♪♪ >> COMING UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON, THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN MAY BE OVER, BUT TRAVELERS COULD STILL FACE FLIGHT DELAYS AND CANCELLATIONS.

ALSO TONIGHT, A MARATHON BUILT FOR WOMEN BY WOMEN IS COMING TO SCOTTSDALE THIS WEEKEND.

INDUSTRY LEADERS ARE GATHERING IN PHOENIX FOR AN INNOVATION SUMMET, THOSE STORIES AND MORE ON ARIZONA HORIZON.

>> ARIZONA HORIZON IS MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE FRIENDS OF ARIZONA PBS, MEMBERS OF YOUR PUBLIC TELEVISION STATION.

>> I'M STEVE GOLDSTEIN IN FOR TED SIMONS.

PRESIDENT TRUMP SIGNED A BILL THAT REOPENED THE GOVERNMENT AFTER 43 DAYS, THIS PAVES THE WAY FOR AIRLINES TO BEGIN REGULAR FLIGHT SCHEDULES AND AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS TO RETURN TO WORK.

IT REMAINS UNCLEAR WHEN FULL FLIGHT SCHEDULES WILL RESUME, HEADED INTO THE THANKSGIVING TRAVEL.

AND THE CLINICAL PROFESSOR OF AVIATION, MICHAEL, WELCOME.

IT'S BEEN OVER 20 YEARS, THANK YOU FOR COMING BACK.

>> IT'S BEEN A WHILE, A COUPLE OF DECADES.

>> LET'S TALK A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE SITUATION.

NOW IT'S SOMEWHAT SETTLED, BUT I THINK BACK IN THE HISTORY LESSON AND WHEN RONALD REAGAN WAS PRESIDENT, THERE WERE ISSUES WITH THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS AND NOW WE'RE IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS.

DO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS DO WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY DO WELL ENOUGH?

DO WE RESPECT THEIR JOB ENOUGH?

>> I BELIEVE SO.

IT'S-- I DID THE JOB FOR 28 YEARS AMONG OTHER THINGS, AND IT WAS A GREAT CAREER, AND THE JOB SOMETIMES IS OVERPLAYED AS FAR AS STRESS.

I THINK IT DEPENDS ON YOUR PERSONALITY TYPE.

PHOENIX IS A GREAT PLACE TO BE AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER BECAUSE OF OUR WEATHER.

OTHER PLACES I'VE BEEN, IT WASN'T AS GOOD BECAUSE THE RULES ARE DIFFERENT DEPENDING UPON THE WEATHER.

PHOENIX IS A GOOD PLACE TO BE.

>> THE DELAYS THAT OCCURRED AND SKY HARBOR IS ONE OF A NUMBER OF AIRPORTS THAT HAD TO REDUCE THE FLIGHTS.

HOW DISRUPTIVE WAS THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN TO AIR TRAVEL IN THE U.S.?

>> VERY DISRUPTIVE.

FIRST OFF, WE'RE UNDERSTAFFED THE CONTROLLER WORK FORCE FROM 3,000 TO 3500 CONTROLLERS.

DUE TO A GOVERNMENT DECISION, SELF-INFLICTED ROUND IN 2011 WHERE THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION DECIDED THAT THE TRAINING INSTITUTIONS, AS WELL AS ASU WHICH HAS THAT DESIGNATION WERE NOT DIVERSE ENOUGH.

SO THEY WENT IN AND STOPPED HIRING FOR THREE YEARS.

SO FROM 2011 TO 2014 THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT 1500 HIRES A YEAR AND SOME MAKING IT THROUGH AND WE'RE SUFFERING FROM THE DISASTROUS POLICY IN 2014.

>> CAN WE MAKE UP FOR THAT, IS THAT RECOGNIZED AS A PROBLEM STILL?

>> WE CAN MAKE UP FOR IT, TWO ISSUES, ONE IS THE TECHNOLOGY AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, YOU HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE TO RUN THE TECHNOLOGY.

I THAT A SECRETARY DUFFY HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON THE TECHNOLOGY ASPECTS.

THERE'S ACTUALLY A PROBLEM WITH THAT.

F.A.A.

ALREADY TRIED TO MODERNIZE THE SYSTEM IN 2005, SPENT OVER $30 BILLION, 16% OF THE VALUE WAS ACHIEVED AS FAR AS THE CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS AND SO, THAT MONEY, IT WAS MANAGED BY F.A.A.

