How 2020 Changed the World and Optimism for the Future E10
When the world celebrated the dawn of a new decade with a blaze of fireworks, parties and revelry on January 1, 2020, few could have imagined what the year had in store. It was a year that changed the world like no other for at least a generation, possibly since World War II. Businesses folded. Schools and colleges shut. Live sport was cancelled. Commercial airline travel contracted. Shops, clubs, bars and restaurants closed. Social inequities were exposed. And human interaction went virtual.
Moderated by Phoenix Business Radio Owner & President Karen Nowicki, a distinguished panel of technology leaders from KEO Marketing, the University of Advancing Technology and PADT, Inc. had an engaging discussion with Arizona Technology Council CEO Steve Zylstra on how the world can rebuild following such a tumultuous year, the new technology to get us there, and the innovative Arizona companies that helped pull us through and gave us optimism for the future.
Visit www.aztechcouncil.org/techcast to view the blog and listen to the replay.
KEO Marketing, a leading B2B marketing agency in Phoenix, is committed to developing marketing strategies and plans that help clients succeed. Some of the world’s largest brands depend on KEO Marketing for marketing programs that deliver tangible and substantial results.
Led by business growth and B2B marketing expert, Sheila Kloefkorn, KEO Marketing Inc. specializes in innovative marketing strategies that deliver results. Some of these solutions include lead generation and nurturing, integrated marketing, marketing automation, inbound marketing, content marketing, search engine optimization, search marketing, email marketing, creative, video marketing, website design and development, app development, online and traditional advertising, local and mobile marketing and much more.
Visit https://keomarketing.com to elevate your marketing strategies and drive growth for your business.
Sheila Kloefkorn is CEO and President of KEO Marketing, a full service B2B marketing agency. The company specializes in marketing strategy, messaging, digital infrastructure, execution and analytics. KEO Marketing grows Fortune 1000 companies and mid-market businesses.
Kloefkorn was recently named one of the “Top 10 Business Leaders of the Year” and “Top 25 Dynamic Women in Business” by the Phoenix Business Journal and one of 15 Arizonans to Watch by the Arizona Republic.
In addition, she is past President of the Phoenix Chapter of the Business Marketing Association and the American Marketing Association. She is a frequent national and local speaker on a wide range of marketing and business topics.
Follow KEO Marketing on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
University of Advancing Technology (UAT) is a private and family-owned university that merges the values of the traditional academy with the modern technology campus, a fusion that enhances its ability to fulfill the mission of educating students in the fields of advancing technology who innovate for the future. 
At the heart of UAT’s curricula is a technology-infused campus in Tempe, Arizona. This fusion of the traditional academy with the technology-focused curricula creates a distinct, non-exclusionary university in which students learn to value their own uniqueness and the power of technology in education.
Visit https://www.uat.edu to learn more.
Provost Bolman has focused his career upon the profound need for a substantial and diverse workforce within Arizona and the nation.
As its long-standing provost, Dr. Bolman has built the University of Advancing Technology (UAT) into a unique, all-STEM institution that marries the best of a traditional, small, private college with the genetics of innovation that come with agile technology organizations.
As an educator, he has focused on cultivating a base of technology students and future inventors. As a technologist, he has worked to create a university where the culture of innovation and creation is so regular and celebrated that the goal for each student is to graduate having worked on numerous teams and built complete solutions again and again.
Dr. Bolman has researched, written and spoken on the nature of technology and how to successfully lead innovation. He is an alumni of Valley Leadership and currently serves as its past board chair. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Arizona Technology Council and the AZPBS community board.
Follow UAT on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
PADT, Inc. is a globally recognized engineering product and services company that focuses on helping customers who develop physical products by providing numerical simulation, product development and 3D printing solutions.
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, Ariz., and from offices in Torrance, California, Littleton, Colorado, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Austin, Texas, and Murray, Utah, as well as through staff members located around the country.
