From Arizona Center for Civic Leadership:
Patrick Marcus, a Tucson-based biomedical engineer, artist, and entrepreneur, is on the move: He is phasing out his involvement in two Tucson high-tech companies and launching a third, Marcus Engineering LLC, an engineering and technology business-development firm.
Dr. Marcus is also an emerging civic leader. He recently spoke to the Civic Leadership Conversation about his experience in the inaugural class of the Flinn-Brown Civic Leadership Academy.
Q. In what ways do you see others’ practice of civic leadership affecting you as the owner of a small business? Has your perception of such impact changed or become more nuanced over the course of your participation in the Academy?
A. The practices of civic policymakers have tremendous impact on my business. Obviously, my business’s success is impacted by the direction of the Arizona Corporation Commission and the Arizona Commerce Authority with regard to targeted technology areas, attraction of complementary companies, and grant money.
Many companies wouldn’t get started without good policy driving grant opportunities, developing incubators, and providing other small business support. That’s really just the tip of the iceberg, though: The indirect impact of education policy covering the P-20 levels, transportation issues, immigration, and health care all affect my ability to draw employees, form partnerships, attract investment capital and generate locale-based credibility. Read More…
About Patrick Marcus
Dr. Patrick Marcus is the President of Marcus Engineering, LLC and a principal of Apparently Connected, LLC. Dr. Marcus has extensive background in electronics design, industrial automation, design for manufacturing. Dr. Marcus has founded and run several successful companies in technology and high reliability industrial manufacturing.
