Central New Mexico Economic Guide: 2008

CENTRAL NEW MEXICO

ECONOMIC GUIDE

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Now That’s an Expansion Development will be twice the size of Boston

Q Marks the Spot Albuquerque markets itself as all about the ‘Q’

Reeling With Excitement Infrastructure and effort lure major film projects

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contents

CENTRAL NEW MEXICO

ECONOMIC GUIDE

19

OVERVIEW

11

BUSINESS ALMANAC

12

BUSINESS CLIMATE

Earning High Marks

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The Central New Mexico region has gotten national attention as a prime place to do business.

Q Marks the Spot

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FILM

Reeling With Excitement

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Central New Mexico is the hot new location for ďŹ lmmakers.

27

It’s a Team Effort

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Fast Forward

22

TECHNOLOGY

At National Labs, the Future Is Now READ MORE ONLINE

CENTRALNEWMEX . com LINKS Click on links to local Web sites and learn more about the business click climate, demographics, service providers and other aspects of life here.

THE MOVIE Take a virtual tour of Old Time Albuquerque as seen through the eyes of our photographers.

CENTRAL NEW MEXICO

ONLINE VIRTUAL MAGAZINE Flip through pages of Central New Mexico Economic Guide on your computer screen, zoom in to read the articles and click on the ads to be linked to the Web sites of advertisers.

ECONOMIC GUIDE

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Two national laboratories exert a profound impact on the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy and culture.

Designing Smart Cars

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Sensing Danger

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Microelectronics Mecca

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Figuring Out Their iPods

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AVIATION

Going to New Heights

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Vern Raburn, the high-ďŹ&#x201A;ying Internet maven, is setting his sights on a new jet thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ nally in production.

Got $1.8 Million? Bid on eBay

35

High Flyers

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ARCHIVES Read past editions of Central New Mexico Economic Guide.

ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE Central New Mexico Economic Guide is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is sponsored by the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce. In print and online, Business Images gives readers a taste of what makes Central New Mexico tick â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from transportation and technology to health care and quality of life.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Find the good â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and praise it.â&#x20AC;?

REAL ESTATE & DEVE LOPME NT

A Place in the Sun

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Albuquerque was the No. 1 hot spot to buy real estate in 2007, according to www.housingpredictor.com.

Retail Renaissance

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Now Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an Expansion

43

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Alex Haley (1921-1992), Journal Communications co-founder

jnlcom.com

CENTRAL NEW MEXICO

On the Cover PHOTO BY IAN CURCIO Film sets now dot the New Mexico landscape.

CENTRALNEWMEX.COM

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contents TOURISM

52

The Place To Be

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The tourism industry around here is thriving.

MANUFACTURING

Electricity Is in the Air

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Albuquerque is poised to become the center of the latest revolution in automobile manufacturing: all-electric vehicles.

HEALTH CARE

These Doctors Will See You Now

48

The M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas is partnering with Presbyterian Kaseman Hospital.

AGRICULTURE

These Crops Are Hot

50

Chile peppers have a long history rooted in the sandy soil of New Mexico.

Going Back to Their Roots

52

E DUCATION

Learning Curves

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The region is a thriving center for higher education that continually expands and adapts to meet the needs of its students.

E NVIRON M E NT

Making Green

by Going Green

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Award-winning green programs are bringing a better quality of life and investment to the city.

ECONOMIC PROFILE

61

54 CENTRAL NEW MEXICO

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overview

CENTRAL NEW MEXICO THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW The Accolades Keep Pouring In...

Central New Mexico

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Men’s Fitness magazine named Albuquerque as the fittest city in the nation.

National Geographic Adventure magazine named the Albuquerque region among the top 50 places to live and play. The Trust for Public Land praised Albuquerque for devoting the biggest percentage of city land to parks and preserves of any large city in the country. The area’s golf courses are ranked among the top 40 casino courses by Golf Digest. The city was named the Third Best City in the nation for dogs by Men’s Health magazine. Other accolades: the No. 1 most affordable vacation spot by AAA; among the top 20 Nano Metro areas in the nation by Wilson Center’s Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies; the No. 1 healthiest city for Latinas by Latina Magazine; the No. 6 Best Place for Business and Careers by Forbes 96 magazine; among the top 25 best places to get a job by Forbes. com, the No. 4 Best American City for making movies by Lo os Alamos o MovieMaker magazine.

4 550

Santa Fe 25 550

SANDOVAL

Bernalillo Corrales

Rio Rancho 85

BERNALILLO

Albuquerque

40

40

337 47

Moriarty

Bosque Farms 6

Los Lunas

VALENCIA

285

55

304

Estancia 41

Belén

55

60

Willard

25 47

60

3

Mountainair 42

SEE VIDEO ONLINE | To read more about Central New Mexico’s top rankings, visit centralnewmex.com.

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TORRANCE

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IT’S BEAN FUN The city of Moriarty celebrates a vegetable every year.

The 22nd annual Moriarty Pinto Bean Fiesta will descend upon Moriarty City Park in October 2008. Estancia Valley was known as the pinto bean capital of the world in the 1940s, and Moriarty honors this tradition with a variety of events each October.

The events include a pancake breakfast, a Pinto Bean Fun Run, parade, live music, a rodeo, and food and vendor booths.

AIR OF DISTINCTION The sky’s the limit every October when 750 hot air balloons participate in the annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. The nine-day event will take place in 2008 from Oct. 4-12.

WILD ABOUT WILDLIFE With all of the sprawling open spaces, it’s no wonder why Central New Mexico is an ideal destination for outdoor enthusiasts.

Hunting has always been a favorite pastime near Albuquerque, and a variety of animals is abundant throughout the region’s forestland.

A number of small game animals thrives here, as do turkey, bear, elk and mule deer.

The celebration of flight occurs at Balloon Fiesta Park on the northern edge of the city. That is where all of the participating balloons are launched, and the fiesta is considered one of the most photographed events in the world.

The celebration has become so popular that an Albuquerque International Balloon Museum opened on the grounds in 2005, to provide a general history of ballooning.

There are also some species of African animals that can be hunted, including pronghorn antelopes.

Overseeing all of the hunting that takes place is the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.

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business almanac

LAVENDER ICE CREAM? Aah, what a sweet festival.

The fifth annual Lavender in the Village takes root in Los Ranchos July 2009, at Village Park. The event is meant to showcase the historic agricultural lands in the valley, as well as small businesses on Fourth Street, Rio Grande Boulevard and Chavez Road.

Activities include a growersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; market, arts and crafts, visits to wineries, and tours of area farms and lavender fields. Visitors can purchase items such as lavender ice cream, lavender pottery, lavender soaps and lavender plants, and admission is free.

TAKE A PEAK Look up. The worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s longest aerial tramway is located here.

The Sandia Peak Tramway transports passengers 2.7 miles from Albuquerque to an observation deck that is atop Sandia Peak, which is 10,378 feet above sea level. The Tram, as it is commonly called, has hauled more than 8.5 million passengers during its 42 years of operation.

Riders take a 15-minute trip, and the tram can haul 220 passengers at four trips per hour. On average, the tram makes 10,500 trips each year and hauls 225,000 passengers.

ROOM TO VROOM Gearheads, rejoice.

The 11th annual South Route 66 Summerfest will rumble into Los Lunas June 2009, with a variety of activities scheduled. There will be a Battle of the Bands competition, wine and microbrew tasting, an art exhibit and a huge garage sale.

But the event is known for its large car show, and the 2009 festival will be no different.

Categories of entrants will include antique pre-1930, muscle car 1960-67, low rider, truck 1946-1969, hot rod, travel trailer, motorcycle, convertibles and street rods.

There will even be a category for bicycles, and one for tractors.

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business almanac

SKIING IS BELIEVING Visitors to Central New Mexico are often surprised to learn about the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reputation for snow skiing.

The region sits at more than 5,000 feet above sea level, making it the highest metropolitan area on the American mainland. The high altitude has also made it a prime destination for skiers and snowboarders.

Helping to make for fine conditions are the light, fluffy snow that falls in Central New Mexico, along with sunny conditions during the colder months.

One of the more popular resorts is the Sandia Peak Ski Area, which offers 30 groomed trails among its 200 acres.

SEE MORE ONLINE Take a video tour of Old Town at centralnewmex.com.

CITY OF LITTLE LIGHTS O come, O come to see the Christmas lights.

Albuquerque is known for its Christmas decorations, and many residents decorate their homes with luminarias. These are small paper sacks with light provided from votive candles and weighted with sand.

The luminarias have given Albuquerque a reputation as the City of Little Lights during Christmas.

ABQ, A LONG TIME AGO Albuquerque recently celebrated its 300th anniversary, and the historic feel of the city is still found today in Old Town.

The luminarias are supposed to represent the lighting of streets to guide Joseph and Mary, but now people of all faiths put them out.

They are primarily a Christmas Eve tradition, and have been a New Mexican tradition for hundreds of years.

This cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first neighborhood features 18th-century architecture along with narrow brick pathways, as well as quaint merchant shops. In fact, it is such an interesting part of Albuquerque that guided walking tours conducted

by The Albuquerque Museum are available Tuesdays through Sundays from mid-March to mid-December.

Much of the architecture of Old Town is Pueblo-Spanish, also called adobe. Other styles include Victorian and contemporary.

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Earning

High Marks Albuquerqueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business climate gets noticed

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business climate

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Myra Pancrazio, executive director for the Estancia Valley Economic Development Association.

When industry moves to Albuquerque or Rio Rancho, there are often support businesses or suppliers that also come and can move into surrounding counties, she says.

Also, the demographics for things like workforce are factored into the entire metropolitan statistical area.

Instead of the individual areas competing against each other for employers, the region’s business officials take a broader view, Pancrazio says.

“We look at our competition as Texas, Colorado, Arizona,” she says. “As a region, we go out together and market our region because whatever comes to the area, no matter where it goes, it benefits all four counties.”

In Belen, a rural area about half an hour south of Albuquerque, partnerships with the state have been a key way to promote its business climate, says

Claudette Riley of the Greater Belen Economic Development Corporation.

