CBRE hires Vanessa Williams as Arizona market leader

CBRE announced that Vanessa Williams has joined the company as Arizona Market Leader and Senior Managing Director. In this role, Williams will oversee Arizona business operations and drive the market’s growth strategy for all Advisory Service lines, including leasing, sales, debt and structured finance, valuation, and property management. 

Vanessa Williams

“Vanessa has a proven track record as a strategic industry leader driving business development and delivering unique client solutions,” said Pete Schippits, CBRE’s Advisory Services Group President West. “Her strong creative vision and tactical execution will be a tremendous asset to our team of professionals and Arizona clients.”

An 18-year industry veteran, Williams most recently served as Senior Director of Business Development and Marketing for Colliers’ West Region. In that role, she was a strategic partner to the regional presidents and division leadership and drove a highly effective salesforce that achieved organic growth and increased market share. At Colliers, Williams also held several roles of increasing responsibility across business development and marketing. Earlier in her career, Williams led Cushman & Wakefield’s Arizona Marketing department.  

“Vanessa’s strong reputation precedes her in the Arizona commercial real estate community,” said Cathy Teeter, CBRE Phoenix Managing Director. “Her business development and people leadership will be a valuable resource as we continue to grow our market position and reputation through exceptional client service.” 

In addition to her professional achievements, Williams is a native of Phoenix and an active member of the local NAIOP chapter. She also volunteers with the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC) and serves on the Cicero Great Hearts PSO board.

“I am eager to join CBRE’s dynamic team and spearhead strategic growth initiatives across Arizona, said Williams. “My priority is to empower our professionals with the tools, resources, and support necessary to excel, drive new business opportunities, and consistently deliver exceptional service and innovative solutions to our clients.”

Jackson D. Hendrix and Myles Lewallen join Burch & Cracchiolo

Jackson D. Hendrix
Myles Lewallen

Burch & Cracchiolo announced the arrival of two new associates to the Firm.  In practice since 2021, Jackson D. Hendrix will focus his practice on civil and commercial litigation, real estate and business law.

Hendrix graduated with a Baccalaureate degree in Political Science from James Madison University. He was a recipient of the Dr. Henry A. Myers Memorial Scholarship for maintaining the highest cumulative GPA among political science seniors. Hendrix earned his Juris Doctorate from The George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C. in May 2019. He was admitted to practice law in Arizona in 2021.

Also joining Burch & Cracchiolo is Myles Lewallen. Lewallen will focus his practice on bankruptcy, criminal defense, and civil litigation.  Lewallen graduated from Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, cum laude, in May 2024.  He earned a B.A. in history, summa cum laude, from Arizona State University New College in May 2021. Lewallen scored in the 92nd percentile ranking nationally on the Multistate Bar Examination. 

Lewallen spent the summer of 2022 and 2023 as a summer associate at Burch & Cracchiolo.  Prior he was a law clerk at The Shreck Law Firm in Phoenix, AZ.  

StrataTech Education Group appoints new vice presidents

StrataTech Education Group (StrataTech), an operator of skilled trade schools: The Refrigeration School, Inc. (RSI) in Phoenix and Tulsa Welding School (TWS) with locations in Tulsa, Jacksonville, Houston, and Dallas, recently named Amy Rosso as vice president of admissions and Mark Larik as vice president of transformation.

Mark Larik
Amy Rosso

These two roles will impact StrataTech’s future as Rosso and Larik position the organization for continued success. 

As vice president of admissions, Rosso will be responsible for the recruitment and retention of staff, supporting prospective students through the application process and the daily operations of the admissions department.  

“Amy’s 20 years of education and management experience makes her a natural fit for our StrataTech team,” said Mary Kelly, CEO of StrataTech Education Group. “We are confident in her leadership – she will make both the staff and students feel welcome at StrataTech.” 

Larik’s role as vice president of transformation allows him to spearhead strategic growth initiatives, driving expansion into new markets, launching innovative programs, and optimizing operations across StrataTech’s five campuses.

“Mark is a great fit in our StrataTech family; his years of experience and desire to prepare the next generation of trade workers makes him an asset to our teams across the nation,” said Mary Kelly. “Trade industries continue to see major growth and longevity, and I know Mark’s leadership will support StrataTech’s goal to provide industry leading skilled-trade programs, while continuing to support our current campuses and students.”

The two industry professionals have intensive backgrounds, making them extremely capable of handling key responsibilities in each role. Rosso spent nearly two decades working in various school and educational settings with a concentrated focus in virtual education. She has worked diligently to increase enrollment at her previous schools while also improving the experiences of students and staff. Larik has more than 10 years of professional experience with a strategic focus in growth and development. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Management with concentrations in finance and leadership from Boston College, and a Master of Business Administration from University of California, Los Angeles Anderson School of Management. 

“I am excited to bring my expertise to StrataTech to support the students and staff members at their five campuses across the country,” said Rosso. “I am a firm believer that skills trade education is vital to supporting a robust economy and I believe I can help make a positive difference here at StrataTech.” 

“StrataTech is a leader in skilled trade education and hugely supports the nation’s growing infrastructure needs through their programs,” said Larik. “I am excited to be a part of this well-established team and find ways to bring the programs to the next level.” 

For more information on StrataTech, RSI and TWS visit www.stratatech.com.

ViaWest Group promotes Alex Boles to managing director

ViaWest Group, a leading commercial real estate investment and development firm in the Southwest, announced the promotion of Alex Boles from Senior Vice President of Investment and  Development to Managing Director.

Alex Boles

Alex joined ViaWest Group in 2018 and has played a key role in driving the company’s growth and success. In his new  role as Managing Director, Alex will continue to lead ViaWest’s strategic initiatives, overseeing large-scale development  projects, while spearheading new revenue opportunities.

Steven Schwarz, Founding Partner of ViaWest Group, commented on Alex’s promotion, “We are happy to announce that  Alex Boles has been promoted to Managing Director of ViaWest. In his six years at ViaWest, he has exhibited a very  strong drive and exemplary performance. These efforts have helped drive company culture, new revenue opportunities,  successful outcomes, and expansion of the ViaWest brand. Managing millions of square feet of development is not an  easy task, but he has continued to rise to the occasion while still being a team player and strong manager. We would like  to thank Alex for his efforts and are excited for this next chapter of his at ViaWest.”

As Managing Director, Alex will be responsible for continuing to drive the firm’s growth strategy, managing all aspects of  ViaWest’s Arizona development activities, and ensuring the company’s continued success in an evolving commercial real  estate landscape.

ViaWest Group looks forward to seeing Alex’s leadership further strengthen the company’s position in the industry and  contribute to its ongoing success.


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