In honor of Economic Development Week May 8-13, Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce (GPCC) leaders are taking a fresh look at the region’s economic progress, with an eye toward continued collaboration.

Todd Sanders, GPCC president and CEO; Jennifer Mellor, vice president of economic development; and the emerging Phoenix Forward economic development team recently convened with local entrepreneurs and development experts to bolster Phoenix Forward’s image and efforts.

“One key takeaway both Jennifer and I had from the Arizona Association for Economic Development’s Spring Conference in Lake Havasu City is the high value of the real-time, relational data we and our partners collect through our regional business retention and expansion program,” Sanders said in a press release, referring to a late April event.

He noted that the intrinsic value of obtaining information personally “is vitally important to understanding and reacting to the needs of local businesses.”

Sanders said that the contingent focused on the concept of developing a Greater Phoenix regional brand to encompass the wide-ranging economic, professional, recreational and educational opportunities that the metropolitan area has to offer.

Stressing the importance of maintaining a pro-business atmosphere at the government level, Sanders and Mellor advocated a group approach for individual jurisdictions to create a regional team ambience, not only collecting information but analyzing it appropriately.