A story about opportunity: Phillip
Published: 12/29/2020
I’m Phillip Pipkins, vice president, technology banking at Silicon Valley Bank (SVB). I’m originally from Miami, Florida but I’ve lived in Arizona for the past 20 years.
When I was deciding which college to attend, I had narrowed it down to two options, one of which was Arizona State University. After being accepted into both, the affordability and caliber of programs it offered made becoming a Sun Devil an easy choice. Following graduation in 2012, I had an offer to move to Palo Alto, California but the chance to work with startups and have a better cost of living made staying in Arizona the more attractive option.
“The decision to stay in Greater Phoenix was never a hard one for me. I love being part of this community.”
For the past six and a half years, I’ve worked for SVB. Prior to being hired I had no technology or banking experience, but they decided to take a chance on me. During my time with SVB, I’ve watched the company explode from around 150 employees to well over 700. I think a big reason why the company has experienced such a large migration of its employees from the Bay area to the Greater Phoenix region is because of the better cost of living that’s found here.
What I love the most about living in Greater Phoenix is the quality-of-life. During the winter you can often find me on the slopes after a few-hour drive or enjoying a sunny hike.
When I decide to stay in town on the weekends, I love hopping on the light rail and meeting up with friends at one of the great local restaurants or bars.
While my educational and career aspirations could have easily led me to move somewhere else, the decision to stay in Greater Phoenix was never a hard one for me. I love being part of this community and look forward to continuing to help grow its innovation economy through my work within the local startup community.