Member news: February 2022
Involta expands enterprise connectivity in tech-focused Tucson with addition of Cogent Communications
Involta, an industry-leading hybrid IT, cloud computing, and data center services company, is pleased to announce Tier 1 internet service provider Cogent Communications has deployed a new Point of Presence (PoP) in the company’s Tucson data center. The new PoP adds to this high-performance facility’s connectivity options providing leading Tucson healthcare, manufacturing and financial services organizations access to one of the top five backbone networks in the world. Read more >>
Leonardo Electronics US Inc. cited for 2021 Defense Manufacturing Technology Achievement Award
Leonardo Electronics US, Inc. is proud to have received the 2021 Supply Chain Improvement award from the Joint Defense Manufacturing Technology Panel (JDMTP) at the 2021 Defense Manufacturing Conference in Denver, Colorado on December 13th, 2021. Presented by Mr. Robert A. Gold, Director, Technology and Manufacturing Industrial Base, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, these awards are presented to teams who have successfully demonstrated the importance of delivering manufacturing technology solutions impacting the Department of Defense (DoD) mission. Read more >>
Snap Tech IT receives SOC 2 Type II attestation
Snap Tech IT, a managed services & cybersecurity provider, today announced that it has completed its SOC 2 Type II audit, performed by KirkpatrickPrice. This attestation provides evidence that Snap Tech IT has a strong commitment to security and to delivering high-quality services to its clients by demonstrating that they have the necessary internal controls and processes in place. A SOC 2 audit provides an independent, third-party validation that a service organization’s information security practices meet industry standards stipulated by the AICPA. Read more >>
Tech Parks Arizona leader Carol Stewart participates in IASP international board meeting
IASP’s International Board Meeting is a microcosm of innovation in action. Its hybrid format gave global experts the unique chance to meet, with some travelling to Malaga, Spain, and others connecting remotely, reflecting the new ways we work and collaborate internationally. The International Board is made up of a total of 16 members from 14 different countries: China, Denmark, Ecuador, India, Iran, Italy, Kenya, Panama, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, the UK and the USA. Read more >>
Michael Lohscheller named Nikola Motor president
Nikola Corporation, a global leader in zero-emissions transportation and energy infrastructure solutions, announced that Michael Lohscheller was named President of Nikola Motor. Reporting to CEO Mark Russell and supported by the team that is on the ground, he will be responsible for scaling Nikola’s global truck business. Lohscheller’s career has included leadership roles in finance, technology, purchasing and logistics at Volkswagen, before becoming Volkswagen Group of America Executive Vice President. Read more >>
ED2 Corporation featured in Feb. 2022 issue of Microwave Journal for disruptive approach to mmWave for wireless telecom applications
This article discusses a disruptive antenna technology that is based on dielectric waveguides that travel along a medium, traditionally known as a polyrod. In contrast to widely used electronically steerable phased arrays, polyrods do not require per-element phase shifters, leading to a drastic reduction in cost, design complexity and power consumption. In fact, the polyrod, dielectric waveguide antenna (DWA) element allows for beam pointing rather than beam forming. This paper provides some historical context, introduces the technology and finally discusses different use cases and applications. Read more >>
TriCIS and CP North America announce partnership to engineer and manufacture secure mobile workstations
CP North America LLC and TriCIS Ltd. today announced an engineering partnership to explore and exploit the natural synergy between the two organizations. CP North America has spent the past 20 years designing and manufacturing rugged computing systems for industrial, commercial, and defense applications. TriCIS also has extensive expertise in designing, engineering and testing certified, military grade secure integrated solutions for the UK government and defense sector, as well as NATO partners. Read more >>
Intel to acquire Tower Semiconductor for $5.4 billion
Intel Corporation and Tower Semiconductor, a leading foundry for analog semiconductor solutions, announced a definitive agreement under which Intel will acquire Tower for $53 per share in cash, representing a total enterprise value of approximately $5.4 billion. The acquisition significantly advances Intel’s IDM 2.0 strategy as the company further expands its manufacturing capacity, global footprint and technology portfolio to address unprecedented industry demand. Read more >>
Here’s how GPEC has helped the Metro Phoenix economy flourish
While many of the nation’s businesses have struggled throughout the pandemic, the economy of Metro Phoenix has been firing on all cylinders. “Arizona has been the benefactor of many elements that have helped the economy, including attracting top tier e-commerce, in-migration from surrounding states and the fundamentals that are attracting businesses to Arizona,” says Derek Wright, president of Suntec. Wright also points to the many mega-projects that have gone online over the past year that will set the Metro Phoenix region up for a ripple effect of companies following suit in choosing Arizona for additional operations. And many of those mega-projects would not be possible without the behind-the-scenes work of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC). Read more >>
Local UAT professor and students participate in 40-hour dignitary protection course
The University of Advancing Technology (UAT) Instructor Aaron Jones participated in a 40-hour Dignitary Protection Course hosted by Karl de la Guerra, Inc and was afforded an opportunity to work with protection agents and law enforcement in an education environment where they studied protective driving, Tactical Emergency Casualty Care, IED recognition, and advanced intelligence topics. As part of the training, university students were expected to mockup an intelligence brief that could then be used by the protective detail to plan routes, sniff out threats, and prepare for potential emergency situations. Read more >>
Honeywell selected to power new helicopter in key U.S. Army pursuit
