The Quick Jab
By Bill Jabjiniak
Maximizing Mesa's strengths through strategic vision, high standards, and quality economic development
During the past 12 years, while I have served as the Economic Development Director at the City of Mesa, much has changed.
We have increased the quality and quantity of economic development projects landing in Mesa which have created high value jobs and helped diversify our economy.
We have streamlined the development process to better match the private sector’s needs and enhanced our customer service and technical expertise.
As our population has continued to grow, so has Mesa’s reputation as a premier location for businesses to start and to expand.
Today, I am excited to lead a team of professionals who take pride in working for a city that subscribes to “The Mesa Way”, which means
operating at the speed of business,
providing top-tier customized assistance,
advocating for quality economic development, and
creating solutions for businesses competing in the global market.
Planning through Fiscal Year 2022, our Economic Development Department Strategic Plan identifies tactics to maximize Mesa’s current momentum as well as building additional traction well into the future.
Mesa Office of Economic Development Strategic Goals are:
- To grow Mesa’s economy by attracting new businesses and by helping existing companies expand, thus creating and retaining high value, high quality jobs.
- To become known nationally as a premier location for companies to locate, expand, and prosper.
- To increase capacity for attracting quality economic development citywide to build a sustainable community.
Quarterly and annual performance measures track our progress. However, we cannot meet our goals alone. Partnerships with businesses, developers, brokers, city staff, and other stakeholders are critical for success.
During the four fiscal years beginning July 2018 through June 2022, our goal is
- to assist in attracting or retaining at minimum 7,800 jobs,
- generating more than $1.6 billion in capital investment, and
- adding/ or absorbing more than 2.3 million square feet of commercial space.
Additionally, during that time period, we will
- continue to build our technical capacity as a staff,
- conduct more than 500 business retention and expansion visits, and
- service nearly 1,200 technical requests.
And finally, we will continue to lead and support transformative projects and initiatives that are priorities for Mesa City Council such as
- LaunchPoint, Mesa’s Technology Accelerator;
- AZ Laboratories for Security and Defense Research;
- entrepreneurship;
- redevelopment; and
- workforce development, to name a few.
The City has reached a pivotal point in Mesa’s history.
To achieve further success, it is critical to emphasize quality.
The keys to creating a sustainable community include
- having companies which offer high quality jobs,
- a talented workforce,
- a world-class education system, and
- high development standards.
Preserving our employment corridors is also essential to ensuring the city has ample opportunity to create more commercial space and offering
a more balanced employment to population ratio.
We need to articulate our vision, dream big, and not settle.
We must strive for excellence and increased prosperity for all Mesa residents.
Should you have questions or comments, contact me at 480.644.3561, or
William.Jabjiniak@mesaaz.gov.
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HIGHER EDUCATION ROUND UP
Jake Pinholster appointed as the founding director of ASU@Mesa City Center
Arizona State University (ASU) and the Herberger Institute are working hard to prepare for the opening of the ASU@Mesa City Center building in January 2022. As part of the effort,
President Michael Crow and Provost Mark Searle are pleased to announce the appointment of Jake Pinholster as the founding director of the ASU@Mesa City Center facility.
Pinholster has been leading ASU's effort for the past two years – working with faculty, with the city, and with the architects to shape this incredible facility and its programs. He will continue in this capacity, building academic programs, forging industry partnerships, and working with the architects and construction leads to make sure the building fully supports the needs of ASU teachers, researchers, students and community partners. As a creative artist and technologist, Pinholster has designed motion graphics and interactive systems for a wide variety of venues, including HBO specials, Broadway shows, concerts and immersive installations. He also brings that creative energy to his administrative efforts, where he is known for leading and collaborating in the creation of art-science collaborations, community-engaged programming and transdisciplinary curricular programs like the new Bachelor of Science in Technological Leadership, for which he serves on the steering committee.
Designs for the building and the construction timeline are on schedule. The facility will boast state-of-the-art classrooms, screening rooms, public spaces and production spaces to advance digital futures – from film and gaming to immersive media, mixed reality, advanced visualization and beyond. This will be one of the first advanced media production facilities ever built that will orient itself, both in mission and programming, to the city and the residents in which it resides.
ASU is excited about the work ahead and its significance in the evolution of Mesa’s downtown. Please reach out to Steven Tepper (
steven.tepper@asu.edu) or Jake Pinholster (
jacob.pinholster@asu.edu) directly with questions.
NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Falcon Field Airport generates more than $811 million annually in economic benefit
Coffman Associates was hired to complete the update, and the Mesa City Council approved the Master Plan on July 8, 2019.
As part of the Master Plan, an economic benefit analysis was conducted by Arizona State University. The results illustrate the significant economic asset that Falcon Field is to Mesa and the region. For example, Falcon Field contributes:
- Over $2.2 million in daily economic benefits
- Over $811 million in annual economic benefits
- 1,486 on-airport jobs with a payroll of more than $104 million at the 110 on-airport businesses
- More jobs and annual economic benefit than any other general aviation airport in the Phoenix area, including Scottsdale, Chandler, and Phoenix-Deer Valley airports
- When the Boeing Company, located adjacent to Falcon Field, is included, the annual economic benefit increases to $6.8 billion.
Learn more about Falcon Field Airport at
www.FalconFieldAirport.com.
Infusing leadership with creativity: The Collective, a certificate program offered by Mesa Arts Center’s Creative Catalysts initiative
The Collective is a unique, hands-on program, where participants grow leadership ability through practicing collaboration, embracing and learning from failure, applying innovative thinking and improving mindfulness.“Being able to think outside the box has long been a mindset desired by employers for their employees,” said Cassidy Campana, Principal of Arizona Strategies and Chair, Mesa Arts Center Foundation Board.