She says the city has gone through multiple certif ications with the New Mexico Economic Development Department as a way to create a strategy for attracting companies and figuring out what qualities to emphasize to prospective employees.

“It’s actually helped us create visibility for our area,” Riley says. “Quality of life is huge down here because we’re such a small community but we’re so close to Albuquerque. Being so close to Albuquerque, that’s one of our strongest assets.”

Cole of the Albuquerque chamber says one of the challenges is simply to keep up with the growth as officials work on improving several areas.

And the payoff is evident.

“Companies are noticing,” she says, “both by locating here and staying put once they get here.”

– Victoria Eckenrode

IAN CURCIO

he Central New Mexico region has gotten national attention as a prime place to do business, but local officials say they have no plans to rest on their laurels.

The area gained significant bragging rights when in 2006, Forbes Magazine ranked Albuquerque as the top place in the country for businesses and careers, based on factors like job growth and education of the workforce.

Albuquerque slipped in the magazine’s same comparison for 2007 but remained in the top 10 nationally at No. 6.

Terri Cole, president and CEO of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, says the area will continue to be an attractive place to draw employers and workers.

“Business success today is based on whether an area is both a vibrant economy and a quality place to live,” she says. “Our region gets high marks in both areas.

Debbie Moore, president/CEO of the Rio Rancho Regional Chamber of Commerce, agrees. “Rio Rancho is a wonderful place to do business, because as a growing community, it’s where we turn visions into reality,” she says.

The area also has been recognized as a place with low business costs. In 2006, Albuquerque was rated as the cheapest place in the country to run a business – 24 percent lower than the national average, according to Forbes.

Cole and Moore say their chambers work hard to promote the qualities important to businesses from workforce to transportation to health care.

“The competition in this global economy is fierce,” Cole says. “It isn’t enough to be good in this day and age. We’ve got to be great.”

Part of the business officials’ strategy to promote the area to employers is by partnering with their counterparts in surrounding counties.

“The regionalism effort is absolutely essential to the rural areas,” says

Albuquerque has become a destination for educated young people who keep the city’s cafés and restaurants bustling. Opposite: Albuquerque shines at night.

P H OTO B Y B R I A N M c C O R D

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business climate

Q M

Marks the Spot

S TA F F P H OTO

ost marketing and branding campaigns aim to get the word out; in Albuquerque’s case, the goal is to get the letter out.

Albuquerque is all about the Q. The city is using Q to brand its green initiatives. Q Bar is a high-end watering

New branding campaign makes Albuquerque all about the Q hole at The Albuquerque Hotel in Old Town. ABQ Uptown, a new lifestyle center with apartments and shops, uses a large, neon Q in its signage; the Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau highlights the letter in its logo and publications, too.

The hope is that Q as a nickname

is catchier than ABQ or Duke City, two existing monikers, says Mayor Martin Chavez.

Graphically, Q is a “great, simple, nice short way of referring to Albuquerque,” he says.

A bonus – in the Spanish pronunciation of Albuquerque, the q’s are very prominent, making the shorthand reference a nice nod to the city’s heritage.

The city now marks any vehicle that uses alternative fuel with a prominent Q. In May 2007, Albuquerque sponsored the Q Jam Music Festival and Environmental Sustainability Fair, with high-profile performers such as Jonny Lang and Joan Osborne.

Normally, advertising experts create manuals and specific standards that spell out how to position the brand.

Not so with the Q. “We call it a unibrand,” says Debbie Johnson, CEO of Rick Johnson & Co., an ad firm working with the city. “It has to be so flexible and so variable and so evolutionary.”

And that’s been the history of the Q, which simply started springing up in signage over time.

Chavez said he started to notice the letter more and more and seized on the idea.

“It started coming from different directions and it was a nice fit,” he says. “It just emerged.”

As with all brands, the Q has its detractors, including avid bloggers.

Anti-Q T-shirts even showed up on the street, a development Johnson takes as a form of compliment. After all, the idea is flexibility.

“The mayor wants everyone to Q in their own way,” she says.

– Pamela Coyle The Q is everywhere, including the ABQ Shopping Center in Albuquerque.

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Reeling With Central New Mexico lands starring role in film industry

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Success

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film

Left: Six large sound stages at ABQ Studios have been the setting for major Hollywood productions. Center: Workers build a set inside an ABQ Studios sound stage. Right: Albuquerque police block the set for the upcoming film, Game. P H OTO S B Y I A N C U R C I O

A

perfect storm of trained workers, financial incentives, picturesque landscapes and obliging communities has made Central New Mexico a hot new location for filmmakers.

Production companies like ABQ Studios and Sony Pictures Imageworks are finding fertile ground in and around Albuquerque, investing millions in sound stages and partnerships with local colleges and universities. Much of the growth comes from state incentives put in place in 2002, which provide refunds on up to 25 percent of production expenses subject to taxation, including labor. The state also has a zero-interest loan program for up to $15 million, and additional incentives for hiring local crews.

It’s all come together to make the area competitive with Los Angeles, which is just a short plane ride away, says Lisa Strout, director of the New Mexico Film Office.

“When we started, we were one of only two states with tax incentives, and now there are 36,” Strout says. “And we’re constantly reinventing ourselves and evolving along with the trends in the industry.”

The cornerstone of the film-production effort is the tax rebate, but the film-

loan program has produced a lot of value as well.

“The principal comes back to us and we negotiate a piece of the upside once they repay all the money, so it’s very much an economic development tool,” Strout explains. “We get movies that otherwise might not come to New Mexico because we offer this financing package.

Our principal is completely safe, and we’re starting to see money come in from movies that were shot here.”

That investment is pouring in on a large scale. Albuquerque Studios is now one of the largest production operations in the United States. It has poured some $74 million into building six large sound stages and has plans to build two more.

And the special effect and animation giant, Sony Pictures Imageworks, is building a 100,000-square-foot center that will be able to accommodate 1,000 workers.

The state also has a burgeoning movieproduction workforce. Universities and colleges have been growing their training for dozens of different production positions, working in tandem with unions so that when producers come to town, they find plenty of crews ready for work.

They’re also finding plenty of facilities

as full-scale studios are beginning to appear on the landscape.

“When these plans were put into place by the governor’s office it was almost like pie in the sky, but it’s really been going like clockwork,” Strout says. “We’re growing our crew base, we’re bringing in films from out of state and we’re nurturing our own filmmakers while we’re doing all this. Now we have serious infrastructure coming to us, which is giving us a permanent presence in the world of film.”

The influx of movie people is giving cities all across the state a chance to get in on the action. Production on Swing Vote with Kevin Costner wrapped in Belen in mid-2007, and the whole community benefited from the experience, says Mayor Ronnie Torres.

“It worked very well,” Torres says.

“They came into the community and brought some money, because local people were able to rent out their houses and property. If the movie’s a big hit, then people will look up our community and we’ll see some tourism dollars. I know when [Costner] did Field of Dreams, people traveled from all over to see that baseball field. We’re hoping that they’ll come down here and take a look as well.”

– Joe Morris

ABQ Studios in Mesa Del Sol is now home to one of the nation’s biggest and busiest film production facilities.

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It’s a Team Effort NEW PARTNERSHIPS, PROGRAMS PREPARE FILM CREWS FOR EXPANDING INDUSTRY Provide financial incentives, and they will come. It’s a plan that has worked to grow New Mexico’s film industry, but all those movies need trained crew members.

Education and union officials have teamed up to put a broad

A film student production at Central New Mexico Community College

range of training programs into place so that state residents are ready to snap up film-production jobs when they become available.

The best example is the Film Technicians’ Training Program, an effort by the New Mexico Film Office in collaboration with the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 480.

The program is offered at state colleges throughout New Mexico, and takes students through an introduction to the film industry all the way to specific craft areas, then puts them to work on movies under the guidance of qualified professionals.

“We’re getting people ready for working in the movies,” says Jim “Grubb” Graebner, a film instructor at Central New Mexico Community College. “The certification program gets people ready and available for the union.”

Over the course of two semesters, students obtain a broad education in the movie business, and then focus on a particular area of expertise. With more than 50 different jobs on a set, there’s plenty to choose from, Graebner says. And over the past few years, interest has mushroomed, resulting in a much larger employee base for the burgeoning industry.

“In 2002, the union had about 380 members, and now it’s up to around 1,200 people,” Graebner says. “We’ve been training people like wild.”

That’s good news for Albuquerque Studios, which has invested more than $70 million in several sound stages and other production facilities.

“The film is only as good as the people who work on it and the crews that provide the production,” says Nick Smerigan, chief operating officer. “There’s not a lot of people that understand film and can do the job, so it’s important that we build the base of talent. The only way to get that is someone going to college, and also getting the practical experience.”

– Joe Morris

Moving Fast Forward FILM ENTREPRENEUR CREATES CHEAPER, HIGH-QUALITY FILM Usually when presented with “better, faster, cheaper,” the choice is to pick any two. With Cinnafilm™, you get all three.

The company’s visual effects processor is designed to make digital video look like film. It performs the service in real time, something new to the industry, and is much less expensive than other methods currently used to achieve the same effect, says Lance Maurer, president and CEO of Cinnafilm™.

“We bridge the gap between actually making something look like film and being able to shoot it on an affordable budget,” Maurer says. “It’s taken about four years to develop, but we’ve got what we consider a world-class film look, and we can do it in real time – you don’t have to render anything.”

For Maurer, an aerospace engineer and New Mexico State grad who got into filmmaking a few years back and has written, directed and edited his own feature

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films, finding a way to marry low production costs with high-quality final product was key.

“I speak engineering and know software, and we wanted to make affordable software for people,” he says. “Digital video can look really harsh, but if your budget is $250,000 and it costs $50,000 to edit it on a computer and then put it onto a 35mm master print, it’s a big chunk of your money. We started looking at the different software and editing packages, and went to work creating a filmwork tool that was affordable and looked great.”

