What does the Arizona Technology Council do?

The Arizona Technology Council is a 501(c)(6) trade association for Arizona's science and technology companies, created in 2002 and reporting more than 750 member companies. It runs industry committees, including an Arizona Artificial Intelligence Ecosystem Committee, holds events such as the Governor's Celebration of Innovation with the Arizona Commerce Authority, publishes a quarterly Technology Industry Impact Report and lobbies on state and federal policy.

How is the Arizona Technology Council funded?

Mostly by its members and events. The Council's 2025 annual report puts fiscal 2025 revenue at $1,991,845: membership dues 33.5%, programs and events 30.2%, grants and contributions 14.6%, sponsorship 12.8% and other 8.9%. Its 2024 IRS Form 990 reports net assets of negative $362,223 at the end of 2024.

Does the Arizona Technology Council lobby?

Yes. It lobbies at the state Capitol through its Public Policy Committee, staff and the contract firm Public Policy Partners, presents a federal agenda to Arizona's congressional offices each year, runs a political action committee and endorses Arizona Legislature candidates. Its 2024 Form 990 reports $53,363 in political campaign activity expenditures, the same amount it reports as nondeductible lobbying and political expenditures. In 2026 it called HB 2764, the computer science diploma seal signed June 4, 2026, its top legislative priority.

What is the Arizona Technology Council's position on data center tax incentives?

In February 2026 the Council said it was "actively engaged in defending Arizona's existing data center incentives." The budget tax bill HB 4168, signed June 13, 2026, bars the Arizona Commerce Authority from accepting applications from new computer data centers from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029. The Council said it welcomed the decision to keep the program despite that three-year moratorium.

Who leads the Arizona Technology Council?

Steven G. Zylstra has been president and CEO since December 2007. Christine Boles of MC Consulting Services LLC has chaired the board since October 30, 2025. Paloma Santiago has led the Southern Arizona Regional Office in Tucson since January 2026. Zylstra was also named to the Governor's AI Steering Committee on May 21, 2025.

Where is the Arizona Technology Council located?

In Phoenix, the Council's 2025 annual report, its 2024 tax return and its Google Maps listing give 2800 N. Central Ave., Suite 1530 , while its website's contact page lists a Phoenix mailing address of 201 E. Washington St., #1800 , the same address and suite the Arizona Commerce Authority lists for its own office. For its Tucson office, which opened in 2008, its 2024 and 2025 annual reports and its website list 1215 E. Pennsylvania St., Suite 122 , while its Google Maps listing shows 9070 S. Rita Rd., Suite 1550 , the address its 2017 annual report gave.

Arizona Technology Council

A trade association for Arizona science and technology companies, a 501(c)(6) nonprofit formed in 2002 with offices in Phoenix and Tucson.

Phoenix and Tucson, AZ · 2002 · 11 employees in 2024 (IRS Form 990); more than 750 member companies (Council, read 2026-10-28)

Visit Arizona Technology Council

Arizona AI is tracking 15 news items about Arizona Technology Council.

