July 2026 AZ TechCast | The New Aerospace Economy: Why Arizona Is Taking Off

Arizona is rapidly emerging as a national leader in aerospace, aviation, space technologies, advanced air mobility, defense innovation and advanced manufacturing. With major investments, growing public-private partnerships, a strong military presence, world-class research institutions and a thriving innovation ecosystem, the state is becoming a destination for companies shaping the future of mobility, national security and space exploration. In this episode of AZ TechCast, hosts Steven Zylstra and Leslie Marquez sit down with three leaders deeply involved in Arizona’s aerospace ecosystem and the planning of the inaugural Arizona Aerospace Summit. Together, they explore why Arizona is uniquely positioned for growth, the convergence of aviation, space and defense industries, emerging technologies transforming the sector, workforce and supply chain challenges, and the opportunities ahead for companies, entrepreneurs and investors. Guests:  Jonathan Roll - Program Manager, Biz Dev, & Research Analyst ASU NewSpace (also on Arizona Aerospace Summit planning committee)  Toni Drummond - Founder & Managing Director, Future Flight Global; Partner Prestige Air Group (also on Arizona Aerospace Summit planning committee)  Dan Geraci - President & CEO - CIT - Critical Infrastructure Technologies; Chairman of the Board of Directors The Planetary Society (also the 2026 AAS master of ceremonies) AZ TechCast is sponsored by ‪@padtinc‬