Cinnafilm™’s team has finished up the highdefinition version of the tool, so now any source footage can be used. The company is in the process of selling equity shares, and will be rolling out its product to market during 2008. Based on early buzz, things are looking very good.

– Joe Morris

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film

Lance Maurer, an entrepreneur creating new, cheaper film technology, watches a film in his in-office theater.

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Film Credits Moviemakers have been shooting feature films in Central New Mexico since 1912, according to the Albuquerque film office. Here is a partial list of film and television programs shot in the area since 2005.

2007

“Wildfire” season four, a drama/ romance by Lions Gate Television

drama/thriller/war film by Paramount/ Miramax

Hamlet 2, a comedy by Bona Fide Productions

Tennessee, a drama by Dash Films/Lee Daniels Entertainment

Wild Hogs, an adventure/comedy

by Touchstone

To Live and Die Action, a thriller by MGM Home Entertainment

“Sarah Connor Chronicles,” a drama/ fantasy/sci-fi by C-2 Pictures/ Warner Bros.

Dreamland, a drama by Dreamland Motion Picture Company/Hunter Films

In Plain Sight, a drama by Northern Entertainment Productions $5 a day, a comedy by ThinkFilm

In the Valley of Elah, a drama/war film

by Blackfriars Bridge Films

“Wildfire” season three by Lions Gate Television

2005

The War Boys, a drama by The Group Entertainment

2006

Love N’ Dancing, a drama/romance by Trick Candle Productions/Dolger Films

Urban Justice, action/drama by Hood to Hood Productions

Swing Vote, a biography/comedy by Radar Pictures

Beerfest, a comedy by Warner Bros.

Linewatch, a drama by the Motion Picture Corporation of America

Employee of the Month, a comedy by Lions Gate

Afterwards, a drama by Fidelite Productions/Christal Films

The Lost Room, sci-fi by Lions Gate

Three Wise Guys, a comedy by Lions Gate Television

Save Me, a drama by Mythgarden/ Tetrahedron

Bordertown, a crime/drama/thriller by Mobius Entertainment Ltd.

Carriers, a drama/horror/thriller by Ivy Boy/This is That Productions

“Wildfire” seasons one & two by Lions Gate Television

West Texas Children’s Story, a drama by Burnt Orange Films

Rent, a drama/musical/romance by 1492 Pictures/Tribeca Productions

Transformers, an action/adventure/sci-fi

by Paramount Pictures

First Snow, a drama by Furst Films

Husband for Hire, a romantic comedy

by Granada Media/Oxygen Channel “Breaking Bad,” a television series by Sony Pictures Television Love Lies Bleeding, an action/drama/ thriller by Samdel Pictures The Eye, a drama/horror/thriller by Cruise/Wagner Productions Sunshine Cleaning, a comedy by Back Lot Pictures/Big Beach Films

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Fanboys, a comedy by Trigger Street

The Hitcher, a drama/horror/thriller by Intrepid Pictures No Country for Old Men, an adventure/

Trade (Welcome to America), a crime/ drama by Centropolis Entertainment The Flock, an action/crime/drama/ thriller by Bauer Martinez Studios Astronaut Farmer, a drama by Polish Brothers Construction

Cruel World, a comedy/thriller/horror/ drama by Primetime Pictures Rx, a thriller/crime/romance by Inscription Films/Sumatra Films

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technology

At

National Labs, the

Future Is Now

Los Alamos and Sandia pioneer technological innovations

P H OTO C O U R T E S Y O F D I N O VO U R N A S

L

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os Alamos National Laboratory is nestled in the Jemez Mountains while Sandia National Laboratories is 100 miles away in Albuquerque, but together the two national laboratories exert a profound impact on Central New Mexico’s economy and culture.

Both labs are not only intimately linked to American and world history, but continue to make dramatic strides in nuclear energy, nanotechnology, bioscience, chemistry, computer science, earth and environmental sciences, materials science, and defense technologies. They remain two of the premier facilities in the nation’s national labs network.

Founded in 1949, Sandia remains broadly entrenched in areas such as nuclear technologies, but out of this has emerged “growth” technologies such as computer modeling. Sandia’s also become a world leader in robotics – including futuristic advances in “swarm intelligence” in which a team of robots known as “rattlers” can roam the desert and determine whether someone or something has breached a security zone.

One of the biggest areas of activity: Domestic security research, which has mushroomed here since 9/11, just as Cold War defense work has gone into remission.

Sandia biochemist Dan Throckmorton prepares to add a sample to the prototype of a diagnostic device that will test the presence of certain enzymes using fluorescence.

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P H OTO C O U R T E S Y O F R A N DY M O N TOYA

Sandia researchers tackle “wicked problems.” Wicked problems are complex problems that change when you apply a solution.

Before 9/11, says Michael DeWitte, Sandia’s deputy director and group manager for public relations and communications, “a lot of things developed here that didn’t have an [immediate] application” but now can be used “in everyday security.”

Swarm intelligence applications, for example, have been used for pods of robots that can “sense, analyze, think and act,” he says.

Sandia also developed the Sentinel – the commercial version of its so-called “explosion detection personnel portal” that is now in a pilot version at a handful of airports testing passengers for possible liquid explosives.

Meanwhile, DeWitte explains that as post-Cold War defense funding has declined, Sandia has directed its focus to the private sector as well – an important development for Albuquerque.

The Lab, for example, has worked closely with Intel and Goodyear in a project in which tire wear is simulated through complex computer models, saving the company the expense of exhaustive road testing.

Sandia’s impact on surrounding Albuquerque is clear: The Lab has 7,500 employees, with an additional 1,000 contractors, “and we’re kind of scattered all over the community,” says DeWitte. “We’ve grown very much like Albuquerque has over the years in many respects.”

Many of these employees – between 15 and 20 percent with Ph.D.s – are also heavily involved in volunteerism, as well. In

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2007 alone, DeWitte says, they donated $3.4 million to the United Way, while many are involved Excellence in Science and Teaching programs, an outreach initiative that brings many of those Ph.D.s into the community to teach high school science.

On a per capita basis, the impact of Los Alamos on its surrounding community is even greater. There are just under 20,000 people in Los Alamos County, but a total of 10,924 employees working at the Lab. As a result, the median income in the county is among the highest in the United States, averaging $95,000 in 2004.

According to an LANL spokesman, “Los Alamos paid $911 million in salaries to its employees in the 2006 calendar year, and since salaries turn-over in local and regional economies several times, the Laboratory does have a great impact on its neighbors and the state.”

According to other LANL-released data, Los Alamos made $735 million in goods and purchases in fiscal 2007, with nearly half spent in Northern New Mexico, or over a sevencounty region that includes Los Alamos, Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, Taos, Mora, San Miguel and Bernalillo counties. According to the LANL spokesman, “taking this one step further, 57.2 percent, or $420 million of the total $735 million in procurements, were made in New Mexico on large and small businesses.”

– Verne Gay

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technology

Designing Smart Cars SANDIA RESEARCHERS DESIGN CARS THAT CARE FOR THEIR DRIVERS Imagine a car that alerts you when you are getting sleepy or spares you a dangerous distraction, directing your cell phone to hold a call.

Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories think it’s possible.

The lab’s augmented cognition team is working on ways to make vehicles smarter for potential commercial and military applications.

Part of the research uses sensors in a cap on test drivers to analyze human responses and measure brain waves, heart rate and other physiological data.

Another mines information that already exists, thanks to the computers now standard on new automobiles. Information about gas pedal pressure, stereo volume, air bag sensors and other so-called “control surfaces” already is out there, says Kevin Dixon, the

project’s principal investigator.

“Trying to make sense of it is the tricky stuff,” he says.

The team has looked at “overload” conditions, times when the circumstances are stressful and it would be “unwise to give the driver new tasks or information,” Dixon says.

Now, researchers are testing what they call “underload” conditions, when drivers may be bored, drowsy or distracted.

In one recent test at Camp Pendleton in California, software that classified driving conditions and caps that measured brain activity determined who in a modified military vehicle should handle a radio transmission, the driver or the passenger.

Along with the U.S. military, a major automotive maker also is a research partner, although Dixon says it’s too soon to say who. It is

Sensing Danger NEW AIRPORT LIQUID SCANNER COULD PREVENT TERRORISM

IAN CURCIO

The machine is called Sensit and might just be one of the most important weapons in the war on terror to date.

And it’s being put into action at the Albuquerque Regional Sunport in August 2008.

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also too early to tell what viable commercial applications may emerge, but Dixon already has some real-world advice for drivers.

Dialing and texting on a cell phone are especially foolish, creating risks similar to drunk driving. Listening to music doesn’t keep a driver all that engaged. The best way to stay alert? Good, oldfashioned conversation.

– Pamela Coyle

Caps on test drivers gauge human responses to driving distractions.

The Los Alamos National Lab-designed Sensit will work almost like an MRI, but the differences are like night and day.

The MRI creates images of the brain. Sensit – which was inspired by the lab-developed portable MRI – will determine whether the harmless shampoo bottle someone is carrying on-board could be holding enough Astrolite G to blow the entire aircraft out of the sky.

Some liquid explosives look or even smell harmless, but that’s an irrelevancy to Sensit.

Homeland Security gave Los Alamos over $3 million to research this groundbreaking liquid scanning technology. It works like this: Without giving off radiation, it scans a liquid inside a bottle for its molecular footprint, instantly determining whether it’s harmless or otherwise.

A green dot shows up on a monitor if it is a harmless substance, such as shampoo or shaving cream. Potential hazards result in a red dot.

Sensit will be tested at Sunport and a handful of other airports in the summer of 2008.

– Verne Gay Liquid scanners will be tested at Albuquerque’s airport.

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technology

Microelectro Intel plant adapts to changing winds in technology

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nics Mecca

IAN CURCIO

F

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rom the air, the vastness of Intel’s manufacturing plant in Rio Rancho is most visible. It stretches more than a mile long and a half-mile wide. Dominating Rio Rancho for nearly 30 years, the Intel facility is among the most famous facilities of its type on the globe – a symbol of the digital revolution itself.