Arizona Technology Council: Key Developments

Oct 29, 2026
Arizona’s first 3 federally-funded EV charging stations now open
AZDOT ADOT seeks bids to construct 49 additional charging stations PHOENIX – Arizona’s first three electric vehicle charging stations constructed as part of a federally-funded program to develop a nationwide network of fast-charging stations are now open. The stations are the first of about 80 statewide locations planned to reduce range anxiety and encourage the […] The post Arizona’s first 3 federally-funded EV charging stations now open appeared first on Arizona Technology Council.
Oct 26, 2026
Employee Spotlight – Leslie Marquez
Image: Linkedin Inside the Council with Leslie Leslie Cooper Marquez is a dynamic marketing and communications professional with 20 years of experience spanning in-house and agency roles. Her expertise bridges multiple industries, including non-profit performing arts, legal, mortgage technology and investment banking, where she has led impactful campaigns and strategic initiatives. Originally from Birmingham, AL, […] The post Employee Spotlight – Leslie Marquez appeared first on Arizona Technology Council.
Oct 26, 2026
FPT Guest Blog: One Store, Many Systems: How Connected AI Turns Dealership Silos into a Single Operation
It is Monday morning at a multi-rooftop dealer group in the Valley, and the general manager opens the weekly leadership meeting with three screens on the wall. The sales tool flags a customer as ready to trade up and ranks her at the top of the follow-up list. The service system shows she declined a […] The post FPT Guest Blog: One Store, Many Systems: How Connected AI Turns Dealership Silos into a Single Operation appeared first on Arizona Technology Council.
Oct 23, 2026
BC Automation Guest Post: Before You Trust Industrial AI, Can You Trust Its Data?
BC Automation Engineering Perspectives Thomas J. Schwieters | Founder & Chief Technologist, BC Automation The model is only as good as the fidelity of the observation. We don’t go to a symphony wearing earmuffs while standing around the corner. Yet we’re asking AI to understand manufacturing processes using data that has already been filtered, scaled, […] The post BC Automation Guest Post: Before You Trust Industrial AI, Can You Trust Its Data? appeared first on Arizona Technology Council.
Oct 23, 2026
NAU Opens New MPaCT Lab, Expanding Arizona’s Semiconductor Research and Workforce Capabilities
Northern Arizona University FLAGSTAFF, AZ — Northern Arizona University (NAU) officially opened its new Microelectronics Processing and Characterization Testing (MPaCT) Lab with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 17, marking a major step in the university’s efforts to support Arizona’s rapidly growing semiconductor industry. NAU President Dr. José Luis Cruz Rivera celebrated the opening of […] The post NAU Opens New MPaCT Lab, Expanding Arizona’s Semiconductor Research and Workforce Capabilities appeared first on Arizona Technology Council.
Oct 21, 2026
Comcast Business Guest Blog: Gartner® Report: 2026 Strategic Roadmap for Enterprise Networking
Comcast Business Enterprise networking is evolving to support AI-driven workloads, requiring a shift from manual operations to more automated, software-driven, and adaptive environments. Organizations must modernize networks incrementally by aligning teams, investing in AI-ready infrastructure, and adopting unified operating models that integrate networking, security, and cloud. We believe this Gartner® report covers how: AI-driven and […] The post Comcast Business Guest Blog: Gartner® Report: 2026 Strategic Roadmap for Enterprise Networking appeared first on Arizona Technology Council.
Oct 20, 2026
New Taiwan Office in Phoenix Strengthens $21.2B Trade Relationship
InBusinessPHX Arizona and Taiwan celebrated another significant milestone in their expanding partnership as the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office officially opened its new office in Phoenix, Arizona. Governor Katie Hobbs joined leaders including Dr. Chia-Lung Lin, Taiwan Minister of Foreign Affairs; TECO Phoenix Director General Kevin Chiao; Ingrid Larson, Managing Director, American Institute in Taiwan; […] The post New Taiwan Office in Phoenix Strengthens $21.2B Trade Relationship appeared first on Arizona Technology Council.
Oct 16, 2026
$6.4M Mesa Training Hub Opens to Strengthen Arizona’s Aerospace Workforce
