The Real AZ Corridor is a regional organization that includes Navajo and Apache counties, and cities, towns and businesses throughout those counties. The acronym REAL stands for resources, energy, access and lifestyle, which the corridor promotes throughout the state and the country.

The corridor was born from the ashes of the White Mountain Regional Development Corporation, which disbanded in 2006. Using the remaining funds, the Navajo County Regional Development Council came into existence the following year as a collaboration of public and private decision makers whose purpose was to create, sustain and promote jobs and capital investment, Taylor Town Manager and Real AZ Corridor Coordinator Eric Duthie advised Snowflake-Taylor Chamber of Commerce members recently.

Apache County communities joined the effort in 2009. Members now include the two counties, the cities and towns of Taylor, Snowflake, Holbrook, Pinetop-Lakeside, Show Low, Winslow, Eagar, St. Johns and Springerville, and Frontier Communications, Larson Waste, National Bank of Arizona, CellularOne and Navopache Electric Cooperative.

“The purpose is to create, sustain and promote jobs and investment,” said Duthie. “We’re focusing on long-term jobs. The focus is to identify, enhance industry and create new jobs.”

To accomplish these goals, members have developed a regional brand, worked to build visibility and hope to expand membership through use of online tools and social media such as the REAL-Time blog, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Google.

Duthie pointed out there are nine public airports in the corridor, as well as the railroad and Interstate 40, which are important assets in bringing businesses to the area.

The next steps will be to target market initiatives, such as diversified energy production, including wind, biomass, solar, algae, geothermal resources and potash. The Four Forest Restoration Initiative was signed in February 2011 and is working to restore 2.4 million acres of the Southwest’s national forests through accelerated, large-scale small timber management and the re-introduction of industry into the forest. District IV Navajo County Supervisor David Tenney, who serves as chairman of the corridor, has been a leader in this movement.

The goals are to create new jobs and career opportunities; attract new industry and investment; encourage prospects and increase site visits; facilitate tracking, dissemination and follow-up of leads; foster, promote and strengthen regional cooperation; and assure an ongoing financial viability.

Duthie noted that he has been contacted by businesses from outside of the United States expressing interest in bringing industry to the corridor and is very optimistic as to what Real AZ can accomplish.

If you would like more information on the corridor’s efforts, visit the website at www.realazcorridor.com, or contact Duthie at eduthie@realazcorridor.com or (928) 243-6783.