Stanton: Phoenix needs to take lead in international marketplace

PHOENIX — Mayor Greg Stanton, freshly returned from the World Economic Forum in China, said there are huge economic possibilities between the Valley and China.

Stanton was the only American mayor invited to the forum entitled The Annual Meeting of the New Champions. He met with almost two dozen international executives and his take away is that Phoenix needs to lead the way in the international economy.

“We have to get the fundamentals right,” he said. “We have to improve the education system and get more people graduating college in science, engineering, technology and math to create companies here that will be providing jobs and services the rest of the world wants. You have to be a leader in innovation. As a city, you can’t rest on your laurels. As a city, I would argue that we only have a few laurels to rest on. We’re just beginning this effort to really make sure people know that Phoenix is an international city.”

Stanton pointed out that China and other international players have a great deal to offer Phoenix and we have much to offer them.

Barry Broome, the president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, said they came away from the forum in China with three business leads for expansion or relocation to the Valley.

They can’t disclose the names of those companies because of confidentiality reasons.