InBusinessPHX Maricopa Community Colleges and Chandler-Gilbert Community College joined Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, the Arizona Commerce Authority, and industry partners to officially celebrate the grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Arizona’s first-of-its-kind Aerospace & Defense-focused Future48 Workforce Accelerator in Mesa, Arizona. “The Future48 Workforce Accelerators are a model of what Arizona does best: bringing […] The post $6.4M Mesa Training Hub Opens to Strengthen Arizona’s Aerospace Workforce appeared first on Arizona Technology Council.
Oct 15, 2026
Governor Hobbs, Maricopa Community Colleges And Arizona Commerce Authority Celebrate Grand Opening Of Aerospace & Defense Future48 Workforce Accelerator
Arizona Commerce Authority MESA, AZ (October 6, 2026) – Today, Maricopa Community Colleges and Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) joined Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), and industry partners to officially celebrate the grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Arizona’s first-of-its-kind Aerospace & Defense-focused Future48 Workforce Accelerator in Mesa, Arizona. “The Future48 […] The post Governor Hobbs, Maricopa Community Colleges And Arizona Commerce Authority Celebrate Grand Opening Of Aerospace & Defense Future48 Workforce Accelerator appeared first on Arizona Technology Council.
Oct 15, 2026
Utility-Scale Solar & Storage: Separating Public Health Fact from Fiction
AZPHA Utility-scale solar projects are popping up all over Arizona. Why? Because solar is often the least expensive option for generating more badly needed electricity. That’s good for several public health reasons. Cheaper energy generation means (or at least should mean) lower electricity costs, which helps the social determinants of health, especially for lower-income households. […] The post Utility-Scale Solar & Storage: Separating Public Health Fact from Fiction appeared first on Arizona Technology Council.
Oct 14, 2026
Navy Awards $22.9B to 17x Tomahawk Output Raytheon
Tech Times The U.S. Navy on Monday awarded Raytheon a $22.9 billion contract — the defense arm of RTX Corporation — to ramp Tomahawk cruise missile production from roughly 60 units per year to more than 1,000 over seven years, a 17-fold increase representing one of the most expansive single-weapon production commitments in American history. […] The post Navy Awards $22.9B to 17x Tomahawk Output Raytheon appeared first on Arizona Technology Council.
Oct 9, 2026
How renewable energy can help save Arizona family farms, ranches
wmicentral My family has raised cattle in Navajo County for over 80 years. Cattle ranching isn’t a job. It’s a way of life. Nobody does this work to get rich. We’re constantly at the mercy of factors we can’t control: weather; the price of beef; pests; equipment breakdowns; livestock losses due to illness or predators; […] The post How renewable energy can help save Arizona family farms, ranches appeared first on Arizona Technology Council.
Oct 8, 2026
Tech Parks Arizona Recognized Among Nation’s Top Innovation Districts
Tech Parks Arizona TUCSON, Ariz. – Tech Parks Arizona has been recognized as one of the nation’s leading innovation districts in a new national report from the George W. Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative. The analysis highlights the nation’s strongest innovation districts as powerful economic engines where higher education institutions and leading-edge companies cluster to […] The post Tech Parks Arizona Recognized Among Nation’s Top Innovation Districts appeared first on Arizona Technology Council.
Oct 7, 2026
Surprise City Council approves flexible setbacks for battery storage facilities after unanimous vote
ABC15 SURPRISE, Ariz. — The Surprise City Council unanimously approved new setback rules for battery energy storage systems Tuesday night, opting for a flexible approach that city leaders say balances safety concerns with growing energy needs. Rather than establishing a single minimum distance between battery storage facilities and homes, the council voted 7-0 to allow […] The post Surprise City Council approves flexible setbacks for battery storage facilities after unanimous vote appeared first on Arizona Technology Council.
Oct 7, 2026
ASU’s London Expansion Builds a New Talent Bridge to Arizona
inBusinessphx Michael Goodwin was less than a minute into his remarks when he made clear to the audience of 300 or so gathered for the opening of ASU London, a new independent, U.K.-degree-awarding higher education provider founded by ASU, exactly why they were there. “We’re here to celebrate the opening of what we believe will […] The post ASU’s London Expansion Builds a New Talent Bridge to Arizona appeared first on Arizona Technology Council.

