W.J. “Jim” Lane, Mayor of Scottsdale, Arizona, has been selected as the recipient of the 2014 AZBio Public Service award by the Arizona BioIndustry Association.
W.J. “Jim” Lane, Mayor of the City of Scottsdale, Arizona welcomes life science leaders at the 2014 AZBio Expo in Scottsdale.
“Mayor Lane has made the development and the promotion of the bio-life sciences industry in the Greater Phoenix region as well as the City of Scottsdale a top priority,” shared AZBio President and CEO Joan Koerber-Walker. “His leadership extends across many areas including launch of the “Scottsdale Cure Corridor,” active engagement with both the global life science leaders and the emerging leaders who call Scottsdale home, and serves as an ambassador sharing the stories of the lifesaving and life enhancing work being done in our Arizona Life Science Community. “
The Scottsdale Cure Corridor is more than a brand or location. This strategic concept includes activities designed to promote the innovative practices occurring around the concentration of biotech and life sciences industries from Shea Boulevard to the Scottsdale Airpark. Companies like TD2, Scottsdale Healthcare Research Institute, Mayo Clinic.
The bio-life science sector has a strong presence in the city’s economic health, with Scottsdale housing 13% of all Phoenix Metro area bio-life sciences employment. The Scottsdale bio-life sciences activity includes a workforce of about 27,700 people and a direct economic output of $2.5 billion and indirect output of $3.5 billion annually.
The launch of the Cure Corridor in September 2013 entertained hundreds of attendees with strong presenter content, promoted the Cure Corridor in a feature publication partnership with the Phoenix Business Journal, and documented the comments at the event through videotaping and online syndication. Mayor Lane’s goal was to raise awareness about the innovation and activity taking place, and to support business growth and collaboration, and he has succeeded – with the Cure Corridor phrase resonating throughout the community.
“Our healthcare and life science community in Scottsdale is a vital economic sector and is as a key driver for job growth in our community,” shared Mayor W.J. “Jim” Lane. “More importantly, leading life science innovators call Scottsdale “home.” This means that the people of our community have access to the best possible healthcare services, cutting edge research, and other opportunities that will benefit the people of Scottsdale today and for generations to come.”
Mayor Lane actively engages in direct outreach to a large number of industry firms in Scottsdale, participates regularly in events at GPEC and with the Arizona BioIndustry Association to advance the visibility of this important business sector, and recently attended the BIO International Convention in San Diego to help promote the community and raise awareness of the Cure Corridor to a national level.
A ceremony honoring Mayor Lane will take place at the AZBio Awards Sept. 17 at the Phoenix Convention Center. The AZBio Awards ceremony celebrates Arizona’s leading educators, innovators and companies. Each year, AZBio honors bioindustry leaders from across the state of Arizona who are illustrative of the depth, breadth and expertise of our bioscience industry.
Past recipients of the AZBio Public Service Award include: John Lewis, Mayor of the Town of Gilbert, Ariz.; Rick Myers, Chair of the Arizona Board of Regents; and Greg Stanton, currently Mayor of Phoenix.
For registration and more information, go to www.azbioawards.com
About AZBio
AZBio – The Arizona Bioindustry Association – is comprised of member organizations in business, research, government, and other professions involved in the biosciences. AZBio supports the members of the Arizona bioscience community by providing access to the key resources, connections, and information that support their ability to Connect, Collaborate, Innovate and Succeed thus supporting the growth of a thriving economic ecosystem for Arizona’s Bioscience Industry.
For more information visit www.AZBio.org and www.AZBio.TV
About Arizona Bioscience Week – Sept. 15 – 20, 2014
The AZBio Awards are just one of the exciting opportunities to connect with Arizona’s fastest growing industry sector during Arizona Bioscience Week. Other activities include company showcases and student discovery presentations that are free and open to the public as well as the White Hat Life Science Investor Conference which will be held September 18, 2014.
Arizona’s Life Science Industry is our state’s fastest growing technology sector and investments in Arizona companies are paying off as demonstrated by Insys Therapeutics (Chandler) which was the top performing initial public offering of 2013 and Ulthera (Mesa) which is being acquired this year for $600 million. AZBio in partnership with the Life Science Associations of Southern California, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Montana, Nevada, and Texas, is hosting accredited investors as guests for both the AZBio Awards September 17, 2014 and the White Hat Life Science Investor Conference on September 18.
In addition to great company presentations in the areas of Medical Device, Diagnostics, Therapeutics and Health IT, White Hat includes 3 general sessions (breakfast, lunch and closing) featuring panel discussions on the investment environment from the perspective of Angels, Strategic Investors and VC’s with panelists including: James Healy of Soffinova Ventures, Risa Stack of GE Ventures, David Douglass of Delphi Ventures, Jonathan Root of US Venture Partners, Randal Schulhauser of Medtronic, Evelia Johnston of the Michael J. Fox Foundation, and more.
Details and registration information can be found at www.WhiteHatInvestors.com. Registration is complimentary for all investors and members of the media.
About the City of Scottsdale and the Scottsdale Cure Corridor
Distinctive and diverse, Scottsdale is a premier visitor destination and also a tremendous place to live and do business. Scottsdale consistently ranks among the nation’s top places to live, with top-rated schools, award-winning parks, low crime and a vibrant cultural scene. It is also one of the state’s leading job centers with a diverse economic base built on medical research, high-tech innovation, tourism and corporate headquarters. Scottsdale was recently named one of the Top 100 Best Places to Live in the United States, and was honored as Arizona’s 2013 “eCity” by Google.
The Cure Corridor is not only a location but a concept designed to promote the innovative activities occurring around the concentration of the bio-life sciences sector from Shea Boulevard to the Scottsdale Airpark. It represents a partnership of premier health care providers and biomedical companies seeking to advance medicine and patient care through cutting-edge research. For more information visit: www.scottsdaleaz.gov, www.choosescottsdale.com, and www.scottsdalecurecorridor.com.
Contact:
Joan Koerber-Walker, Arizona Bioindustry Association jkw@azbio.org 480-332-9636Christian Green, Economic Development Manager, Strategic Marketing City of Scottsdale cgreen@scottsdaleaz.gov 480-312-2612
Photos available upon request.