More information on PADT can be found at www.PADTINC.com.
Eric Miller is a co-owner of Tempe based PADT, Inc., which provides tools and services to companies who design and manufacture physical products. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley and has lived in Arizona since 1986. He started his career focusing on the application of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to simulate turbine engine components. Over the years he became recognized as an expert user of the ANSYS software tools, solid modeling, and the development of custom software to automate the product simulation and design process.
As a co-founder of PADT in 1994, Eric was able to also pursue his interests in IT, graphic design, 3D Printing, database programming, and small business management. As both PADT and the use of advanced engineering tools grew, Eric became exposed to dozens of different industries and developed his broad understanding of the application of technology for product development and manufacturing.
After over three decades in the industry, Eric is often called upon to write and speak on simulation, design, and 3D printing as well as on startups and the high-tech sector. His outside commitments include the Chairman of the Arizona Technology Council Board of Directors, the BioAccel Advisory Council and Board of Directors, an Entrepreneur in Residence with the Arizona Commerce Authority, and the screening committee of Arizona Technology Investors. He also contributes regularly to the Phoenix Business Journal blog and hosts the All Things ANSYS podcast.
In his spare time Eric enjoys traveling, writing, history, cooking, and learning about new things.
Connect with Eric on LinkedIn and follow PADT on Facebook and Twitter.
About the Show
AZ TechCast is dedicated to covering innovation and technology in Arizona and beyond.
Through the art of connected conversation, AZ TechCast’s guests will share their expertise, success stories, news and analysis about the region’s leading startups, companies and emerging technologies, as well as the latest industry trends and critical issues propelling the state’s growing technology ecosystem.
About Your Hosts
Steve Zylstra serves as president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council, a role he assumed in 2007. He is responsible for strategy, operations, finance and policy development. Zylstra is a vocal spokesman for the value technology can provide in raising social and economic standards in Arizona.
Zylstra serves on numerous councils, committees and boards, was named “Leader of the Year, Technology,” by the Arizona Capitol Times, and “Most Admired Leader” by the Phoenix Business Journal. In addition, he was awarded an honorary doctorate of science in technology from the University of Advancing Technology in Tempe, Ariz.
Zylstra earned a bachelor’s degree in automotive engineering technology from Western Michigan University.
Karen Nowicki is a successful author, speaker and the creator of Deep Impact Leadership™ and SoulMarks Coaching™. She is a two-time recipient of the prestigious national Choice Award® for her book and personal development retreat. Karen was crowned the first-ever “Mompreneur of the Year” Award in 2010 for the southwestern states. She was recognized for her leadership, business acumen, and work-life balance.
Karen has been an expert guest on regional TV and radio shows, including Fox Phoenix Morning Show, Sonoran Living, Good Morning Arizona, The Chat Room, and Mid-Day Arizona. She has been a regular contributor to many print and online magazines – publishing articles and blogs for business and education.
In addition to working with private coaching clients, Karen is also the Owner & President of Phoenix Business RadioX. The Business RadioX Network amplifies the voice of business – serving the Fortune 500,000, not just the Fortune 500. Phoenix Business RadioX helps local businesses and professional associations get the word out about the important work they’re doing to serve their market, profession, and community.
Of all the experiences Karen has had the privilege of participating in over her vast career, she shares that Phoenix Business RadioX is a pinnacle adventure!
Connect with Karen on LinkedIn and follow Phoenix Business RadioX on Facebook and Instagram.
About Our Sponsor
The Arizona Technology Council, Arizona’s only statewide organization serving the technology sector, fosters a climate of innovation to enhance technology in Arizona.
A trusted resource in strengthening Arizona’s technology industry, the Council proactively eliminates impediments that companies face, accelerates the entrepreneurial mindset in the state’s expanding innovation ecosystem, and works to create a destination for companies to be, thrive and stay.
Follow Arizona Technology Council on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
