2009 GREATER PHOENIX ULTIMATE GUIDE TO LIVING HERE 31 business Valley of the Sun Giving new meaning to the idea of teamwork. Making it easier than ever for people to reach their goals. Placing customer service at the center of everything we do. At Discover Financial Services, our friendly, open atmosphere supports success, and is unlike any other you've known. Help our customers achieve their goals. Help yourself to the kinds of rewards and benefits that come from a career with an industry leader. Discover Financial Services is seeking dedicated employees with stable job history. Join our team in one of the great opportunities listed below: • Collections Representatives • Marketing Services • Customer Service Representatives To apply, visit us online at www. mydiscovercareer. com/ az. DISCOVER. A MORE REWARDING WAY TO WORK. EOE THE ACHIEVEMENT. THE THANKS. THE TEAM.

32 2009 GREATER PHOENIX ULTIMATE GUIDE TO LIVING HERE business 1 MIXING IT UP High tech, aerospace, financial services, manufacturing, telecommunications, health care, education, insurance, and natural resource and mining companies… it's all part of the modern Phoenix mix. Significant resources have been devoted to the biomedical and biosciences complex in the downtown Phoenix Bioscience Center, with a blend of public and private funding devoted to attracting new businesses and talent. In addition, the city of Phoenix has dedicated millions of dollars toward development of a bioscience high school and The Plaza Cos.' bioscience project, which includes facilities for small biotech firms. Also on the healthcare front, Scottsdale's SkySong ( the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center) has added Allviant, a leader in healthcare industry technology platforms, as a tenant. Meanwhile, aerospace potential continues to soar. In September 2008, Brazil- based Embraer opened its 47,700 square- foot facility at Phoenix- Mesa Gateway Airport, dedicated to full- service photo: The Arizona Republic Factors that contribute to Greater Phoenix's cachet as a modern economic powerhouse by Jake Poinier I n a turn on the old phrase, you could say that Greater Phoenix is a great place to visit and you'd want to live there. Established for more than half a century as a top travel destination and ranked No. 1 by Hotwire. com in 2008 for vacation affordability, the Valley of the Sun has turned its sights toward the business world — earning the title of " One of North America's Large Cities of the Future" from Foreign Direct Investment magazine, published by London's Financial Times. The metro area placed first in development and investment promotion and fourth in infrastructure; in addition, the northwestern suburb of Surprise ranked among the publication's top 10 " Micro Cities of the Future." As evidence of the Valley's clout in the technology world, the Center for Digital Government recently recognized Phoenix as one of the Top Ten Digital Cities in the U. S., thanks to the Phoenix Regional Wireless Network and the city's e- commerce infrastructure. Far from resting on its laurels, however, the Valley is continuing to leverage its five particular strengths as it heads into the future: Sun Sp5ots Shade structures, like SkySong in south Scottsdale, are popping up all over the Valley. Phoenix is one of the Top Ten Digital Cities in the U. S.