BUREAUCRATS.

IF, IN FACT, THE DOT RELIES ON THE SAME PEOPLE THAT WASTED THAT MONEY WITHOUT LARGE IMPROVEMENTS, YOU CAN EXPECT THE SAME DISASTROUS POLICIES.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO REBUILD THE SYSTEM IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

THE TECHNOLOGY, MINIMUM OF FIVE YEARS, PROBABLY MORE LIKE 10 YEARS BECAUSE IT'S AKIN TO USE AN ANALOGY, OF TRYING TO CHANGE A FLAT TIRE AS YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY 24 HOURS SEVEN DAYS A WEEK BECAUSE THE SYSTEM IS STILL OPERATING AND IT HAS TO OPERATE.

THEY CAN'T SHUT DOWN THE SYSTEM FOR THREE YEARS TO REBUILD THE SYSTEM.

THE OTHER ISSUE, AGAIN, IS THE LACK OF CONTROLLERS, IT TAKES THREE TO FIVE YEARS TO TRAIN AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER.

SO, YEAH, IT CAN OCCUR AND I THINK IT WILL AND I THINK THEY'VE PUT IN SAFETY MECHANISMS.

THE ISSUE THOUGH, A LOT OF CONTROLLERS I TALK TO, EAST COAST, WEST COAST, STILL IN CONTACT WITH MANY OF THEM, ARE GETTING FATIGUED.

THEY WORK SIX DAYS A WEEK, SOMETIMES 10 HOURS A DAY AND I THINK THE LONG-TERM EFFECT OF THE FATIGUE ARE GOING TO KEEP -- RETIREMENT IS HIGH AND SO ON, SO FORTH.

TWO ISSUES HAVE TO BE WORKED ON.

THE HUMAN SIDE AND THE TECHNOLOGY SIDE.

>> LET'S LOOK AT BIG PICTURE THEN.

SO THANKSGIVING JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AWAY, UNTIL THE SHUTDOWN WAS SETTLED YESTERDAY, PEOPLE WERE CONCERNED HOW THIS WAS GOING TO EFFECT.

THANKSGIVING TRAVEL IS ALREADY STRESSFUL, SOME WOULD SAY CHAOTIC IN SOME WAYS.

DO YOU EXPECT THE AIRLINES AND F.A.A.

TO BE ON TRACK IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT THANKSGIVING TRAVEL IS JUST AT LEAST THE USUAL THING?

>> I THINK SO.

THEY'VE CUT THE FLIGHTS.

I'VE TALKED TO SOME COMMAND CENTER AT F.A.A., THEY'VE CUT THEM BY 6%, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A LOT, BUT IT'S A LOT OF FLIGHTS.

AND KEEP IN MIND THE WEDNESDAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING IS THE BUSIEST TRAVEL DAY IN THE YEAR.

AND THEY CALL IT, AND EVERYONE WANTS TO GO TO RELATIVES HOUSE FOR THANKSGIVING AND TEND TO BOOK THE FLIGHTS THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING.

AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE EARLY, IF I COULD GIVE ADVICE, MOST DELAYS OCCUR LATER IN THE AFTERNOON.

IF I HAVE BETTER ADVICE LEAVE ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY WHEN IT'S LESS CROWDED.

I BELIEVE THERE'S TIME TO OPERATE AND GET THE STAFFING BACK IN.

I WAS SPEAKING TO SEVERAL CONTROLLERS AND ONE OF THE MANAGERS AT SKY HARBOR AIRPORT.

SKY HARBOR AIRPORT IS 100% STAFFED.

THEY CAME RIGHT BACK, WE'RE STILL SHORT, BUT 100% STAFFED.

>> ARE WE GOING TO LEARN LESSONS FROM THIS, IF APPLIED IN JANUARY ANOTHER GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.

THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.

IS THIS SOMETHING WE'LL HAVE AIR TRAVEL PRIORITIZED OR A SITUATION, YEAH, IT WAS DISRUPTIVE, IT WASN'T THAT BAD, LET'S DO THE SAME THING.

>> I'VE BEEN ON THE EARTH LONG ENOUGH TO NOT EXPECT THE GOVERNMENT TO REPEAT THE PRIOR SINS.

