ASU Gammage awarded 2017 Economic Driver Award

ASU Gammage was awarded the 2017 Economic Driver Award in the Small to Medium Business category for its positive influence on the Valley’s business community and economy, as part of the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce’s (GPCC) Impact Awards.

ASU Gammage is one of only eight recognized organizations, and is also eligible to win the 2017 IMPACT Business of the Year.

The awardees will be honored at the 30th annual GPCC IMPACT Awards luncheon May 10.

"The Impact Award as an Economic Driver is a tremendous honor for ASU Gammage and for the Arts. We’re a small team doing big things by creating more than $100 million of economic impact for Arizona last year, which is proof that the Arts can be sustainable and can run as fiscally sound business but with the heart of a nonprofit,” said Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, executive director of ASU Gammage and ASU vice president for cultural affairs. “This award acknowledges our team’s hard work and dedication to making ASU Gammage the home of the Arts in Arizona.”

In addition to showing the best arts performances in multiple disciplines, from Broadway and across the globe, ASU Gammage also drives the Valley’s economy by attracting patrons from across the state whose business helps local organizations flourish as well.  

Although part of the university, ASU Gammage operates as a self-sustaining business. The majority of its funding comes from its Broadway series and the rest comes from philanthropy. This business model, driven by private support and ticket sales with no funding from the university or the state, runs like a business, but with the heart of a nonprofit. 

The luncheon will honor all eight winners including the Center for Entrepreneurial Innovation, Crisis Response Network, Inc., ASU Gammage, Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc., Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Southwest Airlines, EPCOR Water USA and Sonora Quest Laboratories.

Tickets to the celebration, which will be held at the Arizona Biltmore, are available through the Chamber’s website.

“This year’s IMPACT Awards recipients are a testament to the success that can be achieved through dedication to leadership, innovation and community,” said Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Todd Sanders in a news release. “These businesses and organizations will continue to drive the growth of the Greater Phoenix region for years to come.”