Giving Back
1. The David R. Sellers Foundation, the nonprofit organization founded by LGE Design Build and Creation Equity, launched its inaugural Kids 4 Kids campaign. Led by Jacey Sellers, the initiative will benefit The Foster Alliance‘s Back-to-School Drive. Through Aug. 15, the foundation will match donations dollar for dollar (up to $10K) to help provide backpacks, school supplies, uniforms and educational resources for children and youth in foster care.
Awards & Accolades
2. AZ Big Media recently announced its Arizona’s Most Influential Women in Commercial Real Estate for 2026 awards. Awardees include:
- Annette Anderson – Arizona Escrow & Financial Corporation,
- Emily Currie – Colliers,
- Tara Ereth Barendrick – Lincoln Property Company,
- Suzanne Fallender – Prologis,
- Alissa Franconi – RSP Architects,
- Valerie Granger – Suntec Engineering & Design,
- Amy Hawkins – Clayco,
- Tamara Jamison – CORE Construction,
- Anna Madrid – Derek Builders,
- Lisa Murphy – GCON,
- Wendy Odom – ADM Group,
- Lynne Orlowski – Ware Malcomb,
- Kelly Royle – JLL,
- Carol Schillne – ORION Investment Real Estate,
- Jennifer Villalobos – Cushman & Wakefield and
- Jennifer Wallace-Sasek – McCarthy Nordburg.
3. Clear Title Agency of Arizona has been recognized as a 2026 Top Workplace by AZCentral. The statewide award is based entirely on employee feedback gathered through a confidential third-party survey administered by Energage LLC. Survey results measure key workplace factors including employee engagement, respect, support, growth opportunities and confidence in leadership.
Boards & Commissions
4. Buckeye Mayor Eric Orsborn was elected as Chair of the Maricopa Association of Governments Regional Council. As the agency’s new Chair, Orsborn said his top priority is to ensure strong regional coordination and responsible stewardship of the voter-approved Proposition 479 funding.
5. NAIOP recently announced it is changing its name to the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, or CREDA. The new name is intended to better communicate its entire scope in the CRE industry. CREDA was initially founded 60 years ago.
Company News
6. Middleburg is expanding from the East Coast to Phoenix. As part of its expansion, the company is partnering with David Breen, who brings more than 11 years of real estate development experience.
Promotions
7. Cheryl Covert was recently promoted from Interim Economic Development Director to Economic Development Director by the City of Avondale. Covert has worked in economic development for more than two decades and has been with Avondale for fourteen years.
8. Lisa Garcia will begin serving as the Interim Town Manager for the Town of Florence on Aug. 2. Garcia is filling a vacancy being created by current Town Manager Bruce Walls’ retirement, which is scheduled for Aug. 1. Garcia currently serves as the Deputy Town Manager and Town Clerk.
9. Ganem Companies recently promoted Amanda Krishna to Director of People Operations & Culture. Krishna will oversee human resource operations and company culture initiatives.
10. Chad Sippel was promoted to Technical Leader at Meyer Borgman Johnson. Based in the firm’s Phoenix office, Sippel joined the company in 2015 and has provided structural engineering services for civic, education, healthcare and housing projects in Arizona and other states.
New Hires
11. EPS Group welcomed Austin Brooks as Transportation Director in June. Based in Arizona, Brooks brings more than 24 years of engineering and project management experience across transportation infrastructure, roadway design, utilities, land development, municipal projects and construction coordination.
12. Eric Garcia joined Silver Fern Companies and Otago Development as Director of Land Development. Garcia previously led land acquisitions for Risewell Home‘s Arizona Division and managed more than $400M in development budgets across 12 projects at Shea Homes. He has more than 10 years of experience in land acquisition, entitlements and residential development.
13. RVi Planning + Landscape Architecture recently welcomed Jessica Sarkissian as Director of Planning in its Scottsdale office. Sarkissian brings extensive experience in community planning, entitlement strategy, project management and community engagement.
In Memoriam
14. Tim Stout of Langan Engineering & Environmental Services recently passed away. Stout began the company’s land development practice in Phoenix and worked with Langan for 20 years.