About Arizona Technology Council

What the Arizona Technology Council is

The Arizona Technology Council is a membership trade association for Arizona's science and technology companies. It files with the IRS as a 501(c)(6) business league, and its own history says it was created in 2002 when the Arizona High Technology Industry Cluster merged with the Arizona Software and Internet Association.

Who leads it: Steven G. Zylstra has been president and CEO since December 2007. Christine Boles of MC Consulting Services LLC has chaired the board since October 30, 2025. The Council said in January 2026 that its board has 34 members. Its October 2025 board announcement lists organizations represented on the board that include Intel, QTS Data Centers, Arizona State University and the Arizona Commerce Authority.

Its size: The Council says it has more than 750 member companies and holds about 100 events a year. Its 2024 tax return reports 11 people employed during 2024 and 38 voting board members at the end of that year.

How it is funded: Members and events pay for most of it. The Council's 2025 annual report puts fiscal 2025 revenue at $1,991,845, from these sources:

membership dues, 33.5%
programs and events, 30.2%
grants and contributions, 14.6%
sponsorship, 12.8%
other, 8.9%

Offices: In Phoenix, the Council's 2025 annual report, its 2024 tax return and its Google Maps listing give 2800 N. Central Ave., Suite 1530, while its website's contact page lists a Phoenix mailing address of 201 E. Washington St., #1800. That is also the street address and suite the Arizona Commerce Authority gives for its own office. Arizona AI has not confirmed whether the Phoenix office has moved. It added a Tucson office in 2008, and Paloma Santiago has led that Southern Arizona Regional Office as vice president since January 2026.

The Council's own publications disagree on the Tucson address. Its 2024 and 2025 annual reports and its website's contact page list 1215 E. Pennsylvania St., Suite 122, while its Google Maps listing shows 9070 S. Rita Road, Suite 1550, the address its 2017 annual report gave.

Its role in Arizona's tech economy

The Council's work in Arizona's technology economy centers on convening companies, publishing industry data, running awards and lobbying. Its committees cover fields from cybersecurity to aerospace.

Artificial intelligence: Its Arizona Artificial Intelligence Ecosystem Committee, chaired by Minky Kernacs of Mercurio Analytics, says it gives "recommendations to the community and legislators on AI-related best practices, usage, and policies." Its TechFusion conference on AI, IT and computer science was first scheduled for March 25, 2025, and the Council announced a second annual edition for March 31, 2026 at Grand Canyon University.

Governor Katie Hobbs named Zylstra to Arizona's first AI Steering Committee on May 21, 2025. The 19-member committee was set up to develop a statewide AI policy framework.

Chips, optics and manufacturing: The Council's Optics Valley Committee formed in 2016, when the Arizona Optics Industry Association merged into the Council. Its 2025 annual report says the committee hosted a panel at SEMICON West, held in Phoenix that year, on how semiconductors intersect with Arizona's optics and photonics industry, and that a new Arizona Manufacturing Catalyst Committee met for the first time on August 12, 2025.

Its quarterly Technology Industry Impact Report, compiled for the Council by Lightcast, tracks Arizona technology jobs and wages. The Q3 2025 edition, released January 12, 2026, pointed to "semiconductor-driven growth."

Data centers: The Council's 2026 public policy guide calls data centers "the backbone of America's digital infrastructure" and backs continued tax exemptions for data center equipment. At its 2025 Governor's Celebration of Innovation, Aligned Data Centers was named Innovator of the Year for large companies.

Awards and events: It runs the Governor's Celebration of Innovation awards with the Arizona Commerce Authority, and the 23rd annual gala is set for November 18, 2026 in Phoenix. In Tucson, its 14th Southern Arizona Tech + Business Expo on October 21, 2026 drew more than 50 companies.

Workforce: The Council's foundation, the Arizona Technology Council Foundation, operates as SciTech Institute, a 501(c)(3) that runs the Arizona SciTech Festival and the Arizona STEM Ecosystem. Its tax return for the year ended July 2025 shows revenue of $2,614,485. Members can also list positions free on the Council's online job board.

Policy work: The Council lobbies at the state Capitol through its Public Policy Committee, its staff and the contract government relations firm Public Policy Partners, and presents a federal agenda to Arizona's congressional offices on an annual DC Fly-In. It runs a political action committee, and on June 10, 2026 it released endorsements of Arizona Legislature candidates, describing itself as "a non-partisan organization."

Its 2024 tax return reports $53,363 in political campaign activity expenditures and reports the same amount as its nondeductible lobbying and political expenditures. The same filing says the Council contributes "to political campaigns to support those candidates who support the mission and values of the Council."