MY BELIEF IS, IF SOMETHING BAD CAN HAPPEN, THE GOVERNMENT WILL FIND A WAY TO MAGNIFY THAT.

THAT SOUNDS CYNICAL.

I WAS WORKING AS AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER AND NOT A LAWYER, AND MY HOPE WAS, THERE WERE SOME LESSONED LEARNED, BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE GET TOGETHER AND DECIDE WE DON'T WANT TO CONTINUE AND DISRUPT THE SYSTEM LIKE WE HAVE IN THE PAST.

BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT PIE IN THE SKY, IF I TOLD YOU THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S GOING TO LEARN THEIR LESSONS AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN.

>> HOW MUCH POWER-- IT SEEMS TO ME LESS, BUT LOBBYISTS SPEND A LOT OF MONEY AND THEY WOULD BE LOSING MONEY WHEN THEY'RE SHUT DOWN OR THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY DOESN'T HAVE AS MUCH POWER?

>> ACTUALLY THEY'VE LOST BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, NOT MILLIONS, BILLIONS.

AND THEY HAVE POWER.

THEIR LARGEST LOBBY GROUP IS AIRLINES FOR AMERICA, AND JUST LIKE ALL POLITICAL ENTITIES, THIS THEY ASSERT PRESSURE AND THE AIRLINES WERE HAVING SPECIFICALLY THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE OF THE AISLE AS EARLY AS THREE WEEKS AGO, END THE SHUTDOWN BECAUSE THEY WERE BLEEDING CASH AND FLIGHTS WERE BEING CANCELED, CAUSING THE INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE A MAJOR PROBLEM.

THEY'LL EVENTUALLY RECAPTURE, BUT THAT CERTAINLY THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A GOOD QUARTER.

>> HOW DOES THIS EFFECT, THIS IS VERY MUCH A HYPOTHETICAL QUESTION.

>> RIGHT.

>> HOW DOES THIS EFFECT THE PERCEPTION OF AIR TRAVEL GENERALLY?

BECAUSE OF,COURSE, YOU WERE IN THE BUSINESS, AND FLYING WAS SO MUCH FUN, PRE-9/11.

POST 9/11 THINGS CHANGED AND A LOT OF THINGS CHANGED, TOO.

WILL THIS AFFECT HOW THE AVERAGE AMERICAN THINKS ABOUT AIR TRAVEL?

>> I THINK IT WILL, BUT I THINK AFTER 9/11, THE PERCEPTION CHANGED ANYWAY.

BEFORE 9/11 WE WERE ACTUALLY WORKING MORE AIRPLANES THAN WE ARE TODAY, BUT THE AIRLINES GOT SMART, DOING THINGS LIKE LOAD FACTORS AND CALCULATING EMPTY SEATS THEY DIDN'T NEED TO HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF FLIGHTS.

IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE AIR TRAVEL BEFORE 9/11 WASN'T AS MUCH OF A COMMODITY AS IT IS NOW.

PEOPLE USE IT TO GET TO POINT A AND POINT B AND ALREADY HAVE A JAUNDICED VIEW OF THE INDUSTRY, AND WHICH IS SAD, BUT SOME OF THE POLICIES, LUGGAGE AND LEG ROOM AND SEATS.

THE INDUSTRY HAVEN'T DONE THEMSELVES A FAVOR WITH THE STRATEGIC MOVES THEY'VE MADE.

PEOPLE LOOK AT AIR TRAVEL TODAY DIFFERENTLY THAN WE LOOKED AT IT GENERATIONS PRIOR, BUT IT'S A COMMODITY.

>> USED TO ENJOY OURSELVES.

I LIKE TO FLY ON THANKSGIVING DAY AS LONG AS IT'S NOT TOO BAD FOR THE PILOTS AND AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS.

>> ABSOLUTELY, THANKSGIVING DAY IS A PERFECT DAY TO FLY IF YOU WANT TO EAT YOUR TURKEY LATER IN THE DAY, THAT'S NOT A BAD PLAN BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF THE SLOWEST DAYS.

>> MICHAEL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> YOU'RE WELCOME.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >> THIS WEEKEND SCOTTSDALE WILL WELCOME RUNNERS FOR A SAFE RUNNING EXPERIENCE FOR WOMEN OF ALL BACKGROUNDS.