But the view from above doesn’t even begin to offer a glimpse of the changes that have overtaken the vast industry of so-called integrated device manufacturers on the ground.

Intel’s workforce, 5,600 in Rio Rancho alone in 2007, has shrunk as the crosswind of these forces continue to buffet the entire industry, with overseas labor and undercutting technologies squeezing margins.

Yet Intel’s presence here means that Rio Rancho remains one of the nation’s leading high-tech cities. Intel is the sun around which many satellites now revolve – about 50 technology companies and startups here alone. SUMCO (formerly Sumitomo Mitsubishi Silicon) makes silicon wafers in Rio Rancho. San Jose, Calif.-based Xilinx, the world’s biggest “fabless” maker of field-programmable gate arrays, or FPGAs, is here as well.

Sparton, an electronic parts maker, has an 110,000-square-foot facility; Bi Ra Systems, a maker of bipolar power supply modules, among many other products, has planted a stake in Rio Rancho, too.

Area business leader and president of Albuquerque Economic Development, Gary Tonjes, cites many factors for the region’s draw to microelectronics manufacturers, including lower labor and energy costs, numerous state and local

incentives, lower land costs and land availability, and proximity to a major airport. Double Eagle II – Albuquerque’s secondary airport after Albuquerque International Sunport – is about ten miles to the southwest.

In addition, Intel is a large customer of these companies, making proximity important as well.

Tonjes offered this outlook for the region: “Intel’s presence for 300mm [wafers] is fairly well assured for the next five to eight years, or until the next generation of size is introduced. Then, probably, there’s a 50-50 chance it will remain in the United States or move to Asia. [It’ll] be a cost decision,” although he adds that what will be “critical” to its remaining in Rio Rancho “will be highly trained semi-equipment techs and engineers, [because] the need for relatively unskilled labor will continue to decline.”

And Tonjes does see several growth areas ahead.

He says the region should, in fact, be “targeting” fabless design houses (like Xilinx), but “solar panels – photovoltaics – use a process somewhat similar to semiconductors as does MEMS [MicroElectro Mechanical Systems], and these two industries should see significant growth over the next five to 10 years.

PV and MEMS have not reached the point of ‘cookie-cutter’ machines capable of making a ‘standard’ product. Therefore the requirement for engineering, technicians and operators should continue at a fairly high growth rate for the next five years or so.”

In other words, the future’s as bright at the vast New Mexico sky overhead.

– Verne Gay

Intel’s presence in Rio Rancho has drawn more than 50 new companies to the area.

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technology

Figuring Out

Their iPods

Degrees prepare students for high-tech work

instruction and allows students to concentrate in semiconductor manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, or MicroElectro Mechanical Systems, or MEMS. The MEMS field, which deals with work on the extremely small scale, provides technology for companies ranging from biomedical products to electronics that people use in their everyday lives.

“I focus on the microsystems because that’s what’s being done now,” says Pleil, who also serves as principal investigator of the Southwest Center for Microsystems Education. “It encompasses computer chip fabrication as well as the sensors used in (vehicle) crash bag systems.”

The center is now housed at CNM but will be moving to nearby University of New Mexico, he says. A National Science Foundation-funded project, the

center focuses on developing workforce training materials in the field as well as reaching out to high school students to explain about microsystems and the future job market.

At CNM, students learn electronics and mechanical components concepts.

They absorb how circuits are used in the micro-machines and semiconductors.

And they work in so-called “clean rooms” where they get hands-on experience in areas like processing silicon wafers.

“They finally start to understand how their iPods work, how their game controller works, how their car navigation system works,” Pleil says. “It’s not just magic anymore. They finally get a feel for that, and that excites them to go after a career in this.”

– Victoria Eckenrode

P H OTO S B Y I A N C U R C I O

C

entral New Mexico Community College’s manufacturing technology program is relatively small, both in its number of students and its subject focus.

But the concentration has had a large impact on its students as well as the area’s technology firms.

“The six or so students I graduate every year all get jobs,” says Matthias Pleil, a professor at CNM’s School of Applied Technologies. “We’re trying to provide a base for the workforce, that’s the key thing.”

He says that anywhere between 40 and 60 students are at some stage of earning their associate of applied science degree in manufacturing technology.

Intended to be a two-year program, the degree includes about 70 hours of

Central New Mexico Community College offers students hands-on experience with seminconductor manufacturing. Right: Students at the Southwest Center for Microsystems Education create semiconductor components like this one.

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aviation

Going to

New Heights High-flying Internet maven turns his startup talent to new Very Light Jet

T

Eclipse Aviation CEO Vern Raburn is the force behind a new, SUV-sized jet.

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he mayor of Albuquerque likes to say that Vern Raburn can talk about anything, though he always lands on airplanes.

Planes have been a constant in Raburn’s life. The visionary and sometimes controversial CEO of Eclipse Aviation got his pilot’s license as a teenager; his father was a Douglas Aircraft engineer.

He’s logged more than 6,500 hours and is rated to fly more than a dozen different airplanes.

“Being a pilot gives you an ability, privilege and skills to do things in ways most people don’t get to do,” Raburn says.

Today, Raburn is considered the father of the “Very Light Jet,” an aircraft that is smaller, lighter and less expensive than traditional corporate jets on the market. The Eclipse 500, weighing less than 10,000 pounds, is in production after years of engine problems, financing delays and other startup glitches. Customers are lining up to pay $1.5 million

for the plane, which has an awardwinning design and cheerleaders that include actor John Travolta, a passionate pilot who bought one for his collection.

“All you have to do is spend five or 10 minutes with Vern and you’ll understand how he has been, is and will be a very successful person,” says Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez.

“He is very down to earth, but clearly very, very smart.”

It may be that being a pilot also gives people like Raburn the ability to see things differently and better tolerate financial risk.

The Eclipse 500, billed as the company’s first in a line of advanced aircraft, is so popular the company has $4.5 billion in back orders; ante up for a plane today and you may see it in early 2010. Critics say the low price assumes an impossibly high production level, one that Raburn concedes Eclipse is not yet meeting.

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The Eclipse 500 defied predictions that a cheaper, luxury jet wouldn’t fly with consumers.

“Big challenges are the most fun.

Some might argue that a startup in the airline business is asking for it.”

VERN RABURN ECLIPSE AVIATION CEO

“We will still produce more airplanes in the first year than any other new aviation company,” says Raburn, adding “we’ve had some real glitches.”

If anything, Raburn, 57, has the kind of resume that clearly shows he thrives on the pressure.

Bill Gates hired the Oklahoma native in the late 1970s to launch Microsoft’s first retail operation; Raburn later was general manager of Lotus Development Corporation, helping launch Lotus 1-23; chairman and CEO of Symantec; and president of the Paul Allen Group, handling high-tech investments for another Microsoft founder.

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Running with such innovators gave Raburn a big appetite for change and innovation.

He’s discovered not everyone shares it, especially in the aviation industry.

“Different to some people is interesting; to others it is threatening,” he says. “In the aviation world are a whole lot of people who view change as evil and bad.”

Unlike the software business, a wrong move in aviation can cost lives. Raburn gets this, and the accolades pour in.

The company joined other aviation pioneers such as Orville Wright, Howard Hughes, Chuck Yeager and the crew of Apollo 11 by winning the 2005 Collier

P H OTO S C O U R T E S Y O F E C L I P S E AV I AT I O N

Trophy, which is considered the industry’s highest honor.

Eclipse wants to be the “missing link” in transportation, using its planes to help build the air taxi business, open up private ownership and take advantage of underutilized regional airports that can handle smaller aircraft.

It hasn’t been easy and Eclipse still needs to make money, but Chavez is sure Raburn will succeed.

“He is like a laser on the goal,” the mayor says. “Any little bump in the road, they analyze it, shift gears and move forward.”

Bumps Eclipse has had – scrapping the original engine, scrambling for financing, struggling with suppliers – but Raburn takes them in stride.

“Big challenges are the most fun,” Raburn says. “Some might argue that a startup in the airline business is asking for it.”

– Pamela Coyle

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aviation

Got $1.8 Million? Bid on eBay Eclipse’s lightweight jet captures market, awards and attention

E

And the market?

An order placed today for the Eclipse 500 will get you a plane in early 2010. The company is working furiously to fill orders for more than 2,600 jets.

“We’ve been proven right in so many things people said we were wrong on,” Raburn says. “But it has taken longer, and we didn’t do it initially as well as we said we would.”

Buyers continue to line up: Air Taxi operator DayJet already has bought 20; Dubai Aerospace Enterprise Flight Academy ordered a dozen.

The accolades are piling up, too. In October 2007, the Eclipse 500 set the speed record for a jet weighing 10,000 pounds or less. Its range is 1,125 nautical miles, with a cruising speed of 426 miles per hour. Standard accommodations are for one pilot and five passengers.

Even though regular online auctions were long part of Raburn’s marketing plan, the idea took some aback.

“There were people who were offended,” Raburn says. “One guy wrote in and said ‘I guess I should auction dessert to my kids.’”

– Pamela Coyle

P H OTO C O U R T E S Y O F E C L I P S E AV I AT I O N

clipse Aviation CEO Vern Raburn says he turned to eBay to test his new luxury jet.

He wanted to gauge market interest in the world’s first Very Light Jet, the Eclipse 500. Morten Wagner, a Danish businessman, placed the winning $1,833,945 bid in the first online auction in August 2007. The second auction took place in late November. It was a first for eBay and the emerging industry of small, luxury jets.

But if industry naysayers were to be believed, Raburn wouldn’t even have had a jet to sell.

When Eclipse announced it would make a lightweight jet with a $1.5 million base price tag, critics said it couldn’t be done – the plane wouldn’t be fast enough, the Federal Aviation Administration would never certify it and the market for such a craft wouldn’t exist.

Eclipse did make the plane, with a design that won the most awards in the 2007 International Design Excellence Awards, a contest run by the Industrial Designers Society of America and sponsored by BusinessWeek. The FAA certified the Eclipse 500 in 2006; the company is expecting similar European approval soon.

