Tucson Sentinel
The U.S. Department of Energy is investing $366 million to support clean energy development in rural and remote areas, officials announced Tuesday.
The money will support 17 projects across 20 states and 30 Native American tribal nations.
“President [Joe] Biden firmly believes that every community should benefit from the nation’s historic transition to a clean energy future, especially those in rural and remote areas,” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a press release. “DOE is helping revitalize communities across America — ensuring thriving businesses, reliable access to clean energy, and exciting new economic opportunities, now and for generations to come.”
Twelve of the projects are fully on tribal land. One project, which is receiving $10 million, will use solar power to reduce costs for Taos Pueblo households by $700 per year.
Another initiative, led by Native Renewables Inc., will receive $8 million to install solar and battery energy storage systems to provide electricity for 300 homes in the Navajo and Hopi nations. In a 2022 report the Energy Department found that 21% of Navajo and 35% of Hopi tribal homes do not have electricity.
“Many tribal communities, tribal nations generally pay higher than average rates for electricity,” Wahleah Johns, head of the Energy Department’s Office of Indian Energy, told reporters Monday. “They face a high energy burden and energy poverty.”
One project to receive a large payout is the National Association of Community Health Centers, which was awarded more than $57 million. The organization will provide clean energy systems to 175 rural health centers across the Southeast in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association received $45.2 million to create rural electric cooperatives and deploy solar infrastructure in seven rural areas across the country: Anza, California; Arivaca, Arizona; Clinton and Cooke City, Montana; Decatur, Tennessee; Cherry Lane, North Carolina; and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux community in Minnesota.
The U.S. Department of Energy is investing $366 million to support clean energy development in rural and remote areas, officials announced Tuesday.
The money will support 17 projects across 20 states and 30 Native American tribal nations.
“President [Joe] Biden firmly believes that every community should benefit from the nation’s historic transition to a clean energy future, especially those in rural and remote areas,” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a press release. “DOE is helping revitalize communities across America — ensuring thriving businesses, reliable access to clean energy, and exciting new economic opportunities, now and for generations to come.”
Twelve of the projects are fully on tribal land. One project, which is receiving $10 million, will use solar power to reduce costs for Taos Pueblo households by $700 per year.
Another initiative, led by Native Renewables Inc., will receive $8 million to install solar and battery energy storage systems to provide electricity for 300 homes in the Navajo and Hopi nations. In a 2022 report the Energy Department found that 21% of Navajo and 35% of Hopi tribal homes do not have electricity.
“Many tribal communities, tribal nations generally pay higher than average rates for electricity,” Wahleah Johns, head of the Energy Department’s Office of Indian Energy, told reporters Monday. “They face a high energy burden and energy poverty.”
One project to receive a large payout is the National Association of Community Health Centers, which was awarded more than $57 million. The organization will provide clean energy systems to 175 rural health centers across the Southeast in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association received $45.2 million to create rural electric cooperatives and deploy solar infrastructure in seven rural areas across the country: Anza, California; Arivaca, Arizona; Clinton and Cooke City, Montana; Decatur, Tennessee; Cherry Lane, North Carolina; and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux community in Minnesota.
“Americans in every pocket of the country can reap the benefits of clean energy,” Granholm told reporters on Monday.
The money comes from the bipartisan infrastructure law. Tuesday’s announcement means federal officials will start negotiations with the project leaders before funding is issued.
“What’s special is how these projects showcase rural and remote communities’ innovative approaches to clean energy deployment,” Granholm said. “Every one of these projects is extremely unique and very specific.”
PADT Inc.
PADT, a globally recognized provider of numerical simulation, product development, and 3D printing products and services, announced its 30th year in business in March 2024. The company was started back in 1994 by four engineers who had a vision of taking advanced computer aided engineering capabilities that were only being used in aerospace and making them available to other industries. Now, the three original founders, Rey Chu, Eric Miller, and Ward Rand, are overseeing a 95-person company headquartered in the ASU Research Park in Tempe, Arizona, with employees across the country and customers around the world.
“We are grateful that the size and scope of PADT exceeds our original dreams. We had a lot of help along the way from our customers, employees, OEM partners, and vendors to reach this moment. Over this span, our core objective remains: Each and every day, earn our place and bring value to the broad Engineering and Manufacturing communities we serve,” commented Ward Rand, Principal and Co-Founder heading up the product sales and support division.