These are positions the Council itself published, with what the official record shows:

Computer science diploma seal (2026): The Council called HB 2764 its "top legislative priority". The Governor signed it on June 4, 2026.
Data center tax incentives (2026): In February 2026 the Council said it was "actively engaged in defending Arizona's existing data center incentives." The budget tax bill HB 4168, signed June 13, 2026, bars new data center applications from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029, and the Council said it welcomed the decision to preserve the program despite that moratorium.
Refundable R&D tax credit (2026): HB 4168 repealed the refundable portion of the state's research tax credit. The Council said it has concerns about the repeal.
Manufacturing infrastructure (2026): The Council named HB 4026, a bill on the cap on state payments to cities, towns and counties for public infrastructure serving manufacturing facilities, a priority in its 2026 voter guide. Arizona AI did not confirm HB 4026's final status. The budget tax bill HB 4168 raised that cap from $200 million, in steps reaching $350 million on July 1, 2028, and raised the minimum capital investment a manufacturing facility must make to qualify.
Axon headquarters bill (2025): The Council supported SB 1543, the international headquarters campus bill, which it says "paved the way" for Axon's headquarters in Scottsdale. The Governor signed it on April 18, 2025.
Two electricity bills (2025): The Council opposed HB 2527 (corporation commission; electricity; reliability; management), citing concerns over limiting Arizona's ability to pursue renewable energy options, and SB 1309 (public utilities; electric grid improvements), citing its vague definitions and potential to restrict clean energy integration. The Governor vetoed both on April 18, 2025.
Arizona Commerce Authority (2024): The Council says it "successfully advocated continuation" of the Authority for five more years. HB 2210, approved June 18, 2024, continues the Authority to July 1, 2029.
Federal R&D expensing (2025): The Council joined the Technology Councils of North America in supporting full Section 174 research expensing, while taking no "formal stance on the broader bill".

At its April 2026 DC Fly-In, the Council met with 10 of Arizona's 11 congressional offices and listed "Data Centers + AI Infrastructure" among its federal priorities.

Arizona AI lists only positions the Council published or an official record shows, and does not credit or blame the Council for any bill's outcome.

Track record

The Council reports its own results. Arizona AI places an independent record beside them where one exists.

Its own claims: The Council says its advocacy "helped ensure a five-year continuation" of the Commerce Authority in 2024, and it reports winning the Technology Councils of North America's Public Policy Advocacy Award on July 15, 2025.
Computer science funding: The Council's 2025 annual report counts $1 million for computer science teacher professional development in the fiscal 2026 state budget as a top-priority win, and its 2026 voter guide calls it ongoing funding. The Joint Legislative Budget Committee's report confirms the $1 million for fiscal 2026; the program received the same amount in fiscal 2024 and 2025, and the report says it "is unchanged from FY 2025."
The 2026 session: In its own recap, the Council wrote that "not every outcome aligned with the Council's priorities," naming the repeal of the refundable R&D credit, "a program the Council helped establish more than a decade ago." The recap describes the three-year pause on new data center tax credit certifications separately, noting that existing projects are unaffected.
Finances: The Council's IRS filings show expenses above revenue in 2023 and 2024, and negative net assets at every December year end from 2012 through 2024, including negative $362,223 at the end of 2024.

Arizona Technology Council: By the Numbers

Each figure is dated and linked to its source. Figures that are company-reported, announced, or projected rather than measured are labeled.

Created by merger: 2002 (company-reported)
Member companies: More than 750 (company-reported)
Revenue, fiscal 2025: $1,991,845 (company-reported)
Employees, 2024: 11 (as filed with the IRS)
Political campaign and lobbying expenditures, 2024 (IRS filing): $53,363 (Form 990, Schedule C)

The Arizona build-out, 2002 to 2025

2002: Created by merger
2007: Steven G. Zylstra becomes president and CEO
2008: Tucson regional office: opened
2016: Optics industry association merges in
2025: CEO named to Governor's AI Steering Committee

Arizona Technology Council Phoenix office

Measure	Value	As of	Basis	Source
Office address	2800 N. Central Ave., Suite 1530, Phoenix, AZ 85004	2026-10-28	company-reported From the company's own published information.	Arizona Technology Council
Mailing address on its website	201 E. Washington St., #1800, Phoenix, AZ 85004	2026-10-28	company-reported From the company's own published information.	Arizona Technology Council