WHAT MAKES THIS UNIQUE, WE WELCOME THE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING, AND WORK AWARENESS AND RESPONSIBLE FOR CAMPAIGNS LIKE GOT MILK AND ONE OF THE LEAD ORGANIZERS FOR THE RACE.

I LIVE IN SCOTTSDALE AND NOT FAR FROM THE LIBRARY AND SAW THE SIGNS.

>> YES, WE ARE.

THE ORIGIN STORY GOES A FEW YEARS BACK OVER AT AT MILK, WE, WOMEN, AND MOMS IN PARTICULAR, ARE A KEY TARGET FOR US AND WE'VE BEEN ON A JOURNEY TO SUPPORT WOMEN IN SPORTS FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AND WE JUST GOT TO A POINT WHERE WE WANTED TO CREATE OUR OWN EVENT WHERE WE COULD DESIGN IT TO BE SPECIFICALLY FOR WOMEN.

BECAUSE MARATHONS TRADITIONALLY WERE NOT CREATED FOR WOMEN.

FOR MANY, MANY YEARS UNTIL I THINK 1980 WOMEN WERE NOT ALLOWED TO RUN IN MARATHONS, WHICH IS WILD WHEN YOU HEAR IS OUT LOUD.

SO, WE HAVE DESIGNED THIS RACE TO BE INCLUSIVE AND BUILT FOR EVERY WOMAN TO COME AND GET TO THE FINISH LINE.

>> SO, HOW IS IT FOR SCOTTSDALE, OBVIOUSLY, HAS INCREDIBLE EVENTS ALL THE WAY AROUND.

WHY IS IT A GOOD FIT.

>> IT'S A GREAT FIT FOR SCOTTSDALE AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT THEY DECIDED TO DO THEIR SECOND ANNUAL EVERY WOMAN'S MARATHON IN SCOTTSDALE.

THEY'RE BRINGING IN WOMEN TO RUN IN ON SUNDAY AND WE COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED TO HOST THEM.

WONDERFUL TO WORK WITH AND WE'VE GOT BEAUTIFUL TERRAIN.

WE HAVE A COUPLE OF MARATHONS THAT GO THROUGH ALL AROUND THE VALLEY, BUT SCOTTSDALE, THERE'S NOT ONE THAT'S DEDICATED TO SCOTTSDALE.

SO THIS IS REALLY EXCITING FOR US.

>> AND MAYOR, THIS IS FOR YOU, BUT WHAT ARE WE COVERING AS FAR AS THE GROUNDS?

NORTH TO SOUTH SCOTTSDALE, PEOPLE GET ON THE 101.

HOW MANY EXITS IN SCOTTSDALE PROBABLY 15.

>> YEAH.

>> WHAT AREA ASK GOING TO COVER?

>> IT'S A GREAT COURSE AND THEY'VE WORKED HARD, THE CITY OF SCOTTSDALE AND OUR STAFF HAS DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB PLOTTING THE COURSE FOR THESE WOMEN TO RUN.

IT STARTS UP AT WEST WORLD, AND IT WANDERS ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE GREEN BELT AREA, CANAL, AND THEN ENDS IN OLD TOWN SCOTTSDALE RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY OFFICE, NEARLY, AT THE CIVIC CENTER.

THAT'S EXCITING.

>> SO MIRANDA, LET'S TALK ABOUT YOU WANT THIS TO BE OPEN FOR ALL SORTS OF WOMEN AND I WANT TO GET INTO MORE OF WHAT I SAID ABOUT WOMEN NOT BEING WELCOMED IN MARATHONS BEFORE.

IN WHAT OTHER WAYS IS THIS DIFFERENT?

IS THERE A TIME LIMIT AS WELL SO THERE'S NO RUSHING GETTING DONE IN THREE AND A HALF HOURS.

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

WE HAVE A SEVEN HOUR AND 35 MINUTE WINDOW.

AND MOST WOMEN COULD EVEN WALK THE COURSE 17:45.

AND WE'LL HAVE BREAST-FEEDING STATIONS, AND BATHROOMS WITH THE AMENITIES THAT WOMEN LIKE AND NEED ON COURSE, AND AT THE END, WE WILL JUST HAVE A HUGE CELEBRATION FOR ALL OF THESE WOMEN WHO HAVE COME TOGETHER AND ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING TRULY INCREDIBLE.

