The Gilbert Chamber of Commerce Foundation hosted a business workshop on May 2, 2024, that focused on doing business with Maricopa County. Kevin Tyne, Chief Procurement Officer for Maricopa County and Lisa Bernhardt, Procurement Services Administrator offered a compelling presentation into the possibilities and opportunities of being a vendor for Maricopa County. Speaking briefly was Chairman Jack Sellers who offered some insights into our growing county. Christie Boutain, of Meadows Bank, gave encouraging remarks for the audience to consider as each business owner aims to scale their enterprise. Meadows Bank and SRP are generous sponsors of our business workshops which provide expert guidance, information, and opportunities for business success in our community.
Here are the Top 5 Takeaways from the workshop:
- Maricopa County is the fastest growing county in the country.
- Everyone that attended the workshop (in the room we had 15 different businesses represented) offered goods and services that the county buys. Everything from painting to staffing to restaurants to lighting.
- Maricopa County spent over $750 million on goods and services last year.
- Maricopa County spends over half of their budget with vendors WITHIN Maricopa County.
- When the economy turns down – government needs and spending ramps up.
These business workshops are designed to be opportunities for businesses and their leaders to gain valuable insights to continually grow their companies while concurrently strengthening our community. We offer these workshops as part of the Gilbert Chamber Foundation’s programming, along with a whole host of activities which include engaging with our youth, our seniors, our military veterans, our educators, and our community leaders. We provide many opportunities to engage with the community, including with education partners, fellow business owners, and government officials. If you have an interest in any of these areas, please reach out to learn more.
