Greater Phoenix A to Z

Join GPEC’s resident music enthusiast Tim Bourcet as he shares a conversation with two of the Arizona music scene’s most influential figures: Michelle Donovan, owner of The Nile Theater in Mesa, and Charlie Levy, owner of The Crescent Ballroom and Valley Bar in Phoenix.

Listen in as Michelle and Charlie take us behind the scenes of Arizona’s rich musical heritage through the lens of their own beginnings in the music promot...

Join host Casey Gilchrist and esteemed guests Oscar De las salas, Leonor Aispuro, and Angela Johnson as they dive into Greater Phoenix’s dynamic fashion scene and their goal to fashion a sustainable future. Delve into their inspiring stories of creativity and innovation, from their beginnings in the fashion industry to their vision for its future.

Discover the intersection of fashion and sustainability as they discuss where the indu...

GPEC’s Southern belles are back for part two of Arizona hot takes! Host Casey Gilchrist and guest Ashley Busada dive into more crowd-sourced opinions about Greater Phoenix and Arizona. 

What is a hot take? A hot take is a quickly produced, strongly worded and often deliberately provocative or sensational opinion or reaction.

Covering everything from Arizona’s iconic sunsets to the prevalence of speakeasies in the ...

Join co-hosts Tim Bourcet and Casey Gilchrist as they dive into the culture and community of Mesa's thriving Asian District.

First, we chat with Mesa Mayor John Giles, an accomplished leader and triathlete, who shares insights into the growth of Mesa's Asian district and his role in supporting development.

Then, we're thrilled to introduce muralist Kadhima Tung, a Chinese Muslim-American artist with...

This episode gets spicy! Listen in for a light-hearted discussion where self-proclaimed Southern girls Casey Gilchrist and Ashley Busada react to crowd-sourced "hot takes" on Greater Phoenix and Arizona.

What is a "hot take?" — A hot take is a quickly produced, strongly worded and often deliberately provocative or sensational opinion or reaction.

From the authenticity of Arizona's Mexican ...

*Please note that there were some microphone issues in this episode, but the compelling dialogue remains rich and enlightening.

Host Tim Bourcet is joined by local expert Dr. Mathew Sandoval for an engaging discussion about the history, traditions and Greater Phoenix Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations. 

Dr. Sandoval is an Associate Teaching Professor at Barrett the Honors College in Downtown Phoeni...

At GPEC, we talk a lot about how Greater Phoenix is addressing climate action and sustainability goals, from water solutions and alternative energy generation and storage to other novel technologies, but in this episode, we focus on another aspect of sustainability essential to progressing long-term goals in this space —  the reuse and regeneration of materials and products.
Host Casey Gilchrist talks to two local experts, Aman...

Published in partnership with The State of Black Arizona, this special report covers the thriving landscape of Black entrepreneurship in Arizona and shines a spotlight on Black-owned firms, the rise of women-owned enterprises and the role venture capital and microlending play towards an equitable market.
From innovative incubators to collaborative initiatives, hear how these game-changing strategies are fostering an environmen...

In this episode we sit down with local legend, U.S. Navy Reserve Aviator and American Airlines Regional Director of Government Affairs, Jack McCain to chat everything from his favorite movie, pinball obsession, and go-to restaurants, to the experience of coming home to fundamental changes in the character, makeup and political landscape of Greater Phoenix.

Mentions include:

• U.S. Navy
• U.S. Naval Academy
• U.S. Airforce
• Falcon Field Air...

Join host Casey Gilchrist as she sheds light on the overwhelming challenges faced by Greater Phoenix residents in their pursuit of affordable housing.

Guest speakers include Steve Betts, managing director of development at Holualoa Companies, Gregg Ghelfi, business development officer for the Maricopa County IDA, and Jessica Daley, GPEC's digital marketing director. Listen in as they peel back the layers of this compl...

Join host Casey Gilchrist and GPEC Data Scientist Albert Stanton in this exhilarating episode as they dive deep into the vibrant AI landscape of Greater Phoenix!

Guest speaker Rebecca Clyde, the Co-Founder, and CEO of Botco.ai, a trailblazing company at the forefront of conversational AI.

Tune in and be captivated by the boundless possibilities of AI in the desert oasis of Greater Phoenix!

Rebecca Clyde: ...

This special episode brought to you by the GPEC team was originally recorded as a panel conversation. In conjunction with the launch of a captivating GPEC art exhibit, the discussion focused on the influence of arts and culture on the growth of Greater Phoenix.

Follow GPEC for the latest Greater Phoenix news:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/greaterphx
• Twitter: twitter.com/GPEC
• Facebook: facebook.com/GreaterPHX
• Instagram: instagr...

What a conversation! Host Casey Gilchrist is joined by David Shilliday, Vice President and General Manager of Urban Air Mobility and Unmanned Aerial Systems at Honeywell, and GPEC's Thomas Maynard to talk about flying electric vehicles, also known as electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOL). Maybe not The Jetsons (YET), but we're not far away as this technology is evolving fast, and much of that evolution i...

Roosevelt Row harnessed its history while prioritizing local growth to become one of Greater Phoenix's most popular neighborhoods. Now an example of planning perfection, Cindy Dach and Ruben Alonzo join Tim Bourcet to share stories on how Roosevelt Row has evolved into what it is today.

Follow GPEC for the latest Greater Phoenix news:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/greaterphx
• Twitter: twitter.com/GPEC
• Facebook: facebook.co...

Greater Phoenix is home to a diverse population of entrepreneurs, leaders and thinkers. Shifting demographics in this region have helped to elevate its industries and accelerate growth. The fourth episode of Greater Phoenix A to Z, is all about Black excellence. Host Casey Gilchrist is joined by GPEC Research Analyst Fiona Onyango, State of Black Arizona Executive Director Teniqua Broughton, Thinkzilla Consulting Group CEO Velma Tr...

From a morning cup of coffee and the commute into work to connecting with loved ones across the country over the phone or on a flight, chips quietly impact every aspect of life. Greater Phoenix is a leading market for developing this global technology, with legacy contributors like Intel and the world's largest chip producer TSMC both making multi-billion dollar investments in the region over the last five years. GPEC Vice Pre...

Super Bowl LVII comes to Greater Phoenix on Sunday, February 12, but this isn’t the first major event this region has hosted. In this episode, Casey Gilchrist is joined by Super Bowl Host Committee Chairman David Rousseau and GPEC Marketing & Communications Specialist Logan Newman to talk about the real impact sports have on the region. Greatest sports moments? Best Super Bowl halftime guest? What’s next for Greater Phoenix spo...

Greater Phoenix A to Z hosts Casey Gilchrist and Tim Bourcet are joined by Greater Phoenix Economic Council President & CEO Chris Camacho for the first episode of the GPEC podcast. The focus of the episode is growth in Greater Phoenix — economic, geographic and cultural. Conversations span a wide array of subjects including misconceptions that might actually be true, why Greater Phoenix is growing at such a substantial pace and...