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RSS Local First Arizona – News Blog

  • Where You Bank Shapes What Gets Built in Arizona October 6, 2026
    OneAZ Credit Union leaders Mike Bowden and Chip Griffith explain why locally rooted financial institutions matter for Arizona businesses and communities. When we talk about choosing local, we usually think about where we shop, eat or hire a service. But some of our most consequential economic choices happen long before we make a purchase.
    Lori Cothrun
  • Keeping Arizona Money Working in Arizona September 30, 2026
    Where you keep your money may feel like a personal financial decision. But collectively, those decisions can shape which businesses get access to capital, which communities retain financial services and how much money continues circulating within Arizona.
    Lori Cothrun
  • Local Money, Local Impact: How Tucson Federal Credit Union Is Investing in Community September 23, 2026
    What happens when a credit union has been rooted in the same community since 1937 — and still considers itself just getting started? In the latest episode of the Arizona’s Credit Unions Podcast, Local First Arizona's Thomas Barr sits down with Tucson Federal Credit Union President and CEO Matthew Gaspari and Vice President of Business […]
    Lori Cothrun
  • Celebrando el Mes de la Herencia Hispana: Yorsa Martinez y su compromiso con la comunidad empresarial September 17, 2026
    Hace algunos años, Yorsa Martinez se sentaba entre decenas de emprendedores que buscaban aprender cómo convertir una idea en un negocio. Hoy regresa al mismo salón, pero desde el frente del aula. Ya no llega como estudiante, sino como facilitadora, coach y conferencista que acompaña a otros en el mismo camino que ella recorrió. Su […]
    Paul Zapata
  • Keeping It Local: How ESOPs Can Help Businesses Navigate Succession August 29, 2026
    For Spinato's, employee ownership - or ESOPs - offered a way to accomplish several goals at once: preserve the company's legacy, keep the business locally rooted, reward longtime employees and create another reason for talented people to build careers with the company.
    Kat Meyer