The Eclipse 500 is cheap to maintain, easy to fly, sports a luxurious interior and has a price tag designed to put private jet luxury flying within reach of ordinary travelers. Eclipse Aviation has $4.5 billion in back orders until 2010.

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aviation

High

Flyers Kirtland Air Force Base is the leading employer in Albuquerque

A

medical aircraft carrying three people had disappeared from radar over the San Juan Mountains in Southern Colorado late the night before, and Gwin and his crew were commissioned to find the missing aircraft.

“The feeling of the adrenaline and the focus is something that many of us have felt before, but here at Kirtland, in the training environment, we don’t feel very often,” Gwin says.

“That feeling comes right back – the mission focus and the

P H OTO C O U R T E S Y O F TO D D B E R E N G E R

s a multideployment combat veteran in the U.S. Air Force, Capt. Scott Gwin knows the rush of adrenaline that surges through an airman when lives are at stake.

As an instructor pilot for the CV-22 aircraft at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, his days are usually a little slower paced now, but he is always ready to snap back to action when that critical call comes.

He received such a call the morning of October 5, 2007. A

It’s not your old Army barracks. Kirtland Air Force Base’s privatized housing has drawn rave reviews from military personnel.

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A CV-22 Osprey like this one flew into action in its first search and rescue operation in October 2007 when a small aircraft crashed in the mountains of Southern Colorado. PHOTO COURTESY OF STAFF SGT. MARKUS MAIER Below: A demonstration jump from the 58th Special Operations Wing C-130 during the New Mexico Air Force Base 60th Anniversary Celebration at the Sandia Resort in September 2007

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members of our community,” says Jillian Speake, chief of current operations. “They go to Albuquerque churches, their kids go to Albuquerque schools, and we pride ourselves on being good stewards and good community members in Albuquerque.

“For the most part, here in Albuquerque with Kirtland, the support we get from the city is tremendous. We’re striving to be good neighbors and positive role models.”

– Michaela Jackson

P H OTO C O U R T E S Y O F D E N N I S C A R L S O N

drive to get there and lend whatever assistance you can immediately comes back.”

The crew flew a CV-22 Osprey, which can take off and land like a helicopter and fly as fast as a turboprop airplane, along with two HH-60G helicopters and a MC-130P. Though no survivors were found at the crash site, the speed with which the rescuers reached the location was remarkable.

“In this mission particularly there was a sense of accomplishment in that we were able to put together crews and aircraft very quickly,” Gwin says. “It was just another example of the great work that the guys at the 58th [Special Operations Wing] do on a daily basis, from the pilots right down to the maintainers.”

Kirtland Air Force Base is occasionally called upon to assist in dramatic rescue missions such as the one in Colorado, but their tasks extend far beyond these high-energy, life-ordeath assignments.

A major focus of the base is research and development, according to Rich Garcia, director of public affairs.

The base, which is the largest employer in Albuquerque, has a little less than 20,000 people on it, but almost half of those people work for the U.S. Department of Energy rather than the U.S. Department of Defense.

Despite several critical missions on the base, many Albuquerque residents just think of the base and its personnel as neighbors.

“All of our military members and their families are

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A

Place

in the

Sun

Albuquerque’s real estate market experiences steady growth

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real estate

P H OTO S B Y I A N C U R C I O

Master-planned neighborhoods and residential developments are popping up all over Albuquerque.

M

ost people would agree that real estate is an industry prime location for new development.” fraught with uncertainty, but Andrew Decamillo is With the growing appetite for real estate property in Central sure of one thing: people have always wanted to live New Mexico, the area is seeing a surge in mixed-use, alterin Central New Mexico, and they always will. native living communities as well.

Decamillo should know. He has been a city planner in the Jean Bernstein, the developer for the Flying Star Café chain, is region for more than a decade – first in Albuquerque for 10 experimenting with buying larger tracts of land and building years, then in Valencia County and now in Belen. urban townhomes alongside commercial property. Her latest “This whole region has always been a great investment for project is a commercial and retail cluster in Bernalillo, where real estate,” he says. “When you have these national strong she is tacking on 12 residential units. fluctuations and volatility in housing prices, Albuquerque, “I’m interested in alternative living-type situations,” especially, has always maintained a steady growth pattern Bernstein says. “I think there’s the subdivision model that’s in the market.” not for everybody, with the roofNational experts agree. tops that all look alike and the Housingpredictor.com, a Web curvy streets…. There are so site that monitors real estate many interpretations now of markets across the nation, called what housing is.”

Albuquerque the number one New commuting options are hot spot to buy real estate in encouraging people to relocate 2007. Its appreciation rate for to the suburbs, fueling the housing that year of 9.1 percent was the boom beyond Albuquerque’s ANDREW DECAMILLO highest in the nation. city limits.

BELEN CITY PLANNER Fortune Magazine called The Rail Runner line that will Albuquerque the number three connect Bernalillo, Albuquerque, spot to buy real estate in 2007, giving the city a projected Santa Fe and points in between when it’s finished is a draw appreciation of 5.9 percent over the year in December 2006. for the entire region.

And the ascent of Albuquerque’s real estate market is having a A solid housing market and modern lifestyle may be what ripple effect on surrounding communities. brings people to Central New Mexico, but that’s not what “People from out of state see this whole region as not only keeps them there. a great opportunity, but just a wonderful place to live,” says “We are the ‘land of enchantment,’” Decamillo says. “We Decamillo, planning and zoning director for the city of Belen. have a vastness that, even as we fill up, just doesn’t seem to “People are starting to wake up and realize that Belen is a diminish in any way.”

– Michaela Jackson

“We have a vastness that, even as we fill up, just doesn’t seem to diminish in any way.”

Left: Casitas at Las Huertas in Bernalillo will be a mixed-use retail, office and residential community once completed.

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Retail Ren Boom in ‘lifestyle center’ malls a boon to shoppers, the economy

F

ifteen years ago, if you wanted to go shopping and you lived in West Albuquerque, you had to be motivated. Seeing just about anything beyond a grocery store or a small-potatoes strip mall meant trucking it across the Rio Grande.

And what waited on the other side wasn’t exactly modern shopping. Two malls dating to the 1960s checked the retail box, but many felt they left something to be desired.

When Albuquerque’s population cleared half a million in the 1990s, developers set out to do something about it.

The retail renaissance began with Cottonwood Mall. Built in 1996, it was a breath of fresh air to the west’s retail sector. In the twelve years since Cottonwood opened its doors, West Albuquerque has seen a renaissance of retail development.

“Since that time, there’s been probably another million, maybe million-and-ahalf, square feet developed in the same area,” says Greg Foltz, president of Coldwell Banker Commercial - Las Colinas, which worked on securing the Cottonwood family of developments.

“It’s an area that has pretty substantial residential growth over the last 10 years, so the retail is now catching up with it.

“Once there’s a certain amount of rooftops, the national retailers start to look and say, ‘This is an area that we need to serve.’”

Development 10-12 years ago centered on the “power center” concept, according to Foltz, which placed “big box” stores, such as Wal-Marts and Best Buys, in the

middle of strip malls populated with smaller outlets.

Now retail is trending toward “lifestyle centers,” Foltz said. These outdoor mall developments are more multifaceted.

They typically feature more parking close to the stores, more restaurants and a more upscale feeling overall.

One unique aspect of Albuquerque’s building boom is that new construction has to meet strict aesthetic guidelines, Foltz said. The city enforces uniformity in order to preserve the region’s architectural tradition.

Retail development has hit its stride in Albuquerque, thanks in large part to the influx of population, but other areas in Central New Mexico are seeing growth, as well.

Larry Marshall is the president of Belen Sand and Gravel, a supplier to construction companies in the region.

He says when an area begins to rapidly develop, his company is the direct benefactor of that growth.

Belen Sand and Gravel offers two primary products: ready-mix concrete and rock products for creating asphalt.

The rock portion of his company is expanding to meet growing demands of development projects such as Mesa del Sol, a massive mixed-use community in Albuquerque.

“We’re kind of engineering our company to be able to handle that,” he says, explaining that they’re opening divisions to handle infrastructure building.

“We’re creating a mixed-use company, if you will.”

– Michaela Jackson

By design, Cottonwood Mall incorporates architectural elements that complement the dry desert and mountainous landscapes of Central New Mexico.

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real estate

aissance

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Greater Albuquerque Association of REALTORS® (formerly, Albuquerque Metropolitan Board of REALTORS®)

Bigger …

Better … and Growing

… the voice of real estate property rights, information, statistics, and Southwest Multiple Listing Service …

Covering Central New Mexico: Bernalillo, Valencia, Sandoval, Torrance, parts of Socorro and Santa Fe 1635 University Blvd. N.E. • Albuquerque, NM 87102 • (505) 842-1433 www.abqrealtors.com

real estate

Now That’s an Expansion MIXED-USE COMMUNITY WILL BE TWICE THE SIZE OF BOSTON The way developer Mark Lautman sees it, some things are worth the wait.

Lautman is working on Mesa del Sol, a planned, mixed-use community in Albuquerque.

When it’s finished, the 20square-mile development will include nearly 40,000 homes and 18 million square feet of commercial space. But don’t plan on touring the completed community anytime soon.

Mesa del Sol isn’t slated to be complete for 30 to 50 years.

“The scale end-time frame allows the developer to be much more thoughtful about how to build, and to be more patient. You don’t have to make everything back the first five years,” Lautman says.

Planned communities are becoming en vogue in Central New Mexico. California developer SunCal has its eye fixed on Albuquerque, the future site of a mixed-use community that will sprawl across an area twice the size of Boston.

create a series of sensitively designed, master-planned communities,” Lautman says.

“What you really have, at least in the Albuquerque area, is a dramatic departure from what we’ve seen in development in Albuquerque in the last 40 years.”

– Michaela Jackson

IAN CURCIO

Central New Mexico is on the cusp of tremendous economic and population growth, and SunCal and its 55,000 acres will play a significant role in realizing the region’s bright future, says Joe Aguirre, a spokesman for SunCal. ”This property is one of the nation’s premier locations to

Fifty years from now, a development the size of Boston will cover this spot.

