Arizona Legislators honored for their support of technology on
November 10 at the Governor's Celebration of Innovation at the Phoenix
Convention Center
PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Arizona
Technology Council today announced the winners of Outstanding
Technology Senator of the Year, Outstanding Technology Representative of
the Year and the Technology Ten legislators, to be awarded at the 2016
Governor’s Celebration of Innovation (GCOI) Awards presented by Avnet.
These awards, along with business and individual awards, will be
presented Thursday, November 10, 2016, at the Phoenix Convention Center,
100 North Third Street, in the West Building, third floor from 4:00 p.m.
– 8:00 p.m. GCOI attracts more than 1000 attendees each year and
consists of a theatre-style awards program followed by specialty
desserts and live music and more networking after the awards. The event
will also feature a Technology Showcase of over 50 Arizona companies
exhibiting their innovations. Tickets are on sale now and can be
purchased online
“Ensuring Arizona continues to grow its technology business-friendly
environment remains one of the Council’s top priorities,” said Steven G.
Zylstra, president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council. “We
applaud each of these outstanding legislators for making strides that
moved the legislative agenda forward and supporting issues critical to
the technology industry and our members.”
Outstanding Tech Senator and Representative of
the Year
Senator Kimberly Yee, District 20 is a staunch supporter of
several Council issues, including the Angel Investment Tax Credit
program. She has sponsored several bills addressing the shortage of
teachers in STEM areas, as well as providing a pathway for teacher
certification for CTE programs. She also helped the Council save
Arizona’s “Dark Skies” last session. As the incoming majority leader in
the state Senate, her knowledge of the technology industry and STEM
education will be a great resource for her caucus.
David W. Stevens, District 14 has been a hero for the technology
community during his tenure at the Arizona Legislature. On more than one
occasion, he was instrumental in shepherding Arizona Technology Council
legislation through the legislative process.
Tech Ten Legislators
The winners of the 2016 Governor’s Celebration of Innovation Tech Ten
Legislator awards are:
Senate Members:
Steve Pierce, District 1 has been a prominent voice for rural
Arizona and the technology community. He has a consistent track record
of supporting the Arizona Technology Council agenda.
Don Shooter, District 13 is currently the Appropriations
Committee chairman in the Senate and is now running for an open seat in
the House. He works very hard and effectively — often behind the scenes
— and has a record of voting for Council issues that is virtually
unparalleled. He is a staunch supporter of the Angel Investment Tax
Credit.
Jeff Dial, District 18 has been one of the key champions of the
Council and its agenda. He has one of the strongest voting records on
technology issues and has fought for the programs in the budget, as well
as for increased K-12 education and university funding to ensure a
skilled workforce for Arizona businesses.
Bob Worsley, District 25 is a strong supporter of the technology
industry, with an impressive background in innovation and
entrepreneurship. He understands the value of technology in a modern
economy and advocates for advancement in all sectors.
Robert Meza, District 30 is one of the staunchest and most
effective supporters of Council issues. As a business-friendly Democrat,
he works hard to help create an environment where entrepreneurs can
start and grow a successful business.
House Members:
Karen Fann, District 1 is currently a member of the House of
Representatives and is running for an open seat in the Senate. She has
been a consistent champion of the Arizona Technology Council and was the
prime sponsor of the Governor’s ACA 2.0 bill.
T.J. Shope, District 8 has been one of the most consistent and
dependable supporters of Council issues. A staunch supporter of the
Angel Investment Tax Credit, his record of supporting technology issues
is near perfect.
Jeff Weninger, District 17 is finishing his first term in the
Legislature and has proven to be a champion for economic development. As
a small business owner himself, he understands the roadblocks businesses
can face and has worked to reduce them, evident through his sponsorship
of the Crowdfunding Bill and others like it. He plans to continue to
focus his attention on economic development issues and has been one of
the Council’s strongest supporters.
Kate Brophy-McGee, District 28 is currently in the House and
running for an open seat in the Senate. She is one of the most solid
supporters of technology issues, especially the Angel Investment Tax
Credit program. She is a hard worker dedicated to serving her community
and often part of an influential team of legislators who support the
technology industry and education initiatives.
Eric Meyer, District 28 is the minority leader in the House and
running for the Senate. He has been instrumental in having key economic
development programs, such as the Angel Investment Tax Credit and
Refundable R&D Tax Credit programs, included in the Democrat policy
agenda. He has helped his caucus understand the importance of
incentivizing investment and has a solid record of supporting the
technology industry.
About the Arizona Technology Council
The Arizona Technology Council is Arizona’s premier trade association
for science and technology companies. Recognized as having a diverse
professional business community, Council members work toward furthering
the advancement of technology in Arizona through leadership, education,
legislation and social action. The Arizona Technology Council offers
numerous events, educational forums and business conferences that bring
together leaders, managers, employees and visionaries to make an impact
on the technology industry. These interactions contribute to the
Council’s culture of growing member businesses and transforming
technology in Arizona. To become a member or to learn more about the
Arizona Technology Council, please visit www.aztechcouncil.org.
About Avnet, Inc.
From components to cloud and from design to disposal, Avnet, Inc. (NYSE:AVT)
accelerates the success of customers who build, sell and use technology
by providing a comprehensive portfolio of innovative products, services
and solutions. Avnet is a global company ranked on the FORTUNE 500 with
revenues of $26.2 billion for the fiscal year 2016. For more
information, visit www.avnet.com
Contacts
Media contact:
TechTHiNQ
Alec Robertson, (585) 281-6399
or
Organization
contact:
Arizona Technology Council
Steven G. Zylstra,
(480) 353-9277