>> LAST YEAR WAS THE FIRST, DID YOU PARTICIPATE?

>> I DID, I DID, I RAN LAST YEAR, AND IT WAS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE, THE VIBES ON COURSE LOOKING AROUND AT ALL OF THESE AMAZING WOMEN AND SHARING THAT ONE SAME AND VERY CHALLENGING GOAL, I THINK, JUST MADE FOR AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE.

>> AND MAYOR, ARE YOU GOING TO BE OUT THERE.

I WAS PLANNING TO RUN AND I STARTED OUT A LITTLE TOO ENTHUSIASTICALLY AND EARNED MYSELF A STRESS FRACTURE EARLY IN MY TRAINING.

>> OH, NO.

>> I WAS CLEARED TO RUN PROBABLY TWO WEEKS AGO, SO IT WASN'T THE RIGHT TIME.

NEXT TIME.

>> WILL YOU BE AT THE END OF RACE PARTY THOUGH?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> AND I SHOULD MENTION THERE'S A V.I.P.

FOR EVERY WOMEN IS A V.I.P.

IN SCOTTSDALE THIS WEEKEND AND THERE'S A KICKOFF PARTY TOMORROW.

>> AND HOW MANY STATES DO YOU EXPECT TO REPRESENT?

>> WE HAVE WOMEN COMING FROM ALL 50 STATES AND AS OF A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, 10 COUNTRIES.

>> WOW.

>> YEAH.

>> THAT'S TREMENDOUS, OKAY, AND PART OF THAT IS PROBABLY THE ATTRACTION OF SCOTTSDALE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SAFETY AS RELATES TO WOMEN RUNNING.

I SAW A NUMBER, I WANT TO SAY 92% OF WOMEN HAVE SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT CONCERNS, AND NOT THAT THEY EXPECT TO BE UNSAFE, BUT IT CROSSES THEIR MIND.

HOW CAN A RACE LIKE THIS AT LEAST CHANGE THE PERCEPTION AS WOMEN ARE SUPPORTING WOMEN?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WELL, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DEFINITELY SETTING OUT TO DO WITH JUST EVERYTHING THAT WE OFFER ON COURSE.

AND IN ADDITION, AS PART OF OUR EXPO EXPERIENCE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME PANELS DEVOTED TO WOMEN AND RUNNING AND SAFETY AND THERE'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE A TRAINING FOR HOW TO BE PROPERLY USED, LIKE A PEPPER SPRAY TYPE OF PROTECTION MECHANISM, SO, REALLY GETTING INTO THE BASICS OF SAFETY.

IT'S A CONCERN, LIKE YOU SAID, FOR A LOT OF WOMEN AND SOMETHING THAT WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT LAST YEAR, SO, WE ARE WORKING TO ADDRESS IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

>> AND MAYOR, HOW DOES THAT FIT IN WITH YOUR VISION OF SCOTTSDALE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE ARE SAFE AROUND THE COMMUNITY?

>> ABSOLUTELY, OUR POLICE OFFICERS ARE JUST SO-- THERE'S SUCH QUALITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY IS SUCH A BIG ISSUE FOR US HERE IN SCOTTSDALE AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE OUT, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE IS DOING WELL AND THE CROWD IS CONTROLLED AND BY THE WAY, WE DIDN'T MENTION THERE'S YOGA EVENTS GOING ON FOR THE WOMEN.

>> YES, YES.

>> OUT AT THE CIVIC CENTER.

>> AND HAIR BRAIDING.

>> ALL KINDS OF FUN EVENTS OUT THERE.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING ALL THE WOMEN AT THE FINISH LINE.

I'M SORRY I WON'T BE JOINING THEM.

>> WE'LL MISS YOU, BUT WE SO APPRECIATE YOUR ENTHUSIASM FOR THE EVENT.

EVERYONE HAS JUST BEEN SO WELCOMING IN SCOTTSDALE AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING TO WORK WITH.

>> WELL, I'M BIASED BECAUSE I LIVE THERE, AND IT'S A GREAT COMMUNITY.

OUR FINGERS ARE CROSSED FOR THE WEATHER THIS WEEKEND, TOO AND MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF RAIN, BUT THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU.

SO GREAT YOU LIVE IN SCOTTSDALE, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT.