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tourism

The

Place To Be Tourism and hospitality industry continues to be strong economic driver

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designed to showcase Albuquerque and the surrounding area as a destination offering culture, history, outdoor recreation and unique cuisine. The goal is to appeal to as many types of traveler as possible, rather than focus on particular market segments like retirees or families with children, Lockett says.

“All of those elements, as well as the climate, the museums and galleries, and the new Albuquerque Uptown that’s emerging, are unique elements to us,” he says. “That’s our strength, and that’s why tourism has been increasing every year for the last 20 years. We try to make sure that when we’re marketing Albuquerque, we don’t say we’re better for one group than another. We can offer experiences that are not found

anywhere else in the United States, and we are consistently delivering on that promise.”

The hospitality industry also works as closely as possible with the area’s economic development entities, using quality-of-life rankings and data assembled by the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce and others in its own efforts. And then there are the “pure gold” moments, such as when Orbitz.com named the city as one of the top five destinations in the world people should experience.

“If you’re someone planning a vacation, or the CEO of a company, you can immediately understand something like that,” Lockett says. “It’s truly priceless.”

– Joe Morris

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lbuquerque’s tourism industry is thriving.

Some three million visitors generate $2 billion for the local economy each year. Twenty-four thousand jobs depend on the industry.

Rankings have placed Albuquerque at or near the top of best destinations lists, citing its desert and mountain landscapes, diverse cultural offerings, and a cultural scene full of fine restaurants, nightclubs and museums.

But local tourism officials are not resting on their laurels.

Officials charged with promoting the area as a vacation and relocation destination say they are constantly working to retool their message, going after a variety of travelers through targeted marketing efforts aimed at diverse audiences. And in doing so, they are enhancing broader economic development efforts, says Dale Lockett, president and CEO of the Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau.

“What the hospitality industry does has the potential for improving the quality of life for citizens here in very dramatic ways,” Lockett says. “Our work in establishing the brand for this destination plays a role for the chamber of commerce and other economic development groups’ efforts to attract new business and expand existing ones.”

As a part of its marketing strategy, the CVB has rolled out a Web site, www.itsatrip.org, which includes a destination master plan feature among others. The site was two years in development and implementation, and is

A Christmas tree hangs upside down in High Noon Restaurant in Old Town Albuquerque. Opposite: Adobe shops and restaurants line the streets of historic Old Town Albuquerque, a major tourist destination for Albuquerque visitors.

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manufacturing

Electricity Is in the

Air

P H OTO C O U R T E S Y O F S K Y L A R D . S M I T H

Interest mounts for Tesla assembly plant

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A

IAN CURCIO

lbuquerque is poised to become the center of the However, that delay in plant construction was for good latest revolution in automobile manufacturing: all- reason. Company officials have said that they want the electric vehicles. aerodynamic design of the vehicle to be perfect before California-based Tesla Motors Inc. announced in early constructing a multimillion-dollar assembly plant that would 2007 that it plans to construct an assembly plant in include parts production.

Albuquerque to produce high performance electric vehicles – “Tesla … wants to make sure that they have the right car the first such manufacturing facility in the country devoted on the drawing board, and that’s exactly the way they should solely to mass producing electric cars. be thinking,” says Steadman.

Tesla Motors is a privately SunCal is selling the 15 acres owned, environmentally conto Tesla on the west side of “Tesla chose Central scious company that was formed Albuquerque. SunCal will also in 2003 in San Carlos, Calif. in in charge of designing and New Mexico because we be the heart of the Silicon Valley. constructing the actual plant. have a green environment The property and the construcIt currently employs approximately 160 people at design, tion of the assembly facility are focus, and that ties into engineering and manufacturing estimated to cost Tesla Motors everything that Tesla facilities in California, Michigan, approximately $35 million.

Taiwan and the United Kingdom. envisions for its company,” And there is room for even The initial plan for the more investment.

WILL STEADMAN Albuquerque facility is to employ “Then, for the future, SunCal 400 people who will produce up DIVISION PRESIDENT FOR SUNCAL NEW MEXICO has also pledged another 75 to 10,000 of its four-door adjacent acres at no cost to WhiteStar sedans each year. The electric car will have a range Tesla if the company eventually undergoes a major expansion,” of 250 miles before its batteries will need to be recharged. At a Steadman says. “As for those additional 75 acres, SunCal cost of $50,000-$65,000, the WhiteStar is designed to compete would work closely with government agencies to add infraagainst cars such as the BMW 5 Series and the Audi A6. structure to that land for the expansion.”

– Kevin Litwin “Tesla chose Central New Mexico because we have a green environment focus, and that ties into everything that Tesla envisions for its company,” says Will Steadman, division president for SunCal New Mexico, a real estate development company that is slated to ultimately sell 15 acres to Tesla for its assembly plant.

“New Mexico has a lot of opportunities for renewable energy sources, and the state supports all elements of green manufacturing. The Tesla project will be an exciting manufacturing venture.”

Initial plans for the Tesla WhiteStar were to have it available to the public in late 2009 for the 2010 model year. By early 2008, Tesla had not yet broken ground on its proposed 150,000-square-foot assembly facility.

California land developer SunCal is playing a key role in Tesla’s arrival. Opposite: A test drive of what is expected to be the world’s first mass-produced electric car

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These

Doctors

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health care

Will See

You Now

Presbyterian Kaseman Hospital adds cancer center

O

ne of the top cancer treatment facilities in the world has expanded into New Mexico – and specifically into Albuquerque.

In April 2007, the renowned M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas agreed to partner with Presbyterian Kaseman Hospital in Albuquerque. The result is world-class radiation cancer services that are now available to New Mexicans at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Radiation Treatment Center at Presbyterian Kaseman Hospital.

“Our partnership with M.D. Anderson brings nationally recognized cancer expertise to New Mexico,” says Jim Hinton, president and CEO of Presbyterian Healthcare Services. “It offers more choices for radiation cancer treatment to patients.”

Besides a top radiation therapy team, the cancer center is outfitted with the latest equipment available to medicine today.

That equipment includes an Image Guided Radiation Therapy delivery system, which is capable of administering ultra precise doses of radiation to previously unreachable tumors.

All of the latest equipment helps to provide cancer treatment services in medical oncology, hematology, surgical oncology and radiation oncology.

“I believe in an integrated approach where we are able to offer cover all lines of cancer care,” says Dr. Mitchell Binder, medical director of the Presbyterian Medical Oncology Program.

“We are now providing New Mexicans with more medical and radiation oncology treatment cancer services at one location.”

Binder says that for many people with cancer, radiation treatments are a daily routine to help kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. To help those patients, Presbyterian now Presbyterian Kaseman Hospital is partnering with the University of Texas to create a cancer center. P H OTO B Y I A N

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CURCIO

offers specialty surgical capability for general, orthopedic, neurosurgical, urological, colorectal and gynecological oncology cases.

The hospital also has an in-patient unit dedicated solely to oncology, which includes specialist consultation services that are immediately available to patients. There is also a clinical social worker on staff, and Presbyterian Kaseman is an active participant in and supporter of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship.

The hospital also has a Tumor Referral Board that allows individual patient cases to be reviewed by a number of specialists, for the purpose of getting second opinions on treatment options.

As for the overall radiation therapy team at Presbyterian, it includes radiation therapists, medical physicists, dosimetrists (specialists who use computers to help design treatment plans), nurses and patient service coordinators who have all been trained at M.D. Anderson.

M.D. Anderson has been ranked as one of America’s Best Hospitals in survey after survey conducted by US News & World Report.

“I myself have gained valuable training with M.D. Anderson,” says Dr. Ramesh Gopal, medical director of radiation oncology at Presbyterian.

Presbyterian Healthcare Services was founded in New Mexico in 1908, and is the state’s only private, not-for-profit healthcare system. Presbyterian has seven hospitals in the state, including its Presbyterian Kaseman Hospital campus in Albuquerque.

“For nearly 100 years, Presbyterian has been committed to a single purpose,” Hinton says. “That is to improve the health of individuals, families and communities throughout New Mexico.”

– Kevin Litwin

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agriculture

These

Crops Are

Hot

Chile peppers provide basis for state’s food and farming

BRIAN MCCORD

C

The fruit of the Capsicum plant, chile peppers have been a staple in the New Mexico area for hundreds of years.

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hile peppers have a long history rooted in the sandy soil of New Mexico, the nation’s leading producer of the spicy staple.

The fruit of the Capsicum plant, chile peppers have been in the region for hundreds of years, says Denise Coon, program coordinator for the Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces.

“Pueblo Indians brought up chile peppers through trade,” she says. “The types of chiles that we grow really prefer arid, warm climates and sandy soils, and that’s exactly what we have.”

The state’s chile growers produced more than 73,000 tons in 2006, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, worth a combined value of nearly $40 million.

Estimates show that the industry has a $400 million impact on the state and creates 5,000 jobs.

“It’s extremely important, not only economically, but culturally,” Coon says. “Chile peppers are part of the everyday life around here. People practically eat them in every meal.”

The majority of New Mexico’s chile production is centered in three counties – Dona Ana, Hidalgo and Luna – in the southern part of the state.

The most commonly grown peppers in New Mexico based on recent crop yields are: long mild green chiles, long

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In 2006, New Mexico’s growers produced more than 73,000 tons of chiles worth more than $40 million, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Below: The Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces features a demonstration garden that grows more than 150 different varieties of chiles, the official state crop of New Mexico.

hot green chiles, red paprika chiles, red cayenne chiles and green jalapenos.

While essential in New Mexican cuisine and common in decorations, the chiles also are used for their pigments.

A southern New Mexico plant extracts colors from chiles to use them as natural dyes, and paprika is widely used in red-tinted consumer goods like cosmetics.

Despite the state’s dominance in chile pepper production, New Mexico’s farmers have faced concerns in recent years.

The state’s chile production dropped about 31 percent between 2004 and 2006, a loss in value of nearly $11 million, according to agricultural statistics.