Rey Chu is the Principal and Co-founder of the Digital Manufacturing division. He and his team were pioneers in 3D Printing and are still leading the way in advanced manufacturing. “I am grateful for the chance to have been involved in the entrepreneurial journey of starting and nurturing PADT over this remarkable 30-year span. As we celebrate this milestone with great joy and pride, we are thankful for the trust our customers and partners have bestowed upon us and the unwavering dedication of the entire PADT team that has made it possible.”
“The part of this journey that I did not expect, and that has been the most rewarding, has been the people we have been able to work with — our customers, our partners, and especially our employees through the years. We have seen them grow their careers, businesses, and families. Being even a small part of their personal and professional success has been one of the great pleasures of the past thirty years,” said Eric Miller, Principal and Co-founder leading the engineering consulting division.
“Key to the success of the company are the revolutionary technologies of PADT’s partners – solutions that improve customer livelihood, and PADT is proud to carry and support those products. Our main partner on the software side, Ansys, Inc., is the gold standard in simulation, and Ansys truly enables engineers to predict the future of their designs. Similarly, on the hardware side, Stratasys, Inc. shapes the future of manufacturing by providing the most innovative and reliable 3D printing and additive manufacturing machines and materials. PADT is also honored to partner with Flownex, EOS, and Zeiss to provide their superb products to the communities.”, added Rand.
PADT would not be where it is today if it were not for its engineering and manufacturing services customers as well. Over the decades, the company has provided simulation, design, and 3D Printing to hundreds of firms in support of thousands of projects that helped bring new products to market. These customers quickly became part of the PADT journey, with some still counting on PADT since the early days of a handful of engineers, a smattering of workstations, and one Stereolithography machine.
The company will be celebrating with the community in October as part of their annual Nerdtoberfest open house in Tempe, Arizona, and will have a smaller celebration at their new offices in the Denver, Colorado, area in the fall. Those interested in attending should subscribe to PADT’s monthly newsletter or follow the company on LinkedIn or at padtinc.com/padt30 to stay informed.
If you are interested in experiencing the industry-leading products, outstanding technical expertise, and award-winning customer service offered by PADT, contact us to talk about how you can be part of the next thirty years of making innovation work.
About PADT, Inc
Phoenix Analysis and Design Technologies, Inc. (PADT) is an engineering product and services company that focuses on helping customers who develop physical products by providing Numerical Simulation, Product Development, and 3D Printing solutions. The company is an Ansys Elite Channel Partner and a Stratasys Platinum Partner. They are also a channel partner for Flownex, EOS, and ZEISS #handsonmetrology. PADT’s worldwide reputation for technical excellence and experienced staff is based on its proven record of building long-term win-win partnerships with vendors and customers. Since its establishment in 1994, companies have relied on PADT because “We Make Innovation Work.” With over 90 employees, PADT services customers from its headquarters at the Arizona State University Research Park in Tempe, Arizona, and from offices in Torrance, California, Lakewood, Colorado, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, as well as through staff members located around the country. More information on PADT can be found at www.PADTINC.com.
Phoenix Business Journal
The city of Phoenix has approved new water regulations for major water users, but it’s expected to have minimal impact on existing projects.
Phoenix City Council in March moved forward with new rules for facilities that will use more than 250,000 gallons per day with additional requirements for those expected to use more than 500,000 gallons per day.
“Passing our new large water user ordinance is another important milestone in our longstanding commitment to a comprehensive approach to protect our water resources,” said Mayor Kate Gallego in a statement. “This new policy will ensure we are balancing our economic development priorities with the critical need to secure our water supply for generations to come.
All major water users will have to provide a water conservation plan for approval while companies over the 500,000 gallon amount will also have to use recycled or conserved water for 30% of their water demand.
This benchmark was determined by the city based on conversations it had with the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., which is building a $40 billion chip manufacturing plant in the Valley, Phoenix staff said during the transportation subcommittee meeting in February.
The 30% can be lowered depending on the economic benefits the city receives in return and if the water received will support a “key industry” for the city’s growth, for example.
If the water users violate the new regulations by using more than what’s allowed, they could be fined 200% to 2,000% of the charges for water used depending on how many violations occur or whether it continues for more than a year.