Honeywell has been selected to provide its new HTS7500 turboshaft engine as the power behind the Lockheed Martin Sikorsky-Boeing DEFIANT X® helicopter, currently a contender to win the U.S. Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) competition. The HTS7500 turboshaft engine is the newest and most technologically advanced model in Honeywell’s family of military engines, which includes the iconic T55 engine that has powered the H-47 fleet for over 60 years. Read more >>
Chipmaker Intel launches a $1B foundry fund for tech startups, other innovators
Intel is launching a $1 billion fund to support startups or other companies building technology for the foundry ecosystem. That could include novel intellectual property, software tools, chip architecture or advanced packaging, all with the common theme of technology that speeds products to market. It is all part of CEO Pat Gelsinger’s aggressive push to put Intel back on top of semiconductor manufacturing worldwide and domestically. Read more >>
Girish Rishi to step down as Blue Yonder CEO after five years at helm
Blue Yonder CEO Girish Rishi is stepping down after five years in the top job, according to a company announcement released Monday. During his tenure, Blue Yonder grew dramatically and underwent several major changes, including a multibillion-dollar acquisition by Panasonic last year. Mark Morgan, currently the executive vice president of worldwide commercial business, will serve as Blue Yonder’s interim CEO as the company searches for a full time replacement. Read more >>
Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits programs and workshops for nonprofit pros return
The Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits is bringing core programming back in 2022. The organization’s highly popular Business on Board program, Nonprofit Lifecycles Capacity Building Workshop and Social Return on Investment Workshop are being offered virtually beginning with Business on Board every Tuesday in February. Nonprofit Lifecycles Capacity Building and Social Return on Investment workshops will start in March. Read more >>
Arizona IT training startup launches Phoenix academy; plans to fundraise through web series
NGT Academy, a startup that trains people to become IT professionals in a matter of months, has shifted its operations to Arizona and plans to build its first brick-and-mortar training academy in downtown Phoenix. NGT Academy, also known as NexGenT Inc., was founded by Terry Kim and Jacob Hess, who both served in the United States Air Force where they helped train other airmen in information technology and cybersecurity. Read more >>
Aramid Technologies raises $2M in seed round to redefine quality certification management in global supply chains
SaaS startup Aramid Technologies announced it has raised $2M in seed funding to expand its flagship product, SmartCert. SmartCert is a supplier collaboration platform that streamlines the processes by which companies prepare, manage and share quality certifications that underpin trillions of dollars in global commerce. Read more >>
Carvana Super Bowl advertising debut promises fans, We’ll Drive You Happy
Carvana, the industry pioneer for buying and selling cars online, announced its Super Bowl national advertising debut to show customers that their Carvana experience will leave them feeling energized, cared for and empowered. Carvana’s position as the fastest organic growth auto retailer in U.S. history proves it has successfully changed the way people buy and sell cars. Powered by a community of more than 20,000 team members who believe in treating people better, it’s also improving the way people feel about car buying as shown in its newest TV commercial about an endearing “oversharer” who can’t stop talking about Carvana. Read more >>
Arizona Commerce Authority announces statewide broadband middle-mile strategic plan
The Arizona Commerce Authority, in partnership with the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), announced today the Arizona Statewide Broadband Middle-Mile Strategic Plan, which supports current broadband expansion efforts on Interstate 17 and Interstate 19. The Strategic Plan has led to the creation of the Statewide Middle-Mile Network, which aims to increase broadband service along I-17 and I-19 and future expansion along additional interstate and state highways. Read more >>
ABL Academy presents CyberSec Events Week
CyberSec Events Week is coming the week of February 22. This important event offers all cyber professionals highly interactive hands-on training to continually increase the skills of the current and future workforce to protect critical infrastructure and organizational assets, and for your career advancement. On February 23 and 25, ABL is hosting live, new and Intermediate level CTFs. On the 24 and 26, ABL is hosting a live cyber range ICS which features a SCADA system and Power Grid infrastructure with vulnerabilities to exploit, compromise and capture contest flags. Read more >>
University of Arizona Center for Innovation names Casey Carrillo as assistant director
Casey Carrillo has been promoted to Assistant Director for the University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI). Carrillo manages UACI’s regional cohort-based programming and Sponsored Launch program which provides scholarships for startups with community financial support. She also facilitates the American Made Challenge programing in coordination with the Department of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Lab. She is instrumental in brand enhancement through her work in social media and other marketing initiatives. Read more >>
PlanetOne celebrates lessons learned and 30 years of success
It was the Summer of 1991. I had just left a long-distance telecommunications carrier to start PlanetOne. I was all in, borrowed $50,000 from my parents and hit the ground running in an old beat-up Buick with no air conditioning in the heat of Scottsdale, Arizona. With two young kids at home, failure was not an option. Read more >>
Digital Air Strike launches expanded partner program supporting essential vehicle inventory marketing and technology solutions to attract, convert and retain more customers
Digital Air Strike, the leading consumer engagement technology company, is announcing the launch of its LotVantage Partner Program. The expanded program enables dealerships and their marketing partners to merchandise inventory more effectively, deliver targeted messaging to consumers, and drive business results through increased vehicle sales and fixed operations service activities. Read more >>