Let's Talk Business Phoenix

Let’s Talk Business Phoenix Podcast continues its Candidate Conversations series ahead of the General Election, inviting candidates from both parties to participate. In this episode, 2026 Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidates Congressman Andy Biggs and his running mate, Sine Kerr, discuss their vision for Arizona, including economic competitiveness, workforce development, water and energy security, infrastructure, business growth, public safety, cross-border trade, bipartisan gover...

The next episode of Let's Talk Business Phoenix features John Gartin, Director of Learning & Organization Development and Instructor and Advisor for Practical AI at Northern Arizona University. Gartin discusses how businesses can thoughtfully adopt AI by focusing on real organizational challenges rather than chasing trends. The conversation explores common implementation mistakes, workforce concerns, employee upskilling, leadership responsibility, and the need for clear policies that bala...

In this episode of Let’s Talk Business Phoenix, we hear from John Garcia, Executive Director of Pathways Impact Fund at StriveTogether, on the importance of connecting education, workforce development, and economic opportunity to create more intentional pathways for Arizona students and workers. John shares insights from his work across Arizona and the country, highlighting how business leaders can move from simply consuming talent to helping co-create the systems that prepare people for mean...

In this episode of Let’s Talk Business Phoenix, Dillan Knudson, Arizona Market Director at Columbia Bank Commercial, shares how his professional journey and people-first leadership approach have shaped his work supporting Arizona businesses. The conversation explores Columbia Bank’s growing presence in Greater Phoenix, the evolving role of commercial banking, and how business owners can navigate financial challenges, expansion, succession, and new investment with the right strategic partners....

In this episode of Let’s Talk Business Phoenix, Amy Perry, President & CEO of Banner Health, shares her vision for leading Arizona’s largest healthcare provider amid rapid growth, rising costs, workforce challenges, and industry transformation. She discusses how Banner Health is leveraging innovation, from artificial intelligence and digital health tools to telemedicine, to improve patient outcomes and expand access to care across the state. Perry also explores the importance of partnersh...