Before the council’s vote, there were no additional requirements in place for large water users other than complying with city codes and ordinances, according to a city spokesperson.
The new regulations, however, will only impact a small group and not apply to existing users unless they plan to expand their water use to 250,000 gallons or more per day.
The city of Phoenix said that it has about 20 existing large water users, including resorts, hospitals, bottling plants and government entities, KJZZ reported. On average an Arizona household uses about 108,617 gallons in a year. A user that consumes 250,000 gallons a day uses the equivalent of about 840 households per year.
Last summer, the city of Scottsdale adopted a set of nine water-management principles, including one that says Scottsdale will develop policies requiring any general plan amendment or rezoning request for a water use above 100,000 gallons per day to report specific information.
inBusiness PHX
Following ASU’s groundbreaking announcement of the first university collaboration with OpenAI, the W. P. Carey School of Business is officially launching a new degree program — the Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence in Business (MS-AIB). Backed by faculty from the Department of Information Systems, it is the first AI graduate degree program from a business school in the United States.
“There is no doubt that AI is quickly becoming a vital business skill. We are excited to meet the needs of students and employers through our new graduate degree program within our top-ranked information systems departments,” said Ohad Kadan, Charles J. Robel Dean and W.P. Carey Distinguished Chair in Business.
The new W.P. Carey MS-AIB program incorporates an applied curriculum and career coaching to prepare graduates for success in emerging roles across industries. Taught by world-renowned faculty, the MS-AIB degree develops technical AI and professional skills needed to thrive in the constantly evolving landscape of technology and business.
New master’s degree allows students to lead what’s next
The goal of the program is to equip leaders with a business-aligned framework and strategies for implementing AI – delivering both technical skills and business skills to design, deploy, and apply AI mindfully in diverse business contexts. The program begins in the fall of 2024 on ASU’s Tempe campus.
“Students will learn to understand and plan for the implications and possibilities enabled by artificial intelligence, in addition to the importance of governance, ethics, and principled innovations,” explained Pei-yu Chen, chair of the Department of Information Systems and Red Avenue Foundation Professor. Chen is also the co-director of the Center for AI and Data Analytics for Business and Society.
W.P. Carey additionally has a continuing education Certificate in Artificial Intelligence in Business, allowing learners to train in the mechanics of this cutting-edge technology, design intelligent systems, learn how to harness these systems mindfully for value creation, and how to embed them into business to transform organizational strategy and revolutionize business processes and operations. Credit completed in the certificate program can later be transferred towards several W.P. Carey master’s degrees.
University of Arizona Tech Parks
The University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI) is pleased to announce the winning startup team for the UACI Sponsored Launch Fueled by Spencer Fane LLP competition. The startup, TheraCea, will continue to receive support in the UACI incubation program including resources, facilities, services and expert guidance to grow its business.
TheraCea was selected from the pool of applicants for its drive in pursuing an innovative solution that addresses a real-world challenge. TheraCea is unleashing the power of precision medicine by developing clinical diagnostic tools for faster and more accurate detection of cancer and neurological disorders, as well as for best-in-class therapy matching and rapid assessment of therapy efficacy.
The selection was based on TheraCea’s dedication to commercializing its innovation and pursuing a scalable business model. TheraCea has partnered with the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health to move its technology from the chemistry bench to clinics. With more business support, the team has an even greater ability to make a difference both locally and globally.
In alignment with its mission to grow scalable startup ventures that fuel the Arizona economy, UACI has teamed up with legal firm Spencer Fane LLP to support science and technology startup companies. Competition judges include Raj Gangadean, a partner in the Spencer Fane business transactions group; Allen Freed, founder & principal, AJ Freed Foods LLC; and Lydia Kennedy, Advanced Manufacturing Incubator manager, Pima Community College. The judges selected TheraCea to receive one year of sponsored admission at UACI which includes a structured incubation program, customized business mentoring and the ability to work alongside other startups in a fast-paced environment. UACI provides the people, programming and place needed to successfully launch and scale a business. The incubation program also provides its clients with office and laboratory space and assistance through a 28-point roadmap that helps them with everything from refining their business models to obtaining funding. In addition to a one-year sponsored entry into UACI, the winning startup will receive legal services from Spencer Fane. The total package value is $16,800 and is funded by Spencer Fane.
