By Local Arizona Realtor Cody Sperber

                                   

The region has worked hard and suc­cessfully to become a magnet for compa­nies in six categories; high-technology, bioindustry, business services, software, tourism and transportation and distribution. A pattern has clearly emerged:

1. Many national and international firms are locating major operations here.
2. There is a strong level of less techni­cal jobs in the service, back-office, tourism and distribution fields.
3. Firms based here are expanding, contributing hundreds of new jobs.
4. The contributing factors include qual­ity of life, cost of living, a skilled work force, good universities and a favor­able business climate.
   

Call centers are another major Metro Phoenix enterprise with more than 250 centers employing 125,000 people. Among the largest operators of call centers are American Express, Discovery Financial Services, Bank of America, USAA, Charles Schwab & Co., and Verizon Wireless.

MAJOR EVENTS

In 2002 Phoenix successfully recruited the headquarters for the International Genomics Consortium. Governmental and private sponsors raised 134 million dol­lars to provide Transnational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) with formation and start-up capital. TGen provides a base of expertise and knowledge that enhances the areas ability to attract bio-science relat­ed companies. The state-of-the-art TGen building opened in March 2005 and is the first of several buildings planned for the 24­acre downtown Phoenix Biomedical Center (PBC). Ultimately the PBC will include medical school and research facili­ties for Arizona State University and the University of Arizona.

While the trend is to move computer chip manufacturing overseas, Intel has invested $2 billion to upgrade its Chandler plant to cutting edge technolo­gy. That facility opened in November 2005, increasing area employment by 800. Announced in 2005 was construc­tion of a new plant to be opened in 2007. Intel is investing $3 billion in that facility, further increasing employment by 1,000.

In September 2005 locally headquar­tered America West Airlines merged with US Airways, taking the US Airways name. The now fifth largest US carrier retains its corporate headquarters in Tempe. The new company will have about 35,000 employees. Opening a new Tempe operations center and other merg­er consolidation will increase Phoenix area employment from 8,500 to 9,500.

Financial firms continue to expand service and operational facilities in the area. Wells Fargo Consumer Credit invested $33 million to house 1 ,800 employees in Central Phoenix. Wells Fargo Mortgage Services has spent $10 million on a Tempe processing facility that has added 600 new jobs. Countrywide Home Loans is expand­ing an operations center in a Chandler campus setting that will accommodate 4,000 employees by the end of 2006.

In October 2005, Google announced plans to open a new engineering office in the Phoenix area. Google is survey­ing a number of valley locations and has yet to select a site. Initial employ­ment is expected to reach 600. Internet marketer EBay will invest $21 million to open a Phoenix data center in 2006. The operation will create 80 new jobs.