Arizona Technology Council Tucson regional office

Measure	Value	As of	Basis	Source
Address in its annual reports and website	1215 E. Pennsylvania St., Suite 122, Tucson, AZ 85714	2026-10-28	company-reported From the company's own published information.	Arizona Technology Council
Address on its Google Maps listing	9070 S. Rita Rd., Suite 1550, Tucson, AZ 85747	2026-10-28	company-reported From the company's own published information.	Google Maps
What happens here	Southern Arizona Regional Office: member engagement, sponsorships and regional events, led by Vice President Paloma Santiago since January 2026	2026-01-12	company-reported From the company's own published information.	Arizona Technology Council
Opened	2008	2008-12-31	company-reported From the company's own published information.	Arizona Technology Council

Investment

Measure	Value	As of	Basis	Source
Where the money comes from, fiscal 2025	Membership dues 33.5%, programs and events 30.2%, grants and contributions 14.6%, sponsorship 12.8%, other 8.9%	2025-12-31	company-reported From the company's own published information.	Arizona Technology Council
Net assets, end of 2024	Negative $362,223	2024-12-31	verified	IRS Form 990 filing (ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer copy)
SciTech Institute (the Council's foundation) revenue, year ended July 2025	$2,614,485	2025-07-31	verified	ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (IRS data)
State computer science teacher training appropriation, fiscal 2026	$1,000,000 (fiscal 2026; same amount in fiscal 2024 and 2025)	2026-06-30	verified	Joint Legislative Budget Committee

Other

Measure	Value	As of	Basis	Source
Steven G. Zylstra becomes president and CEO	December 2007	2007-12-31	company-reported From the company's own published information.	Arizona Technology Council
Optics industry association merges in	2016	2016-12-31	company-reported From the company's own published information.	Arizona Technology Council
CEO named to Governor's AI Steering Committee	May 21, 2025	2025-05-21	verified	Office of the Arizona Governor
Legal form	501(c)(6) tax-exempt business league (trade association), Arizona nonprofit	2024-12-31	verified	IRS Form 990 filing (ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer copy)
Board chair	Christine Boles, founder of MC Consulting Services LLC, since October 30, 2025	2025-10-31	company-reported From the company's own published information.	Arizona Technology Council
Arizona Artificial Intelligence Ecosystem (AAIE) Committee	The Council's AI committee, chaired by Minky Kernacs of Mercurio Analytics, gives recommendations on AI practices and policy to the community and legislators	2026-10-28	company-reported From the company's own published information.	Arizona Technology Council
TechFusion AI conference	Second annual TechFusion: AI, IT and Computer Science Conference announced for March 31, 2026 at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix; the first was scheduled for March 25, 2025	2026-03-12	announced From a public announcement. Plans can change.	Arizona Technology Council
Governor's Celebration of Innovation	Annual technology awards run with the Arizona Commerce Authority; the 23rd gala is set for November 18, 2026 at Chateau Luxe in Phoenix	2026-10-28	announced From a public announcement. Plans can change.	Arizona Technology Council
Technology Industry Impact Report	Quarterly report on Arizona tech jobs and wages, compiled for the Council by Lightcast; the Q3 2025 edition (January 2026) highlighted semiconductor-driven growth	2026-01-12	company-reported From the company's own published information.	Arizona Technology Council
How it lobbies and endorses	Lobbies through its Public Policy Committee, staff and the contract firm Public Policy Partners; runs a PAC and endorses legislative candidates (2026 list released June 10, 2026)	2026-06-10	company-reported From the company's own published information.	Arizona Technology Council
Computer science diploma seal, HB 2764 (2026)	Called HB 2764 its top legislative priority; signed by the Governor June 4, 2026 (Laws 2026, chapter 112)	2026-06-04	company-reported From the company's own published information.	Arizona Technology Council
Data center tax incentives (2026)	Said it was defending Arizona's data center incentives; the budget tax bill HB 4168, signed June 13, 2026, bars new data center applications from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029	2026-06-17	company-reported From the company's own published information.	Arizona Technology Council
Refundable R&D tax credit repeal (2026)	Said it has concerns about the repeal of the refundable portion of the state R&D tax credit, which HB 4168 repealed effective January 1, 2026	2026-06-17	company-reported From the company's own published information.	Arizona Technology Council
Manufacturing infrastructure cap (2026)	Named HB 4026, a bill on the cap on state payments to cities, towns and counties for public infrastructure serving manufacturing facilities, a legislative priority. The enacted budget tax bill HB 4168 raised that cap from $200 million to $250 million through June 30, 2027, $300 million through June 30, 2028 and $350 million from July 1, 2028, and raised the minimum capital investment a facility must make to qualify.	2026-06-13	company-reported From the company's own published information.	Arizona Technology Council
Axon headquarters bill, SB 1543 (2025)	Supported SB 1543 (ancillary use; international headquarters campus); signed by the Governor April 18, 2025	2025-04-18	company-reported From the company's own published information.	Arizona Technology Council
Arizona Commerce Authority continuation (2024)	Says it "actively supported" HB 2210, which continued the Arizona Commerce Authority for five years, and "successfully advocated" the continuation; HB 2210 (Laws 2024, chapter 206), approved June 18, 2024, continues the Authority to July 1, 2029.	2024-06-18	company-reported From the company's own published information.	Arizona Technology Council
Federal R&D expensing (2025)	Joined the Technology Councils of North America in supporting restoration of full Section 174 R&D expensing, without taking a formal stance on the broader federal bill	2025-07-09	company-reported From the company's own published information.	Arizona Technology Council