Because of the synergy within the incubator network, TheraCea co-founder, Iman Daryaei, PhD, has grown the team by recruiting fellow startup founder; Scott Zentack, MBA. The two business founders met when working alongside each other in the bioscience-focused lab located in UACI at Oro Valley. The liked-minded and exceptional talent of Mr. Zentack coupled with a shared passion for medical imaging and diagnosis make him an invaluable addition at a perfect time when his business objectives had run their course.
“As a firm, we are honored to support and work with TheraCea as the winning startup through the University of Arizona Center for Innovation. We are both leaders in our respective industries and strive to provide best-in-class services to our clients, whether that is clinical diagnostic tools or legal consultancy. It’s a great match in terms of dedication and client service” Raj Gangadean, partner, Spencer Fane shared. “We are excited to partner with a team that is focused on providing answers to patients and their oncologists or neurologists through faster and more accurate detection of cancer and neurological disorders.”
About University of Arizona Center for Innovation
The University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI) is a startup incubator network with outposts across the Southern Arizona region. For two decades, the program has directly served over 300 companies, impacting thousands of entrepreneurs who have attracted $105.8M in external capital. This is done by providing access to people, programming, and places that help entrepreneurs take their companies from idea to market. With the mission to fuel the Arizona economy, UACI works to help scale science and tech-based startups under the scope of Tech Parks Arizona creating university-based economic impact.
About Spencer Fane
Spencer Fane is a full-service business law firm focused on providing results that move clients and their businesses forward. With direct access to firm leadership and a different approach to client
engagement, its attorneys instill confidence and certainty that the clients’ interests are the firm’s priority. The firm has offices in Phoenix, Arizona; San Jose (Silicon Valley) and Santa Monica (Los Angeles), California; Denver, Colorado; Tampa, Florida; Overland Park, Kansas; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Cape Girardeau, Jefferson City, Kansas City, St. Louis, and Springfield, Missouri; Omaha, Nebraska; Las Vegas, Nevada; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Greenville, South Carolina; Dakota Dunes, South Dakota; Hendersonville and Nashville, Tennessee; and Austin, Dallas, Houston, and Plano, Texas. For more information, visit spencerfane.com or follow @spencerfane.
BNN
Arizona is steering toward an electric future with the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) at the helm, embarking on a significant venture to establish a network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the state. With a strategic plan to partner with companies for the construction and management of these stations, the initiative is set to revolutionize Arizona’s approach to sustainable transportation. Funded predominantly through federal grants covering 80% of the project costs, this initiative underscores a collaborative effort between state authorities and private developers to bolster the EV infrastructure.
Strategic Deployment and Funding
As the first phase of the project unfolds, ADOT aims to complete 21 charging stations by the end of 2025. These stations will be strategically positioned along major state highways, ensuring that EV drivers have access to convenient rest stops for recharging. Each station will feature four stalls equipped with rapid charging capabilities, enabling a recharge time of 20-30 minutes. This development is not only a leap towards accommodating the growing number of electric vehicles on the road but also a testament to Arizona’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and promoting clean energy solutions. Learn more about the EV charging network project.
Expanding the Network
Looking beyond the initial phase, ADOT is exploring opportunities to add over 30 additional stations in subsequent phases. This expansion will further enhance the state’s EV infrastructure, making electric vehicle ownership more feasible for Arizona residents and encouraging a shift away from fossil fuel dependence. By leveraging federal grants, Arizona is capitalizing on the opportunity to lead in the adoption of clean transportation technologies, aligning with broader national efforts to promote clean energy in underserved and remote areas. Read about the U.S. Department of Energy’s clean energy initiatives.
Implications for Arizona’s Future
This ambitious project not only underscores Arizona’s commitment to sustainability and clean energy but also signals a significant shift in the state’s transportation landscape. By increasing the availability of EV charging infrastructure, Arizona is not only facilitating a smoother transition to electric vehicles but also contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. This initiative represents a critical step in the state’s journey towards an eco-friendly future, setting a precedent for other states to follow in the quest for a more sustainable and environmentally conscious America.