>> CHEERS.

>> THANK YOU.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >> TONIGHT ON THE NEWS HOUR.

THE U.S.

ATTORNEY WHO BROUGHT CHARGES AGAINST JAMES COMEY AND LETITIA JAMES HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT HER OWN APPOINTMENT ON PBS.

>> AS ARIZONA LOOKS TO STRENGTHEN LEADERSHIP IN AEROSPACE, MANUFACTURING AND EMERGING TECH, A STATEWIDE SUMMIT IN ARIZONA IS BRINGING TOGETHER LEADERS AND RESEARCHERS.

JOINING US IS MIKE MADISON, FORMER CEO OF HONEYWELL.

>> GOOD TO BE HERE.

>> WHAT IS THE CELEBRATING INNOVATION SUMMIT AND HOW DID IT GET STARTED?

>> WELL, IT'S PART OF THE PEI MISSION, PARTNERSHIP FOR ECONOMIC INNOVATION, IT'S FOSTERING INNOVATION AMONGST THE INNOVATORS HERE IN THE VALLEY.

IDENTIFYING THE CHALLENGES THEY FACE AND THEN HELPING THEM SOLVE IT.

THE SUMMIT'S PART OF THAT.

THE SUMMIT IS GOING TO BRING TOGETHER ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE INNOVATION ECONOMY, MEMBERS OF INDUSTRY, RESEARCHERS, OUR EDUCATION COMMUNITY AND LAWMAKERS TO TALK HAD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THE INNOVATORS FACE AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, SOME OF THE WORK UNDERWAY TO SOLVE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES.

>> I'M GLAD YOU USED THE PHASE INNOVATION ECONOMY, HOW BIG OF AN UMBRELLA IS THAT?

>> THESE DAYS INNOVATION ENCOMPASSES A LOT OF THINGS.

INNOVATION OCCURS WHEN COMPANIES INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE THEIR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, AND THAT INVESTMENT GENERALLY MEANS TRAINING PEOPLE AND HIRING, IT MEANS CAPITAL EXPENDITURES AND FACILITIES.

WHAT IT DOES, IT CREATES HIGH VALUE JOBS, IT HELPS GENERATE BUSINESS FOR OUR LOCAL SUPPLIERS.

EVERYONE BENEFITS, NOT JUST THE MEMBERS OF THAT BUSINESS.

IN THE SUMMIT TOMORROW WE ARE GOING TO HAVE MULTIPLE SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY REPRESENTED AND TALKING ABOUT THEIR INNOVATION WORK.

>> I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU FIRST ABOUT MED TECH.

WHEN PEOPLE THINK ABOUT, EVEN DURING THE COURSE OF THE LAST DOWNTURN WE HAD AND THEN THE PANDEMIC, AND THE ECONOMY IN ARIZONA, WE'VE GOT GREAT SCHOOLS, AND WHERE DOES MED TECH FIT IN?

>> MED TECH IS A FOCUS OF THE SUMMIT AND BEYOND.

WE'LL HAVE MED TECH THERE, BANNER HEALTH, MEDTRONIC, WEST PHARMACEUTICALS, SO A PRETTY I GO BIG CROSS-SECTION.

HONEYWELL, BOEING, GULF STREAM AND THE SOUTHWEST MISSION ACCELERATION CENTER, A LITTLE HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DEFENSE ECONOMY AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE CHIPS AND AI PANEL WILL TALK ABOUT ALL THINGS AI AND CHIPS AND SEMICONDUCTORS, THAT WILL INCLUDE RENT SOFT ELECTRONICS, THE SOLUTIONS ON SEMI AND AGAIN HONEYWELL.

YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE THERE.

YOU MENTIONED DIVERSIFICATION AND RESILIENCE, THAT'S REALLY WHY INNOVATION MATTERS.

THIS THIS MAKES OUR ECONOMY MORE RESILIENT AND THAT'S GOOD FOR THE CITIZENS.

>> I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.

HAVING LIVED HERE ALL MY LIFE, DIVERSITY OF ECONOMY IS SOMETHING WE STRUGGLED WITH.

TOURISM IS OBVIOUSLY STILL VERY, VERY IMPORTANT, BUT FOR A LONG TIME, IT WAS LET'S GET MORE PEOPLE MOVING HERE AND MORE TOURISM AND IT FEELS LIKE ARIZONA IS BECOMING A LEADER IN SOME OF THE INDUSTRIES?