Sources

Arizona Technology Council: Common Questions

What does the Arizona Technology Council do?: The Arizona Technology Council is a 501(c)(6) trade association for Arizona's science and technology companies, created in 2002 and reporting more than 750 member companies. It runs industry committees, including an Arizona Artificial Intelligence Ecosystem Committee, holds events such as the Governor's Celebration of Innovation with the Arizona Commerce Authority, publishes a quarterly Technology Industry Impact Report and lobbies on state and federal policy.
How is the Arizona Technology Council funded?: Mostly by its members and events. The Council's 2025 annual report puts fiscal 2025 revenue at $1,991,845: membership dues 33.5%, programs and events 30.2%, grants and contributions 14.6%, sponsorship 12.8% and other 8.9%. Its 2024 IRS Form 990 reports net assets of negative $362,223 at the end of 2024.
Does the Arizona Technology Council lobby?: Yes. It lobbies at the state Capitol through its Public Policy Committee, staff and the contract firm Public Policy Partners, presents a federal agenda to Arizona's congressional offices each year, runs a political action committee and endorses Arizona Legislature candidates. Its 2024 Form 990 reports $53,363 in political campaign activity expenditures, the same amount it reports as nondeductible lobbying and political expenditures. In 2026 it called HB 2764, the computer science diploma seal signed June 4, 2026, its top legislative priority.
What is the Arizona Technology Council's position on data center tax incentives?: In February 2026 the Council said it was "actively engaged in defending Arizona's existing data center incentives." The budget tax bill HB 4168, signed June 13, 2026, bars the Arizona Commerce Authority from accepting applications from new computer data centers from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029. The Council said it welcomed the decision to keep the program despite that three-year moratorium.
Who leads the Arizona Technology Council?: Steven G. Zylstra has been president and CEO since December 2007. Christine Boles of MC Consulting Services LLC has chaired the board since October 30, 2025. Paloma Santiago has led the Southern Arizona Regional Office in Tucson since January 2026. Zylstra was also named to the Governor's AI Steering Committee on May 21, 2025.
Where is the Arizona Technology Council located?: In Phoenix, the Council's 2025 annual report, its 2024 tax return and its Google Maps listing give 2800 N. Central Ave., Suite 1530, while its website's contact page lists a Phoenix mailing address of 201 E. Washington St., #1800, the same address and suite the Arizona Commerce Authority lists for its own office. For its Tucson office, which opened in 2008, its 2024 and 2025 annual reports and its website list 1215 E. Pennsylvania St., Suite 122, while its Google Maps listing shows 9070 S. Rita Rd., Suite 1550, the address its 2017 annual report gave.