Awards & Accolades
1. The 2018 edition of Ranking Arizona released their Top 10 residential real estate and boutique commercial architectural firms in Arizona. They are:
- Candelaria Design Associates
- Drewett Works Architecture
- Studio KZ Architecture & Interior Design
- Tsontakis Architecture
- Urban Design Associates
- Douglas Fredrickson Architects
- Clint Miller Architect
- Poetzl architecture + design
- PHX Architecture
- Swaback Partners
2. Jokake Construction Services has been named ENR Southwest’s 2018 Contractor of the Year, with a 200 percent revenue increase from 2013 to 2017.
3. Jared Malone, a project architect with Associated Architects, recently earned his license as a Registered Architect. He has more than 11 years of experience in residential design and started commercial design with Associated Architects.
4. Engineering News Record (ENR) Southwest has published their 2018 Top Contractors list based on construction contracting-specific revenue. The top five Arizona firms chosen are:
- Sundt Construction Inc.
- McCarthy Building Cos.
- DPR Construction
- CORE Construction Group
- Kitchell Corp.
View the entire list of Top Contractors here.
Boards & Commissions
5. Michael S. Guymon joined the Tucson Metro Chamber as Vice President on July 9. Guymon’s duties at the Tucson Metro Chamber will include managing local public policy and workforce development/attraction programs and initiatives.
6. Roadhaven Resort General Manager Steve Byfield has assumed leadership of the Apache Junction Chamber of Commerce as chairman of the board as of July 2nd. Byfield succeeds Andrea Chisolm, owner of Amazing Dental Care, who extended her term to help support the Chamber during the transition. She will rotate back to the past chairman position.
7. The Valley Metro RPTA and Valley Metro Rail Boards of Directors have elected new officers for the Fiscal Year 2018-19 term. Elected to serve Valley Metro RPTA are Glendale Vice Mayor Lauren Tolmachoff as Chair; Chandler Councilmember Kevin Hartke as Vice Chair; and Phoenix Mayor Thelda Williams as Treasurer. Williams will also serve as Chair of Valley Metro Rail while Tempe Vice Mayor Robin Arredondo-Savage will serve as Vice Chair.
8. Apache Junction Mayor Jeff Serdy has been elected to chair the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority alongside additional officers chosen from its existing board of directors.
9. The Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry has named Laura Ciscomani as its new director of development. Ciscomani will also serve the Arizona Chamber Foundation in the same role.
Company News
10. MCO Properties, the land and investment firm responsible for the growth of Fountain Hills, closed its local office June 15. Closure of the office is attributed to the business selling the remaining lots in Eagle’s Nest to MCO Realty and equity partners. Toll Brothers acquired unsold home sites in Adero Canyon.
Promotions
11. Larsen Baker, LLC has announced three employees have been named executive officers and co-owners of the company. Melissa Lal has been named president and co-managing partner. Andy Seleznov has been named Executive VP and partner. Jennifer Raimondi has been named VP/Treasurer and partner.
12. GLHN has announced recent changes to their Mechanical Engineering Department. Effective May 4th, Douglas Stingelin has been promoted to Director of Mechanical Engineering; William Koller has been promoted to Mechanical Engineering Department Manager; and Jon Ziegler has been promoted to Senior Mechanical Engineer/Analyst.
13. Graycor Construction Company has promoted Todd Ostransky to VP of the Southwest Division. In this role, Ostransky directs construction efforts across the Southwest, including current industrial and office assignments, and a strategic expansion into diversity markets such as retail, entertainment, hospitality and tenant improvement.
New Hires
14. Ben Perrone has joined Sundt Construction, Inc. as a project director for the company’s Building Group, Southwest District. In his new role, Perrone will guide a process that strategically blends design and construction, enabling collaborations between project partners to build environments where clients, employee-owners and communities prosper.
15. After four years of service to the city, Peoria Public Works Director Stuart Kent announced his retirement effective July 5. Kevin Burke will replace Kent as the new public works director beginning Aug. 20. For the last 10 years, Burke was the town manager for the Town of Paradise Valley and city manager for the City of Flagstaff.
16. John DiVall has joined Ryan Companies as senior VP of real estate development for the Southwest Region. Before joining Ryan Companies, DiVall was Senior VP of Liberty Property Trust and was responsible for opening and growing three of their offices around the country, including Phoenix.
17. Sundt Construction, Inc. has selected Kimberley Hoidal to serve as public relations and communications specialist for its Tucson office. She is responsible for developing public relations plans and media outreach in Sundt’s key markets and producing content for internal and external audiences.
18. HILGARTWILSON has hired Michelle Copic as Human Resource Manager and Neil Van Wie as Controller.
19. The Weitz Company has announced that Kirk Fonfara has joined their business development team.
20. Fidelity National Title Agency has announced that Erika Elshamy will join its residential sales team as a sales executive at the Litchfield Escrow Branch in Goodyear. Elshamy, who possesses more than 20 years in real estate, has extensive experience in title/escrow and underwriting as it relates to the home buying and selling process.