The impact of this project extends beyond environmental benefits; it also promises economic growth through job creation in the construction and maintenance of the charging stations, and by fostering a conducive environment for innovation in clean energy technologies. As Arizona gears up for a future dominated by electric vehicles, the state is poised to become a key player in the nation’s push towards reducing carbon footprints and championing renewable energy sources.
Phoenix Business Journal
The U.S. is awarding Intel with $8.5 billion in direct funding through the federal CHIPS Act to support the company’s semiconductor advanced packaging and manufacturing facilities in Arizona and three other states.
Once loans and tax credits are considered, Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) could receive a package valued at more than $40 billion.
The U.S. Department of Commerce said March 20 it inked a nonbinding preliminary agreement with Intel for a CHIPS Act award package that consists of $8.5 billion in grants and $11 billion in loans. The company also plans to claim the Department of the Treasury’s Investment Tax Credit of up to 25% on its $100 billion in qualified investments, according to a draft announcement.
All told, Intel’s federal award package could support 30,000 new direct jobs, including 3,000 manufacturing and 6,000 construction jobs in Arizona.
“Today is a defining moment for the U.S. and Intel as we work to power the next great chapter of American semiconductor manufacturing innovation,” Pat Gelsinger, Intel’s CEO, said in a statement. “AI is supercharging the digital revolution and everything digital needs semiconductors. CHIPS Act support will help to ensure that Intel and the U.S. stay at the forefront of the AI era as we build a resilient and sustainable semiconductor supply chain to power our nation’s future.”
Intel’s award package marks the largest CHIPS Act funding announcement to date, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo told reporters on a March 19 teleconference call. The California-based company employed 124,800 people worldwide as of Dec. 30, 2023, according to its latest annual report. It had a market cap approaching $178 billion as of March 19.
“Last month, I set an aggressive goal for the CHIPS program that America would produce roughly 20% of the world’s leading-edge chips by the end of the decade,” Raimondo said. “To remind everyone, we’re at 0% today and we believe we’re going to get to 20% by 2030. And this announcement is going put us on track to meet that goal.”
Intel is allocating an unspecified portion of its CHIPS Act funding toward modernizing a fab and supporting construction of two new fabs totaling $20 billion at its Ocotillo campus in Chandler, where it will ramp up production of Intel 18A, its most advanced semiconductor process node technology.
Intel will produce its first 18A Xeon processors — called Clearwater Forest — at its Arizona fabs.
While Intel has not publicly specified an opening date for its new Ocotillo fabs, Department of Commerce officials told reporters on the teleconference call that the first of the company’s two fabs could be up and running by the end of 2024. That’s an update from April 2023, when an Intel spokesperson declined to say whether the company was on track to open fabs this year.
Intel investments in U.S. to exceed $100 billion as it expands fab capacity
Over the next five years, Intel expects its investments in the U.S. to exceed $100 billion as it expands fab capacity and capabilities in Arizona, New Mexico, Ohio, and Oregon.
Intel is building out its Silicon Heartland semiconductor manufacturing site near Columbus, Ohio. Intel is investing $28 billion in the project, which is slated to finish construction between 2026 and 2027 and become operational between 2027 and 2028.
The company in January opened a $3.5 billion fab in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, where the company will mass produce its 3D advanced packaging technology. Intel’s CHIPS Act award will also support expansion and modernization of its facilities in Hillsboro, Oregon, where it will utilize the world’s first high NA EUV lithography equipment, according to a Department of Commerce news release.
The timeline for Intel’s job creation at its fabs will vary, a senior Department of Commerce official told reporters.
Intel’s CHIPS Act award includes $50 million earmarked for developing its semiconductor and construction workforce. Those funds will build upon the company’s existing investments that total more than $250 million in the past five years, along with its partnerships with universities, community colleges and apprenticeship programs.
As part of its broader workforce investment program, Intel has committed to providing discounted access to a network of child care providers and a primary child care reimbursement program for non-exempt employees.
Intel’s 18A and advanced packaging technologies, combined with its foundry services, will enable U.S. companies to lead the artificial intelligence industry by ensuring a domestic supply of advanced chips, according to the Department of Commerce.
