Things You Probably Didn't Know About Tucson (Part 1)

When you think of Tucson - you might have a few things come to mind right away...saguaro cactus, warm winters, golf galore...maybe even a couple of our famous world-class spas might jump right out at you.

Did you ever think of Tucson when manufacturing & technology are being discussed? Maybe you should - recent estimates show that technology employs about 50,000 people in the area...generating $4 Billion in revenues!

• Companies like Raytheon Missile Systems, IBM, Intuit, Allied Signal, Weiser Lock, 3M, Burr-Brown, Environmental Air Products, Krueger Industries, Texas Instruments, Honeywell and more have established a major presence in the Tucson Metro area.
• Nearly 1,200 companies with a component based in IT are in the region
• Over 300 local companies are directly involved in IT
• The Milken Institute ranked Tucson 17th on its 2008 State Technology and Science Index - a comparison of state's ability to attract employees and the "dollar volume entrepreneurs are willing to risk spending."
• The University of Arizona's BIO5 Institute was created specifically to enhance the relationship between research and entrepreneurship in various disciplines encompassing biological engineering sciences
• Expansion Management Magazine named the Tucson region as the "top mid-sized county in the country for business recruitment and attraction" - and many firms are relocating to Tucson.
  
• Expansion Management also named Tucson #1 as the "City Where Business Opportunity is Greatest for Growing Companies"
• U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy gives Tucson kudos by ranking it 3rd among mid-sized metropolitan areas for "high-impact firms - those that have at least doubled their sales and employment in the past 4 years."
• Paragon Space Development Corporation - started by Biosphere & space scientists - is listed in Inc. Magazine's 5000 fastest growing private companies with a 3-year growth of 326%

Hmmm...maybe there's more to this Tucson place than meets the eye, huh?  By the way...did I mention the warm winters & golf?