ASU Gammage named Impact Business of the Year by Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce

ASU Gammage was named the 2017 Impact Business of the Year in addition to being awarded the 2017 Economic Driver Award in the Small-to-Medium Business categories.

“For more than 50 years, ASU Gammage has strived to be the heart of the arts in our Valley, and winning this award is such an incredible honor,” said Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, executive director of ASU Gammage and ASU vice president for cultural affairs. 

The award honored ASU Gammage for its positive influence on the Valley’s business community, culture and economy, as part of the 2017 Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce’s (GPCC) Impact Awards.

“ASU Gammage welcomes people from all walks of life and we strive to create an inclusive home for the arts and assume the fundamental responsibilities for economic, social and cultural health of the communities we serve,” said Victor Hamburger, ASU Gammage senior director of marketing and communications after accepting the award. “There is an art to business and we like to prove there is a business to the arts. Like Irving Berlin said ‘There’s no business, like show business’.”

“We have an amazing and dedicated team that is driven by our mission of Connecting Communities and this honor is a testament to their hard work,” Jennings-Roggensack said.

Southwest Airlines won the 2017 IMPACT Business of the Year award in the Large Business category.

The awardees were honored at the 30th annual GPCC IMPACT Awards luncheon, May 10, at the Arizona Biltmore Resort.

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

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

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

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