Flooding in 2006 was partly to blame for the drop in harvesting as well as lower yields per acre.

The squeeze from international growers is seen as an issue for New Mexico’s chile farmers, who are looking to automate more of their growing and harvesting process in order to compete.

“The industry has to mechanize or else we’re going to go out of business because of competition from overseas,” says Lou Biad, secretary of the New Mexico Chile Association.

Biad, who also owns the Biad Chile Company, a Las Cruces processor of red chiles, says that as the industry increased in

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value, it drew the attention of foreign exporters and now chiles are grown everywhere from China to South Africa.

Lower wages overseas make it difficult for domestic growers to compete, Biad says.

“Most of the larger growers already have machines to harvest,” he says. “We’re just trying to perfect them to make them more efficient.”

– Victoria Eckenrode

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agriculture

Going Back

to Their Roots New Mexico wine industry experiences phenomenal growth

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release is ready. The Johnstones don’t email, they actually pick up the phone and call, having learned that their customers value the human interaction.

“We never have a wine as long as a year,” Johnstone says.

The winery may grow up to 2,000 cases a year but not beyond; any bigger and Johnstone figures he and Barbara couldn’t handle it alone.

“That is as big as we’ll ever get,” he says. “Gallo is not afraid of us.”

Casa Rondena Winery wants to double its production, too, from about 5,500 cases annually to 10,000. The vineyard, nestled in a valley just north of Albuquerque, bottled 210 cases in 1998, the year of its first commercial release.

“We have been growing at a rather phenomenal rate since the winery was founded,” says Howard Fox, Casa Rondena’s sales manager.

Casa Rondena also buys red grapes and grows white, specializing in Riesling and Gewürztraminer grapes. Serenade, a popular house blend, combines the grapes in a three-to-one ratio. Its signature wine, Meritage Red, an award-winning Bordeaux blend, took home Best Red and the Gold Medal from the 2007 Taste of Taos Southwest Wine Competition.

The New Mexico Wine Growers Association now has nearly 30 member vineyards. Another sign of the industry’s resurgence came two years ago when New Mexico State University’s Cooperative Extension Service hired its first viticulture specialist, Bernd Maier.

New Mexico wineries produce more than 350,000 gallons a year, tiny by California’s more than 450 million gallons, but a sure sign the industry is taking root.

– Pamela Coyle

BRIAN MCCORD

T

wo monks brought the first grapevines to what is now New Mexico in 1629, well more than a century before California vines were planted.

That history is a source of pride for a new generation of winemakers in New Mexico who are part of a renaissance in an industry that weather and floods had all but eradicated in the early 1900s.

Central New Mexico is a big part of the picture and home to about a dozen vineyards, from Gruet, a sparkling wine powerhouse in Albuquerque with its start in the Champagne region in France, to small boutique producers such as Milagro Vineyards in Corrales.

Corrales also is home to Corrales Winery, a husband-wife partnership that produces 1,000 cases a year.

Like most of the vineyards in Central New Mexico, Corrales grows its own white grapes, but buys red grapes from colleagues in the southern part of the state, where altitudes are lower and temperatures are kinder to them.

“We are pretty far south but the altitude (over 5,000 feet) means we get a full change of seasons and palm trees don’t grow here,” says proprietor Keith Johnstone. “It gets cold enough that red grapes freeze in the winter.”

Johnstone, a materials engineer, was nearing retirement from nearby Sandia National Laboratories and wanted to make sure he had a project that provided a mental challenge. Growing grapes and producing wine has given Johnstone and wife Barbara that and more.

Corrales Winery doesn’t distribute but still sells out of everything it bottles, keeping a call list of more than 1,000 customers who want to know when a

New Mexico is the nation’s oldest wine growing region. Opposite: Keith and Barbara Johnstone own Corrales Winery in Corrales, just north of Albuquerque.

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education

Learning Curves Higher education expanding with area economy

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porated a two-year film crew training certificate, while UNM recently added a film and digital media program.

“Our universities are responding to economic changes in a way that other universities aren’t,” Dasenbrock says.

“They’ve moved in a given direction partially because there was faculty interest, but also because there was this sense of opportunity in the region.”

David Schmidly, president of the University of New Mexico, says pro-

viding broader access to higher education is another driver for growth.

“For New Mexico to compete in the economy, we need more of our citizens to be college educated,” he says. “That’s part of the reason UNM has been opening branch campuses; it provides access to higher education for the people in communities that traditionally do not access it.”

Central New Mexico is also the site of an innovative collaboration that promises

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entral New Mexico is a thriving center for higher education that’s continually expanding and adapting not only to meet the needs of its students, but also to respond to the state’s growing economic base.

From the University of New Mexico’s campuses in Albuquerque and Valencia County to New Mexico Highlands University, Central New Mexico Community College, New Mexico Tech in Socorro and branches of New Mexico State University, the region boasts an impressive number of institutions that are not only expanding their curricula to accommodate changes in the region’s economy, they’re also forging unique collaborations so more students can succeed.

Dr. Reed Dasenbrock, New Mexico Secretary of Higher Education, says higher education is thriving in the region because many area colleges and universities are responding to growth in the economy.

Dasenbrock says growth in a number of diverse high-tech economic sectors, including the film industry, aerospace and renewable energy, has led area colleges and universities to develop new curricula so that they and their students can participate in that expansion. For example, he says, CNMCC has incor-

The University of New Mexico continues to expand, recently adding film studies.

Opposite: Campus life is also growing, with two new branch campuses. Plans for an additional campus in Rio Rancho are also under way.

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education to further solidify the region’s strength in higher education. Both CNMCC and UNM have purchased land in Rio Rancho for campus facilities that will operate together.

According to Kathie Winograd, president of CNMCC, the plan calls for a two-plus-two institution where CNM will administrate the first two years of instruction, with UNM providing the upper division and graduate work. The schools will share buildings and other resources.

“We’ve been able to negotiate a collaboration to provide a four-year institution to a growing community and provide the taxpayers with a very logical way of getting a low-cost, high-quality education in Rio Rancho,” Winograd says. The facility is scheduled to open

by January of 2010.

Of course, cost effectiveness is also a factor in the endeavor, Winograd and Schmidley agree. “By partnering, we’re able to use our unique strengths and bring a full-service higher education venue to Rio Rancho in a much more cost-effective way than if we both went there and competed,” Schmidley says.

– Paula Andruss

Supporting the construction industry of New Mexico

IAN CURCIO

Corner Stone of New Mexico (800) CALLGCC

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Making Green by Award-winning green program brings quality of life, investment to city

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environment

Going Green I

IAN CURCIO

n 1994, Albuquerque got some bad news: within 25 years, the city’s water supply would run out. For Mayor Martin Chavez, it was a clear call to action.

“Sustainability became an important concept for me personally and Albuquerque as a whole,” he says.

The city immediately embarked on a comprehensive green program that has

reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 67 percent and garnered recognition worldwide. Most recently, the 2007 National Conference of Mayors and 2006 World Leadership Forum lauded Chavez for his environmental leadership.

One key feature of this award-winning program is the city’s longtime commitment to green space.

“We took what had been a rural tree conservation fund and brought it to an urban focus,” Chavez says. “Then we did a comprehensive study and mapped out where we wanted to be for the future, and we began aggressively acquiring green spaces.”

According to a 2007 study by the Trust for Public Land, those acquisitions have made Albuquerque the nation’s leading city for green space. That means quality of life for residents and costefficiency for businesses.

“We have places for kids to play soccer, and more shade means we use less energy in our buildings,” says Sustainability Officer John Soladay.

Albuquerque’s focus on renewable energy is another key component of the green program. Twenty percent of municipal electricity comes from wind power, and 40 percent of the city fleet runs on alternative fuels.

“In a very short timeline, maybe five to eight years, we’ll have a fleet with 100 percent alternative fuels,” Soladay says.

These initiatives make Albuquerque a green city in more ways than one.

“I always talk about making green by going green,” Chavez says. “Twenty years from now, the cities people will want to live and invest in are the cities that are making the sustainability decisions Albuquerque is making today.”

In fact, companies are already investing in that sustainability. In 2007, automaker Tesla Motors chose Albuquerque to host its new plant, the world’s first facility dedicated to mass production of electric cars. Manufacturer Advent Solar, a spinoff of Sandia National Laboratories, began operations in Albuquerque in 2003.

Both companies were recruited aggressively by the city, which also has a history of purchasing products from local companies. City buildings, for example, use earth-friendly stucco and plaster from Albuquerque-based American Clay.

“We always try to keep the door open to partnerships with new companies,” Soladay says.

Chavez believes it’s only natural that the city’s green program has fostered Albuquerque’s overall success.

“When your city gets recognized for good things, it makes everyone proud,” he says. “A city that’s proud of itself is a more prosperous city. It gives citizens and businesses confidence that government can lead and bring people along.”

To learn more about Albuquerque’s green program, visit cabq.gov/ sustainability.

– Kathryn Royster

Albuquerque’s city-owned Rapid Ride buses run on ethanol, electricity and biofuels.

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ECONOMIC PROFILE BUSINESS CLIMATE

BERNALILLO COUNTY Albuquerque serves as the population and commercial center of the metropolitan area.

Dr. Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class, ranked Albuquerque as the most creative mid-size city in the United States.

Population 2007 Census estimate, 615,099 2010 population projection 631,839 Income 2006 per capita income Bernalillo County, $31,160 Major employers Company, Employees Kirtland Air Force Base 22,100 (civilian), 4,860 (military) University of New Mexico, 15,832 Albuquerque Public Schools 14,295

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New Mexico ranks 12th in the nation for growth. The Albuquerque region has a robust economy that is meeting the challenges of new development by offering a progressive, highly affordable business environment.

