A record CFO of the Year crowd filled Chateau Luxe in Phoenix Thursday to honor the winners of the Arizona Chapter of Financial Executives International’s (FEI) CFO of the Year Awards.
“The Arizona Chapter of Financial Executives International, FEI, hosts the CFO of the Year awards each year in order to shine the spotlight on those individuals in our business community who have excelled at financial management,” said Ben Dobson, CFO at dunnhumbyUSA and director of FEI Arizona. “We believe this recognition benefits Arizona’s business community by providing a forum that highlights the importance of financial leadership and promotes a better understanding of the role of finance in the world of business.”
Sponsors of the event included AZ Big Media, CBIZ MHM LLC, JPMorgan Chase, DLA Piper, Keyser, Lovitt & Touché, and VACO.
CFO of the Year Awards were presented in five categories. Here are the winners:
Academic Companies
Winner: Brian Moore, chief financial officer, Prescott Unified School District
Finalists: Joanne Fimbres, chief financial officer, Pendergast School District; Patric Greer, chief financial officer, Edkey, Inc; Colin Malchow, chief financial officer, Synergis Education; Paul Rubsam, Director of Finance and Facilities , Notre Dame Preparatory High School ; Colleen Shannon, chief financial officer, CampusLogic; Alison Zajacek, chief financial officer, StrataTech Education Group; and Ronald Zoromski, chief financial officer, Great Hearts America/Great Hearts Arizona
Mid-Market Companies
Winner: Adrian Brown, managing director international, chief financial officer, AeroGuard Flight Training Center
Finalists: John Andrews, chief financial officer, Circle the City; Mark Barriere, chief financial officer, SWD Urethane; Thomas Castellanos, chief financial officer, RI International; Peter Colling, chief financial officer, Colling Media; Tim Einwechter, chief financial officer, Innovative Health; Kathy Gerhart, chief financial officer, State Bar of Arizona; Lisa Autino Johnson, chief financial officer, Caliente Construction; Danielle Puente, chief financial officer, DP Electric; and Starla Reichow, chief financial officer, Kinematics
Large Companies
Winner: Elizabeth Dodd, chief financial officer, TriWest Healthcare Alliance
Finalists: Larry Coltharp, chief financial officer and senior vice president, Grossman Company Properties; Rob Howatt, chief financial officer, dansons; Mark Joos, executive vice president and chief financial officer, CopperPoint Insurance Companies; Paul Malek, chief financial officer, Massage Envy Franchise; Alan Schnaid, executive vice president and chief financial officer, finance, IT, strategy. PetSmart; Mark Straszynski, senior vice president and chief financial officer, Best Western Hotels & Resorts
Public Companies
Winner: Steven Reichling, chief financial officer, Accelerate Diagnostics
Finalists: Nicholas Hare, chief financial officer, Hexagon Mining; Robert Roche, vice president and chief financial officer, Carlisle Companies Incorporated; Hilla Sferruzza, executive vice president and chief financial officer, Meritage Homes Corporation
Sponsor Award
Winner: Hilla Sferruzza, executive vice president and chief financial officer, Meritage Homes Corporation
