis of the global readiness of your business.
− An opportunity to identify the strengths and weaknesses associated with any global expansion being contemplated or recently undertaken.
− An opportunity to understand and think about some of the key issues that need to be resolved before and during the global expansion process.
− An understanding of how those strengths and weaknesses may help you select the most appropriate international strategy.

After the Profile is completed, additional time will be provided to review and score answers and to review what participants will need to do to implement their global strategy. This program will be most beneficial for company owners and/or their key executive staff. To register for this event, call 573-7399 or visit www.saiat.org.

Red Cross partners with Phones4Charity… The Southern Arizona Chapter of the American Red Cross has partnered with Phones4Charity to offer the community an easy way to give back. The program will allow large groups from organizations like companies, schools and stores to collect old cell phones that will be recycled to benefit the Southern Arizona Red Cross. Once the phones are collected and sent in, they are either refurbished or recycled. Refurbished phones are sent to U.S. communities and emerging countries where there is an economic necessity for cell phones for both safety and communication. Phones that are recycled help to keep the environment safe and keep our landfills clean. Groups who sign up will receive boxes for collection, signs and directions for sending in the phones. Phone drivers collect wireless cellular phones including mobile-installed telephones, two-way radios, pagers and walkie-talkies. The phones do not need to be working, and owners should deactivate their phones before turning them in. If a group collects more than 30 phones, the shipping is free. Individuals, companies, groups or organizations interested in hosting a Phones4Charity drive may contact the Southern Arizona Red Cross at 318-6740.