Sandia National Laboratories 8,730 City of Albuquerque, 6,500 Central New Mexico Community College, 1,770 Bernalillo County, 2,300 T-Mobile, 1,700

Population 2004 Census estimate, 113,772 2010 population projection 126,294 Income 2006 per capita income Sandoval County, $25,468

Sandia Resort and Casino, 1,668

Major employers Company, Employees

SANDOVAL COUNTY

Intel Corp., 5,600

Sandoval County, which spans more than 3,700 miles, is geographically diverse and rich in history. A decade ago, the county was primarily rural and sparsely populated. Today, the population tops 100,000 people.

Intel Corp. Subcontractors 3,200 Rio Rancho Public Schools, 1,700 Sprint PCS, 650 eTelecare Global Solutions, 625 Bank of America Banking Center 692

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economic profile City of Rio Rancho, 658 Victoriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Secret Catalog, 550 Brycon Construction, 480 Sandoval County, 450 Wal-Mart, 365

Income 2006 per capita income Torrance County, $20,483

TORRANCE COUNTY

Moriarty Public Schools, 450

Torrance County is one of the most productive agricultural counties in the United States.

Pinto beans, corn, alfalfa and pumpkins are just a small portion of the crops, which are harvested throughout the year.

Population 2006 Census estimate, 17,551 2010 projected population, 21,690

Major employers Company, Employees Correction Corporation of America, 280 Torrance County, 115 The Connection (call center), 140 Rip Griffinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Truck Stop, 100-150 Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative, 76 King Brothers, 60 Tillery Chevrolet, 38 City of Moriarty, 35

VALENCIA COUNTY Valencia County is one of the original seven counties that comprised the New Mexico Territory in 1852. Residents here love the peace and quiet, the friendly people and the great weather.

Population 2006 Census estimate, 70,389 2010 projected population 86,708 Income 2006 per capita income Valencia County, $22,968 Major employers Company, Employees Belen Consolidated Schools, 740 Wal-Mart SuperCenter, 500 BNSF Railroad, 352 Ambercare Home Health Services, 350 Solo Cup, 250 Sud Chemie, 200 Aristech Acrylics, 120 Belen Care & Rehabilitation, 120 City of Belen, 115 Belen Health Care Center, 110 Labor force statistics 2003 Labor Force/Employment New Mexico, 896,867/839,667 Albuquerque MSA 390,430/368,870 Bernalillo County 312,916/296,296 Sandoval County, 46,914/43,877 Torrance County, 7,743/7,343 Valencia County, 30,600/28,697

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EDUCATION (U.S. Census 2000) Educational attainment Population Age 25 and over Bachelor’s Degree New Mexico, 154,372

Rio Rancho Regional Chamber of Commerce 4001 Southern Blvd. SE Rio Rancho, NM 87124 Phone: (505) 892-1533 Fax: (505) 892-6157

3447 Lambros Los Lunas, NM 87031 Phone: (505) 352-3596

www.ci.los-lunas.nm.us/ Chamber

www.rrchamber.org

Torrance County, 1,086

Moriarty Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 96, Moriarty, NM 87035 Phone: (505) 832-4087 Fax: (505) 832-6919

Valencia County, 3,922

www.moriartychamber.com

Educational attainment

Valencia County Chamber of Commerce

Albuquerque MSA, 75,184 Bernalillo County, 62,466 Sandoval County, 8,796

Albuquerque MSA High school or less 7%

SOURCES: www.belenedc.org, www.census.gov, www.co.valencia.nm.us, www.edd.state.nm.us, www.evedanm.com, www.moriartychamber.com, www.rredc.org, www.sandovalcounty.com, www.sandovalcounty.org, www.torrancecountynm.org

High school graduate 36% Some college 33% College degree or higher 24% Graduate degree New Mexico, 111,777 Albuquerque MSA, 54,319 Bernalillo County, 46,970 Sandoval County, 5,233 Torrance County, 439 Valencia County, 2,116 School enrollment Albuquerque MSA

Since our founding in 1992, Southwest Copy Systems has been dedicated to customer service and support. Our business is service – our focus is “to create successful, long-term business partnerships with our customers.” To achieve this goal, we must provide both quality products and superior service.

Toshiba offers a “Customer Assurance Guarantee” on all new copier/printer placements.

Population age 3 and over in school, 201,019 Nursery/preschool, 11,350 Kindergarten, 10,003 Elementary (1st-8th) 85,945 High School (9th-12th) 42,106 College/graduate school, 51,615

Southwest Copy Systems stocks all necessary parts, supplies and even loaner equipment in our fully computerized local facility.

Response to service calls is within four hours, and all technicians carry a full stock of standard parts in their vehicles.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce 115 Gold Ave. S.W. Ste. 201 Albuquerque, NM 87102 Phone: (505) 764-3700 Fax: (505) 764-3714

www.abqchamber.com Greater Belen Chamber of Commerce 712 Dalies Ave. Belen, NM 87002 Phone: (505) 864-8091 Fax: (505) 864-7461

www.belennm.com/ CH-home.htm

CENTRAL NEW MEXICO

Southwest

Copy Systems Copiers • Fax • Printers Winner of Toshiba’s coveted PROMASTER AWARD

Don’t copy. Lead.

4545 McLeod NE Albuquerque, NM 87109 (505) 344-8211 www.southwestcopy.com

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ECONOMIC GUIDE 2008 EDITION, VOLUME 3

CU S TO M M AG A Z INE M ED I A

SENIOR EDITOR ANITA WADHWANI COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, KIM MADLOM, BILL M CMEEKIN ASSISTANT EDITOR REBECCA DENTON STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN, JESSICA MOZO EDITORIAL ASSISTANT JESSY YANCEY DIRECTORIES EDITORS AMANDA MORGAN, KRISTY WISE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS PAULA ANDRUSS, PAMELA COYLE, VICTORIA ECKENRODE, VERNE GAY, MICHAELA JACKSON, JOE MORRIS, KATHRYN ROYSTER INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER BRANDI GREENE ONLINE SALES MANAGER MATT SLUTZ SALES SUPPORT MANAGER SARA SARTIN

At St. Jude Children·s Research Hospital, we can·t.

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, WES ALDRIDGE, TODD BENNETT, ANTONY BOSHIER, IAN CURCIO, BRIAN M C CORD CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR SHAWN DANIEL

That·s why we are working every day to find cures for lifethreatening diseases that strike children everywhere. Diseases like cancer, pediatric AIDS, and sickle cell. And we won·t stop until every child is cured and every disease is defeated.

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS

Because we can·t imagine a world without children … can you?

GRAPHIC DESIGN JESSICA BRAGONIER, CANDICE HULSEY, ALISON HUNTER, JANINE MARYLAND, LINDA MOREIRAS, AMY NELSON, CARL RATLIFF

Call 1-800-996-4100 or log onto www.stjude.org to learn how you can help.

WEB PRODUCTION JILL TOWNSEND

Finding cures. Saving children.

ASSISTANT PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN PRE-PRESS COORDINATOR HAZEL RISNER SENIOR PRODUCTION PROJECT MGR. TADARA SMITH PRODUCTION PROJECT MGRS. MELISSA HOOVER, JILL WYATT SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER, KRIS SEXTON, VIKKI WILLIAMS

WEB PROJECT MANAGER ANDY HARTLEY WEB DESIGN RYAN DUNLAP, CARL SCHULZ COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN CORY MITCHELL AD TRAFFIC MEGHANN CAREY, SARAH MILLER, PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER

Visit Our Advertisers Albuquerque Economic Development Inc. www.abq.org AMREP Commercial www.amrepsw.com Bank of Albuquerque www.bankofalbuquerque.com Bradbury Stamm www.bradburystamm.com Central New Mexico Workforce Training Center www.cnm.edu/campus/wtc Charter Bank www.charterco.com City of Albuquerque www.cabq.gov DWL Architects & Planners Inc. Eastern Hills Christian Academy www.easternhillsca.com Exhibit Solutions www.exhibitsolutions.net Flintco Construction Solutions www.flintco.com GCC Rio Grande www.gcc.com Great Albuquerque Association of Realtors www.ambr.org Greater Belen Chamber of Commerce www.belenchamber.com Greater Belen Economic Development Corporation www.belenedc.org Hyatt Hotels & Resorts www.albuquerque.hyatt.com

V.P./SALES HERB HARPER V.P./SALES TODD POTTER

Klinger Constructors LLC www.klingerllc.com

V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER V.P./TRAVEL PUBLISHING SYBIL STEWART

Lovelace Health System www.lovelace.com

V.P/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS

Manzano Day School www.manzanodayschool.com

PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO

Mesa Del Sol – Forest City www.mesadelsolnm.com Mid Region Council of Governments www.nmrailrunner.com Modrall Sperling www.modrall.com Moss Adams LLP www.mossadams.com New Horizons Computer Learning Centers www.newhorizons.com New Mexico Bank & Trust www.nmb-t.com Rio Rancho Regional Chamber www.rioranchoregionalchamber.org Sandia National Laboratories www.sandia.gov Sandia Science & Technology Park www.sstp.org Southwest Copy Systems www.southwestcopy.com The Inn at Paradise www.innatparadise.com University of New Mexico www.unm.edu Wells Fargo www.wellsfargo.com

MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS MAURICE FLIESS MANAGING EDITOR/TRAVEL SUSAN CHAPPELL CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, RICHIE FITZPATRICK, DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA MCFARLAND, LISA OWENS RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY WALDRIP COMMUNITY PROMOTION DIRECTOR CINDY COMPERRY DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH MARKETING DIRECTOR KATHLEEN ERVIN MARKETING COORDINATOR AMY AKIN IT SYSTEMS DIRECTOR MATT LOCKE IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE CUSTOM SALES SUPPORT PATTI CORNELIUS SALES COORDINATOR JENNIFER ALEXANDER OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM

Central New Mexico Economic Guide is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at info@jnlcom.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce 115 Gold Avenue S.W. Ste. 201 • Albuquerque, NM 87102 Phone: (505) 764-3700• Fax: (505) 764-3714 E-mail: info@abqchamber.com www.abqchamber.com VISIT CENTRAL NEW MEXICO ONLINE AT CENTRALNEWMEX.COM ©Copyright 2008 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.

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