“The CHIPS for America program will bring semiconductor manufacturing back to the U.S. and create a vital R&D ecosystem to keep it here,” Laurie E. Locascio, under secretary of commerce for standards and technology and NIST director, said in a statement. “The innovation sparked by this proposed investment would strengthen America’s technological and research leadership and significantly help enhance our nation’s manufacturing capacity while strengthening communities and creating good-paying jobs.”
The Department of Commerce declined to disclose specific funding allocations for each of Intel’s fabs in Arizona, Oregon, Ohio and New Mexico. Intel’s CHIPS Act award is subject to due diligence and negotiation of a long-form term sheet. In addition, the award is conditional upon achievement of certain milestones, which will be refined in the future, according to a Department of Commerce official.
More CHIPS Act announcements in the pipeline
Advanced semiconductor companies — including Intel and TSMC — have requested more than $70 billion in CHIPS Act subsidies, more than double the amount available for U.S.-based projects, Raimondo said Feb. 26.
The CHIPS Act includes $39 billion in grants, as well as loans and loan guarantees worth $75 billion to spur semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S., according to the Department of Commerce.
In addition to Intel, the Department of Commerce has announced three CHIPS Act investments for BAE Systems Inc., Arizona-based Microchip Technology and GlobalFoundries, which is set to receive nearly $1.5 billion in federal subsidies for a new fab and modernization of its existing facilities in New York and Vermont.
More award announcements are expected to follow in the coming weeks, according to the Department of Commerce.
“We have more to come. We’re just getting rolling,” Raimondo said of the CHIPS Act funding announcements. “But this is a huge investment in America’s championship company Intel and we’re committed to their success.”
Southeast Missourian
Arevon Energy, a Scottsdale, Arizona-based renewable energy company, announced Wednesday, March 6, that a solar project in Scott County will power Meta’s regional operations.
“The power will help support Meta’s operation in the region with 100% renewable energy,” Arevon development manager Jacquiline Foley said.
Known as the Kelso Solar Project, the 2,500-acre facility is actually just north of Blodgett. It consists of two phases: a 200-megawatt section and a 149-megawatt section.
Power will be transmitted via Ameren’s Kelso-Miner 161-kilovolt line.
Construction is scheduled to begin later this year, with work on the first phase ending in late 2025 and work on the second phase concluding in early 2026.
The work will generate more than 450 construction jobs. Kelso Solar itself will have five new permanent workers.
According to a news release, land leases with local landowners will generate millions of dollars in revenue. Some $34 million will be redistributed to local governments, with $28 million of that going to area schools.
“Since taking over all the development activities, we’ve continued to progress the project forward while also being focused on engaging with key stakeholders, landowners and working on being a good neighbor in the community as Arevon will be the long-term operator of the project,” Foley said.
The next step, she added, is to finalize permits and prepare the land for construction.
“We meet 100% of our energy demand with renewable power, and we continue to invest in clean energy projects as we grow. This partnership with Arevon decarbonizes our operations and contributes to a more sustainable, resilient energy infrastructure,” Urvi Parekh, head of Renewable Energy at Meta, said in the news release.
The Kelso Solar Project has an operational lifespan of roughly 35 years.
Arevon currently operates more than 3,500 megawatts worth of solar, storage and hybrid assets with a further 1,000 megawatts worth in development.
Phoenix Business Journal
The Phoenix Business Journal has announced the 15th annual Most Admired Leaders, recognizing an accomplished group of executives and leaders in the Valley representing various business and nonprofit sectors.
Twenty-three honorees plus a Lifetime Achievement Award winner have been selected in a range of industries and fields, from financial and educational institutions to nonprofits and municipalities. They are recognized for their contributions to their organizations as well as their communities.
The Lifetime Achievement Award winner this year is Kenneth Van Winkle Jr., an attorney with 36 years experience. For 21 years he has been the managing partner of Lewis Roca, a Phoenix-area law firm that ranked No. 5 on the 2024 Phoenix Business Journal’s Largest Phoenix-Area Law Firms.
Van Winkle served on the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee, and was instrumental in planning and executing Super Bowl LVII in 2023, which created an economic impact of $1.3 billion for Arizona. He also assumed the roles of vice chair and general counsel for Greater Phoenix Leadership. In addition, Van Winkle holds board positions with Downtown Phoenix Inc., Banner Health Foundation, and TerraLex.
