 Economic Development Quarterly Newsletter
July 2026
 Mike Czechowski speaking at a meeting with Mayor Chen Chi-mai and government officials in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
Welcome to the new Office of Economic Development. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Mike Czechowski (check-cow-ski). I know — it's definitely a fun name. And yes, I have seen Monsters, Inc., and I love it!
I am the Chief Economic Development Officer in the newly formed Office of Community and Economic Impact (OCEI). While the City of Tucson remains deeply committed to traditional economic development efforts, our new structure reflects a broader vision that integrates equity, sustainability, prosperity, and Tucson’s unique culture into the work we do.
Our team (pictured below) will lead all traditional economic development activities, including marketing and attraction, business retention and expansion, annexation, and entrepreneurial and startup support. We will also continue to work closely with our workforce partners at Pima County, Pima Community College, JTED, the University of Arizona, and many others who help create jobs and opportunities in Tucson.
 City of Tucson economic development team, l to r: Mike Czechowski, Jacquelyne Vega, Alma Peralta, Irene Messina
As part of OCEI, we are focused on attracting development opportunities that align with our local culture, support our sustainability goals for carbon neutrality, and provide equitable opportunities for all Tucson and Southern Arizona residents. We are also focused on attracting companies that employ our residents and, in collaboration with our workforce partners, provide training opportunities that help our community grow and succeed.
Anyone who knows me knows that I always say I have the best job in the City of Tucson. Now, it has gotten even better, and I am incredibly excited about the opportunities ahead.
Please reach out to me or my team if there is anything we can do to support your business, organization, or project in Tucson. No opportunity is too small, and no challenge is too big.
Mike Czechowski, CEcD
Chief Economic Development Officer
City of Tucson, Pima County Economic Development Teams Powow
 Pima County economic development team, l to r: Artemio Hoyos, Kelle Maslyn, Frank Dillon, Heath Vescovi-Chiordi
Joining together for a day in June, City and Pima County economic development staffers held their first retreat.
After a brief tour of new construction at the Reid Park Zoo, the group sat down and provided updates for their departments. Mike Czechowski, the City’s Chief Economic Development Officer, discussed the creation of the City’s Office of Community and Economic Impact (OCEI). Heath Vescovi-Chiordi, Economic Development Director for Pima County, discussed his team’s economic development strategy. Additional points of discussion in the morning were project updates, responsibilities and focus areas.
At lunchtime, the group played a homemade version of Jeopardy. In the spirit of cooperation and collaboration, teams were a blend of City and County members, instead of one organization against the other. The afternoon featured guest speaker Lane Mandle, head of the City’s Office of Community and Economic Impact, who presented the framework and goals of OCEI.
The retreat concluded with a look at ways to strengthen coordination between the City and County. The group outlined ongoing economic development projects in the region and ways to bring them to fruition. Both teams have a strong desire to create economic opportunities for the residents of Southern Arizona.
California-based Arto Brick Chooses Tucson for New Headquarters
 Arto Brick will locate its headquarters in the former Sam Levitz Warehouse
Drawn by our city’s affordability and logistical strengths, family-owned Arto Brick is planning a new headquarters location in Tucson. Arto Brick opened 60 years ago in Southern California and manufactures high-quality ceramic and concrete products for residential, commercial, and civic projects.
Arto Brick will be housed in the former Sam Levitz building on East 36th Street. Owners Armen and Varoujan Alajian intend to hire 85 new employees and provide training and benefits. Positions include laborers, clerks, and managers, among others.
Started by Arto Alajian, of Egypt, Arto Brick makes its products the traditional way—by hand. Their unique creations grace hotels, commercial areas, restaurants, stores, private homes, and even mansions. Arto Brick’s 10-year economic impact to our region will be more than $300 million. The Tucson site is projected to be operational by 2027. We will provide more details as this project progresses.
Taiwan Industry and Academic Leaders Visit Tucson
 Mayor Regina Romero speaks with Hoton Chang, CEO of Grand Process Technology Corporation
In April, our staff welcomed a Taiwanese delegation of corporate and academic professionals to City Hall. The visit was convened by Johnny Tsai, CEO of Taiwan Aeon Corporation, and coordinated by the Arizona Commerce Authority, Pima County, and the City of Tucson.
The head of the delegation was Hoton Chang, CEO of Grand Process Technology Corporation, with Chih-Hung Gilbert Li from Minghsin University of Science and Technology as the deputy head. They were joined by CEOs and managers of semiconductor, AI, and technology companies, along with Chao-Ming Fu, Dean of the Semiconductor Industry College, Chung Yuan Christian University.
