JDM Partners appoints Torry Berntsen as co-CEO
JDM Partners (“JDM”), one of the Southwest’s premier real estate acquisition, development, and management companies, today announced the appointment of banking industry veteran Torry Berntsen as Co-Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. In this role, Mr. Berntsen will serve alongside current Chairman and founding partner Jerry Colangelo, current CEO and founding partner Mel Shultz and founding partner and Chairman Emeritus, David Eaton. This strategic expansion marks a new chapter of growth and innovation for the company, a nationally recognized leader in significant real estate transactions, with strong market presence throughout the Southwest.
Mr. Berntsen brings more than 40 years of distinguished financial and leadership experience to JDM Partners. He most recently served as Executive Vice Chairman at Standard Chartered Bank, where he also previously held the position of CEO of Europe and the Americas for the global institution. Prior to that, his extensive banking career included senior leadership roles at BNY and at Independent Financial. In 2023, he was named “Europe & Americas Banking CEO of the Year” by The European magazine, recognizing his exceptional leadership in international banking markets.
“Torry brings world-class financial expertise that perfectly complements JDM’s acclaimed investment and development capabilities,” said Mr. Colangelo. “His deep understanding of complex markets, deal structuring, and global capital flows will be invaluable as we continue to pursue large-scale, transformational real estate opportunities. Having been associated with Torry for years, we know his leadership philosophy and integrity align seamlessly with our mission to develop and invest in projects that create lasting value for communities and stakeholders alike.”
This new strategic leadership addition reinforces JDM Partners’ status as a premier player in large-scale real estate development and investment, with the company having been part of two of the largest real estate transactions in Arizona’s history. The company orchestrated the record-setting sale of the Marina Heights office complex – the largest office transaction in the state’s history – an intricate deal involving a leaseback arrangement, development agreement with property tax abatement, and multiple partnership structures. Equally, JDM Partners facilitated the sale of 37,000 acres in the Phoenix West Valley to the Howard Hughes Corporation, with JDM retaining significant ownership. The master planned community, formerly known as Douglas Ranch, is now being developed as the community of Teravalis.
“Torry’s appointment represents a natural evolution for JDM Partners as we continue on our trajectory of impactful and transformative projects,” said Mr. Shultz. “His proven ability to build high-performance teams and drive results in sophisticated financial environments, combined with his entrepreneurial mindset, positions us perfectly for our next phase of growth. We’ve known Torry for years, and we have always been impressed by his strategic vision and execution capabilities.”
Burch & Cracchiolo welcomes Helen Pauly-Hice
The law firm of Burch & Cracchiolo, P.A., is pleased to announce that Helen Pauly-Hice has join the Firm as an associate. Her practice will focus on civil litigation, employment law and litigation, and general business matters. Pauly-Hice spent the summers of 2023 and 2024 at Burch & Cracchiolo as a summer associate prior to joining the Firm.
Pauly-Hice received her J.D. from Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, magna cum laude, in 2025. She earned a B.S in chemistry from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 2018. Pauly-Hice passed the State of Arizona bar exam in July 2025 with the second highest score of the 521 students sitting for the exam.
While in law school Pauly-Hice was an Articles Editor of the Arizona State Law Journal. She received the Michael Brophy Scholarship and two CALI awards. In addition, she was a Willard H. Pedrick Scholar. She served as a Fellow for All Voting is Local, a non-partisan, non-profit organization focused on improving access to voting and is currently a volunteer as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) advocating for children in foster care.
Seth A. Neufeldt joins Burch & Cracchiol
The law firm of Burch & Cracchiolo, P.A., is pleased to announce that Seth A. Neufeldt has join the Firm as an associate. He focuses his practice on real estate litigation, civil litigation, real estate transactions, and estate planning. Neufeldt received his J.D. from Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, in 2023. He earned a B.Mus in Music Education, summa cum laude, from Arizona State University in 2019.
While in law school Neufeldt received the Distinguished Oral Advocate Award, the Daniel F. Cracchiolo Scholarship Award and the National Bank of Arizona Scholars Award. He was the Corporate and Business Law Journal Executive Managing Editor 2022-2023, and the Assistant Editor for the same publication in 2021-2022.
Rosendin promotes 2 to lead Arizona office
Rosendin, the nation’s largest employee-owned electrical contractor, announces the promotion of Chad Constance and Jason Karseboom to Operations Managers in its Southwest regional office. These strategic promotions expand Rosendin’s leadership team in Arizona to support growing semiconductor and data center markets.
Both Constance and Karseboom previously served as Division Managers at the Tempe, Arizona office. They have demonstrated exceptional leadership in managing complex, large-scale building projects including semiconductor facilities, mission critical, and hyper-scale data center facilities for global tech giants.
“I’ve known Chad and Jason for years and they represent the best of Rosendin’s leadership culture that ensure projects are completed on time while developing the talents of their team members,” said Brandon Stephens, Vice President at Rosendin. “Their promotions reflect Rosendin’s commitment to recognizing excellence and creating pathways for career advancement, which is crucial to growth in the technology infrastructure sector.”
Constance, an Arizona State University graduate, brings 20 years of construction leadership experience to his new role, including significant expertise in developing high-performing teams for large-scale electrical installations like the Mesa Data Center. He’s built his career through dedication to project excellence, safety, and effective communication.
“Rosendin’s leadership development programs have been instrumental in my professional growth,” said Chad Constance, Operations Manager at Rosendin. “The company creates an environment where we can learn from experienced mentors, like Brandon Stephens, while taking on increasingly complex challenges that stretch our capabilities and prepare us for leadership roles.”
“Working at Rosendin has given me the opportunity to grow alongside some of the industry’s best talent in an environment that truly values entrepreneurship,” said Jason Karseboom, Operations Manager at Rosendin. “I’m fortunate to be part of a company that supports individual development, and I’m committed to providing the same guidance to emerging leaders who want to build rewarding careers with a company that holds true to its values.”
Karseboom, a lifelong Arizona resident and Arizona State University graduate, has distinguished himself by leading teams of more than 300 professionals on semiconductor facilities and data center projects for major technology companies. With 13 years of construction experience, his focus on continuous improvement and talent development has made him a sought-after mentor.
Both leaders credit Rosendin’s workplace culture, which emphasizes employee ownership and professional development as key factors in their decision to build their careers with the company. Their promotions highlight Rosendin’s commitment to nurturing talent from within while supporting Arizona’s growing reputation as a hub for advanced technology infrastructure.