Here is the full list of the Phoenix Business Journal’s 2024 Most Admired Leaders (Arizona Technology Council members hyperlinked):
- Tamara Bohannon, CEO, Foundation for Senior Living (FSL)
- Jody Boyd, CEO, The Singletons
- Shawnda Dawson, Vice President, JPMorgan Chase and Aligned Spaces by Sh
- Kim Despres, CEO, Circle the City
- Jeff Friesen, President, Enterprise Bank & Trust
- Adam Goodman, President, Goodmans Interior Structures
- Dawn Hocking, Senior Manager, The Centers for Habilitation (TCH)
- Michael Kintner, Vice President, Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino
- Kimber Lanning, CEO, Local First AZ
- Bobbi Magdaleno, Executive Director, Arizona State University
- Leslie Meyers, Associate General Manager, Salt River Project (SRP)
- Genaro Perez, CMO, Peter Piper Pizza
- Kevin Phelps, CEO, City of Glendale AZ
- Larry Pobuda, Vice President, The Opus Group
- Jorge Quintero, President, QCM Technologies Inc.
- Jordan Rose, CEO, Rose Law Group
- Todd Sanders, President, Greater Phoenix Chamber
- Beth Scarano, CEO, LaunchPM
- Humphrey Shin, President, FirstBank
- Dr. Scott Spurgeon, CEO, West-MEC
- Kyle Squires, Senior Vice Provost, Arizona State University
- Kenneth Van Winkle Jr., Managing Partner, Lewis Roca
- Andrew Wyant, CEO, International Sports Sciences Association
- Renee Yeager, CEO, Yeager Marketing
inBusiness PHX
Arizona State University and Deca Technologies, a premier provider of advanced wafer- and panel-level packaging technology, announced a groundbreaking collaboration to create North America’s first fan-out wafer-level packaging (FOWLP) research and development center.
The new Center for Advanced Wafer-Level Packaging Applications and Development is set to catalyze innovation in the United States, expanding domestic semiconductor manufacturing capabilities and driving advancements in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, automotive electronics and high-performance computing.
The center will combine state-of-the-art advanced-packaging technology, equipment, processes, materials, expertise and training, fostering the development of new capabilities from proof of concept to pilot scale. ASU is the first university implementation of Deca’s M-SeriesÔ fan-out and Adaptive Patterning® technologies under the Microelectronics Commons, a network of regional technology hubs coordinated to deliver on projects requested by the Department of Defense as part of the CHIPS and Science Act, the federal legislation which aims to expand America’s global leadership in microelectronics.
The new center will include integration with the university’s MacroTechnology Works center at ASU Research Park in Tempe and will provide enhanced capability that will advance projects within the ASU-led Southwest Advanced Prototyping (SWAP) Hub, part of the Microelectronics Commons.
“This is at the heart of the next generation of innovation in microelectronics and everything it enables,” said Zak Holman, vice dean for research and innovation for ASU’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering. “Deca has developed a unique technology, and ASU brings extraordinary capacity that will provide the resources to leverage Deca’s technology in ways that will be a differentiator for the work we are doing together through the SWAP Hub.”
The initiative also offers a workforce-development opportunity with ASU faculty and students engaging in the work being done, providing training for the growing number of technicians who are needed domestically, including in metro Phoenix, which is home to Intel, TSMC, Amkor and other companies.
In collaboration with Deca, ASU is committed to establishing onshore access to these advanced-packaging capabilities. This entails acquiring, installing and implementing a comprehensive set of process and metrology equipment at the facility, capable of accommodating both 200mm and 300mm device wafer formats, as well as 300mm M-Series molded fan-out wafers, providing unparalleled flexibility for a diverse range of customers and applications.
“With the industry’s leading fan-out technology1 as a foundation, we’re excited about the possibilities this new center brings to Arizona as well as the broader U.S. semiconductor industry,” commented Tim Olson, Deca’s founder and CEO. “Through ASU and Deca’s collaboration, unprecedented access for industry, academia, government and others opens the door to accelerate innovation and bolster U.S. technology leadership.”
Deca’s first-generation M-Series FOWLP is widely adopted in leading smartphones around the globe. The Gen 2 M-Series including Adaptive Patterning technology brings unprecedented scaling to higher densities for heterogeneous integration and chiplet applications.