Giving Back
1. Three Salt River Project employees and one retiree have been named 2023 SRP Presidents’ Volunteer Spirit Award recipients for their exemplary dedication to helping people and nonprofit organizations through their volunteer efforts. SRP Meter Engineering employee Denisse Delos Santos won for her work with Asian Corporate & Entrepreneur Leaders. SRP Supplier Diversity Program Manager Erika Castro was given the Karl F. Abel Award for her work with Chandler Cultural Foundation/Chandler Center for the Arts. SRP Revenue Protection Specialist Nancy Brooks was honored for her work with Helping Hands for Homeless Hounds, and SRP retiree Kim Higgins won for her efforts on behalf of Arizona Hands & Voices.
2. Sundt Construction hosted the 19th Annual Mike Gaines Golf Tournament at the Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale. With 256 golfers participating in the event, a record-breaking total of $140K was raised for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Fifty-five companies showed representation through participation and sponsorship, including Sundt Construction’s employee-owners.
Awards & Accolades
3. The WTS Advancing Women Advancing Transportation’s Metropolitan Phoenix Chapter presented two awards to the Arizona Department of Transportation. The Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award was presented to AODT’s Business Engagement and Compliance Office. BECO ensures that ADOT and its subrecipients, contractors and consultants comply with federal regulations related to disadvantaged and small business inclusion, equal and fair employment opportunity and on-the-job training in the construction trades. Robert Samour, Arizona Department of Transportation Deputy State Engineer for the Major Projects Group, received the Honorable Ray LaHood Award, named for the former U.S. Secretary of Transportation.
4. The Arizona Transit Association recently named Maricopa Association of Governments Executive Director Eric Anderson as their 2023 Transit Champion. The award was presented in April at the 36th Annual Statewide Transit Conference hosted by AzTA and the Arizona Department of Transportation. Anderson recently announced he will retire July 1 after 40 years of service to Valley transportation endeavors.
5. The Wall Street Journal has ranked homebuilder and developer Taylor Morrison Number 167 on its 2022 Management Top 250 list. The company earned the highest ranking among homebuilding firms.
Boards & Commissions
6. Wespac Construction CFO David Hreha has been named to the Board Of Directors for Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley.
Company News
7. Gunn Communications Inc. announced it will now be doing business as The Barnhart Company. The firm has refreshed its brand identity to accompany the new name.
Promotions
8. Sven Tustin has been promoted to Chief Growth Officer at Conor Commercial Real Estate. In addition to overseeing the company’s growth and innovation in his new role, Tustin will continue to serve as Southwest Market Officer and oversee developments in Arizona and the region.
9. Rose Law Group Partner Thomas Galvin has been named Director of the firm’s Opportunity Zone group.
10. Fountain Hills Deputy Town Manager and Community Services Director Rachael Goodwin has been appointed to serve as Interim Town Manager. She replaces former Town Manager Grady Miller, who recently retired from the position.
New Hires
11. Big-D Construction announced it has expanded its presence in Arizona with the hiring of two directors. The Southwest office hired Rod Miller as Director of Preconstruction and Theresa Schultz as Director of Multifamily.
In Memoriam
12. The Arizona Chapter of NUCA announced the passing of Cesar Martinez. Martinez was an active participant in the association as an Associate Director and a member of the Safety Committee where he volunteered as an instructor for quarterly free trainings.