>> YEAH, ALL THE INDUSTRIES WE MENTIONED, SECTORS WE JUST MENTIONED ARE NOT NEW TO THE VALLEY.

SOME HAVE BEEN HERE FOR DECADES AND WHAT'S EXCITING IS THE CHALLENGES THAT OUR INNOVATORS FACE OFTENTIMES ACROSS THE TECHNOLOGY SECTORS AND THE INDUSTRY SECTORS, SO THE CHALLENGES THAT WE SEE IN SEMICONDUCTORS, THE CHALLENGES WE SEE IN AEROSPACE ARE SIMILAR, AROUND WORK FORCE, THEY'RE AROUND INFRASTRUCTURE, POLICY, AND A SUPPLIER NETWORK.

A LOCAL SUPPLIER NETWORK.

WHEN WE SAW THE CHALLENGES FOR ONE INDUSTRY WE SOLVE THEM QUITE BROADLY AND I THINK THAT'S EXCITING.

>> I HAVE TO ASK YOU ABOUT WHERE EDUCATION FITS IN.

THAT'S ALSO BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A BIG BUGABOO FOR A LONG TIME.

HOW CAN TECHNOLOGY BE IMPROVED IN ARIZONA BY IMPROVING OUR EDUCATION, BUT DOES IT MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO ATTRACT MORE BUSINESSES HERE IF THEY DON'T BELIEVE OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM?

>> A COUPLE OF THINGS.

FIRST OF ALL, A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON AT THE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN AT ALL LEVELS RIGHT NOW.

WE HAVE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON AND EDUCATION WAS THE NUMBER ONE -- ACTUALLY WORK FORCE AND TALENT, WHICH IS OUTGROWTH OF EDUCATION WAS THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT WAS MENTIONED BY ALL THE FOLKS AND ALL THE DIFFERENT INNOVATION SECTORS.

NOT BECAUSE IT'S REALLY A PROBLEM, BUT BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO NEED MORE AND MORE QUALIFIED FOLKS, HIRING NEW FOLKS, RESKILLING AND UP-SKILLING THEIR EXISTING WORK FORCE.

THAT'S A BIG PART OF THE SUMMIT TOMORROW.

WE'LL HAVE A PANEL EXCLUSIVELY FOCUSED ON WORK FORCE AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE AMAZING WORK THAT'S GOING ON.

K-12, THE CTE PROGRAMS, THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND OF COURSE, ARIZONA STATE AND THE OTHER COLLEGES.

>> A LITTLE MORE THAN A MINUTE TO GO AND I PROMISE YOU THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A PARTISAN QUESTION BECAUSE IT COULD BE APPLIED TO WHATEVER ADMINISTRATION.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO ARIZONA WAS SO EXCITED ABOUT CHIPS AND THE CHIPS ACT, HOW MUCH THIS WAS GOING TO BRING.

THE NEW ADMINISTRATION CAME IN AND WANTED TO MAKE SOME CUTBACKS AND AFFECT SOME OF THESE THINGS.

HOW INTERESTING IS IT TO NAVIGATE RIGHT NOW FOR SOME OF THE INNOVATIVE BUSINESSES DEALING WITH THE CHANGING POLITICS?

>> WELL, ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS, CHIPS AND AI IS A GOOD EXAMPLE, IT'S A LOT MORE THAN JUST SEMICONDUCTORS AND DATA CENTERS.

IT'S ALL KINDS OF DEVICES, IT'S SERVICES, IT'S DOCTORS DOING THERAPY FOR PATIENTS, AND THE AI TECHNOLOGIES CAN BE BROUGHT TO BEAR ACROSS ALL OF THOSE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES.

THESE COMPANIES ARE MAKING THEIR OWN INVESTMENTS IN THIS SPACE, SO, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE TOO NERVOUS ABOUT THE POLITICAL HORIZON.

I THINK THEY'RE FORGING AHEAD AND THEY SEE OPPORTUNITIES THERE FOR ARIZONA.

>> OKAY, MIKE MADSON, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND GOOD LUCK WITH THE SUMMIT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THAT'S ALL FOR THIS EDITION OF ARIZONA HORIZON THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