Mayor Regina Romero hosted a meet-and-greet and spoke about the City of Tucson’s strengths and our desire for future collaboration with Taiwan businesses and universities. After a catered lunch of Tucson’s renowned Mexican food, conversations focused on building government-to-business partnerships and creating new opportunities for technology exchange through academic collaboration.
The delegation’s day-long visit to Tucson also included stops at the Pima County Historic Courthouse, Pima Community College’s Center of Excellence in Applied Technology, and the University of Arizona’s NanoFabrication Core Facility. Presentations highlighting the region’s economic strengths were shared by Pima County, Pima Community College, the University of Arizona, and the Chamber of Southern Arizona.
Taiwanese government and academic leaders from Kaohsiung City previously visited Tucson in March when they signed a Memorandum of Understanding with regional partners to advance semiconductor, optics, and photonics collaboration. They said they were impressed by the City of Tucson’s strong commitment to high-tech industrial development and talent cultivation.
City Officials Join Arizona Delegation in Taiwan
 Delegation members from the City of Tucson, Pima County, and University of Arizona meet with Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai and staff from economic development, transportation, water, and education
As a result of their successful trip here, Kaohsiung City government leaders invited a delegation from the City of Tucson to visit. Mayor Regina Romero, Policy Advisor to the Mayor Eryck Garcia, and Chief Economic Development Officer Mike Czechowski joined regional partners from the Arizona Commerce Authority, Pima County, and the University of Arizona on a May visit to Kaohsiung City.
As a signature achievement, a formal Sister Cities Agreement was signed between the City of Tucson, Pima County, and Kaohsiung City. This agreement creates a long-term partnership focused on economic development, education, talent cultivation, innovation, advanced manufacturing, and cultural exchange.
 Arizona delegation with Mayor Chen Chi-mai and Kaohsiung City employees
The delegation also celebrated the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for Educational Exchange among the Education Bureau of Kaohsiung City Government, Pima County, and the City of Tucson, establishing a framework for academic collaboration and exchanges, joint seminars, and the sharing of educational resources and best practices.
These agreements create opportunities for student exchange, workforce development, scientific collaboration, health technology, and economic collaboration between Southern Arizona and one of Asia’s leading technology hubs.
The delegation also traveled to Taipei where they met with executives and investors from several sectors, including artificial intelligence, electronics, advanced manufacturing, and semiconductors. Among meetings, roundtables, and discussions, the common goal was to strengthen relationships and explore opportunities for collaboration between Arizona and Taiwan.
City of Tucson and Pima County Host Regional Contractor Tour
 Contractor tour attendees at a local site ready for development
To showcase Southern Arizona’s growing development landscape, City of Tucson and Pima County economic development staff co-hosted a day-long event in April to present our region’s most significant sites and investment opportunities. Twenty representatives from construction, architecture, engineering, and development firms from the Southwest were in attendance.
During the morning session, the economic development professionals from Marana, Oro Valley, and Sahuarita gave presentations on development activity and opportunities in their respective towns. The afternoon session included presentations from Pima County, City of Tucson, Tucson Electric Power, TRICO and Southwest Gas.
Throughout the day, the group toured active or emerging development sites across the region including Aerospace Research Campus, H2K, Prince 10, and the Southeast Employment and Logistics Center. The event was designed to exhibit the region’s development pipeline and cultivate strong relationships with the construction and development community.
City's Economic Development Staff Attend SelectUSA Summit
 Left to right: Casey Carrillo (UA Center for Innovation), Jacquelyne Vega (City of Tucson), Heath Vescovi-Chiordi (Pima County), Alma Peralta (City of Tucson)
This year’s SelectUSA Investment Summit in Maryland broke attendance numbers with more than 5,500 participants from 100 countries and 55 U.S. states and territories. The City of Tucson’s Jacquelyne Vega and Alma Peralta joined the Arizona Commerce Authority, Pima County Economic Development, and the University of Arizona Center for Innovation in a 30-plus team representing Arizona.
SelectUSA is a Department of Commerce program that facilitates job-creating international business investment into the United States. Not only does it give global companies the chance to meet with decision makers and navigate the federal regulatory system, but it also gives economic development organizations in the U.S. the opportunity to compete globally for investment.
Our team met with Japanese, German, and Mexican companies looking to expand into the United States. Our H2K site, a 2,462-plus acre parcel of Arizona State Trust Land, was of particular interest. H2K is zoned to support advanced manufacturing and a variety of other industrial uses.
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