Giving Back
1. Now in its 17th year, SRP Solar for Nonprofits has selected Junior Achievement of Arizona as the latest Valley nonprofit to receive a free solar-covered parking structure. The shaded parking structure will provide clean energy to the organization, help lower overall carbon emissions and reduce monthly energy costs. The solar parking structure will be installed at JA’s Tempe campus. The facility annually serves more than 20,000 students and is also visited by thousands of volunteers, teachers and guests.
2. Valley Real Estate entrepreneur Michael Pollack and partner A New Leaf are teaming up to give 20 Valley families in need a $1,000 Target shopping spree. Recipients can use the event to buy groceries, toys, clothes or anything else they may need or want for the holidays.
Boards & Commissions
3. The Greater Phoenix Chapter of the Institute of Real Estate Management announced its 2024 Board of Directors and Advisory Council.
The 2024 Board of Directors comprises:
- President: Carrie Temple, ViaWest Group;
- President-Elect: Tom Coughlin, Stream Realty Partners;
- Secretary/Treasurer: Lauren Lacasse, Sagard Real Estate;
- Director: Debbie Mitten, ViaWest Group, and
- Past-President: Ed Valerio, Link Logistics.
The Advisory Council includes:
- Ann Boomsma, MEB Management Services;
- Yvonne Cisman, Wasatch;
- Kristin Gibbons, Kidder Mathews;
- Kelsey Huggins, Orion Office REIT;
- Danielle Jones, Texas Capital Partners;
- Emily Mehta, Shorenstein Realty Services; and
- Jonathan Yee, Vestar.
Company News
4. Rider Levett Bucknall appointed Paul Brussow as President of RLB North America following the retirement of Julian Anderson, who departed after 32 years of service.
5. Bowman Consulting acquired the Hess-Rountree engineering firm, which specializes in renewable energy and educational/sports facilities. All 13 current employees at Hess-Rountree will be joining Bowman in the acquisition.
6. Greenlight Communities celebrated the achievement of completing 4,000 units for the year of 2023 across Arizona. This milestone includes four community completions and six rental communities still under construction in Mesa, Tucson, Goodyear and Glendale. Future plans for expansion include Peoria and Surprise.
7. Est Est Interior Design announced the firm will relocate from its current home on North Pacesetter Way to an 8.5KSF suite in the Cornwell Corporate Center in February.
Promotions
8. Salt River Project has announced Brian Koch as the company’s new Associate General Manager and CFO, effective Feb. 19, and Vanessa Kisicki as Associate General Manager and Chief Customer Executive, effective immediately.
9. The City of Maricopa announced the promotion of Benjamin Bitter from Deputy City Manager and Chief Product Officer to City Manager.
10. CBRE announced three professionals in its Phoenix office have achieved title promotions. Mike Parker has been promoted to Executive VP. Austin Groen and Jonathan Teeter have been promoted to VP.
New Hires
11. Nonprofit business development group Downtown Mesa Association has hired Terry Madeksza to serve as its new President and Executive Director. Madeksza replaces Nancy Hormann, who will retire at the end of the year.
12. Chamberlin + Associates hired Natalie Jones as VP of Operations.
13. Former Buckeye Deputy City Manager James Shano has joined LJA Engineering as the firm’s Director of Engineering.
14. The PENTA Building Group announced the hiring of Jim Neumann as Director of Business Development for the company’s Arizona region.
15. Bruce Brown has been hired as Project Manager III at Civil & Environmental Consultants Inc.
16. Sundt Construction, Inc. has expanded its Craft Training Team, hiring Odin Barlett and Patrick McCarron as Craft Training Instructors.
17. Gordley Group welcomed Adamari Juarez to the Community Relations Team as the Community Relations Coordinator.
18. Cecelia Martinez has joined NAI Horizon as the firm’s newest Marketing Specialist.