Make-A-Wish Arizona adds 2 to staff
Make-A-Wish Arizona has named former senior director of corporate partnerships at Valley of the Sun United Way, Vicki Fiorelli, to the newly created position, Director of New Business Partnerships.
Vicki will work directly with local Companies throughout the state on cause related promotions, fundraisers and Corporate gifts to strengthen and build new revenue streams to fund Wishes at Make-A-Wish Arizona. Vicki will report directly to CEO of Make-A-Wish Arizona Fran Mallace.
Make-A-Wish Arizona also announced Jodi Stoken as its incoming Chief Development Officer.
Jodi, who has led the philanthropic and marketing efforts for Child Crisis Arizona for the past 21 years, has a depth of experience in fund development as well as a personal commitment to improving the lives of children.
“Jodi brings decades of experience in achieving revenue growth goals through leading and mentoring teams and talent,” said Fran Mallace, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish Arizona. “We are excited to have her join our team as we work toward our mission of creating life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.”
Jodi began her tenure with Child Crisis Arizona as a volunteer member of the Board of Directors, eventually bringing her passion for the agency’s mission with her as she transitioned from the for-profit sector to the non-profit.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to be a part of the Make-A-Wish Arizona team,” said Jodi. “As a passionate supporter of providing hope for all children, I am committed to securing the vision of granting the wish of every eligible child in Arizona.”
Jodi holds a bachelor’s degree in Speech-Communications, a CFRE and CAP® designation (Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy) from the American College of Financial Services. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Greater Phoenix Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and served as co-chair of the 2016 and 2017 National Philanthropy Day Luncheon. In 2017, Jodi was awarded Fundraising Executive of the Year by AFP Greater Phoenix Chapter.
Mina Wassef leads Weitz Southwest Office as general manager
Earlier last month, The Weitz Company announced Mina Wassef as the General Manager of its Southwest office based in Phoenix, Arizona. Wassef has been with the company for ten years, starting with Weitz’s parent company, Orascom Construction PLC, as a Corporate Business Development Manager. As the newly appointed General Manager, he will continue to grow the Southwest team and ensure operational excellence moving forward.
“The Weitz Southwest office has a tremendous portfolio of well-known projects in the region and a brand that has been established here for 45 years,” says Wassef. “This office has grown with the region over the years and will continue to do so as we see the influx of projects that perfectly align with Weitz’s key product lines namely Mission Critical, Aviation/Transportation, Industrial/Advanced Manufacturing and Commercial. This is a very exciting time to be part of our Southwest team. For the past few months, I have served as the Phoenix office’s interim general manager and after experiencing the region’s wealth of exciting opportunities, as well as working with outstanding team members, I was beyond grateful to accept the full-time general manager position. I am proud to work alongside some of the industry’s best and together we will drive safe, innovative and strategic construction projects.”
In addition to his corporate strategy experience, Wassef brings four years of management and consulting experience at a top-tier global consulting firm. He is an Engineer by background and also holds an MBA from Harvard Business School. His industry experience paired with his educational background offer a unique business savviness that will help the Arizona team capitalize on and win the work in a rapidly growing market.
“Mina is incredibly driven and dedicated to the strategic growth of our people, the Southwest office, and the Weitz Company as a whole,” said Shane Bauer, Chief Operating Officer at The Weitz Company. “Arizona’s construction industry is continuing to grow, and Weitz’s Southwest office is growing with it. Mina is an excellent fit to lead this growing team toward more advanced projects with his diverse skillset and breadth of professional expertise.”
Weitz’s Southwest office has won several notable projects in the region over the last few years including the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Terminal 4 Baggage Handling System, Phoenix Sky Train, Sagewood Life Plan Community, Comarch Data Center, and more.
VanTrust launches its new national Science + Technology Division
VanTrust Real Estate, LLC (VanTrust) announced VanTrust Science + Technology, a new national division that is designed to match its industry leading real estate expertise and capital resources with both public and private sector clients in the life sciences, R&D, institutional, governmental, biotech, pharmaceutical and technology industries. Operating under the VanTrust umbrella, VanTrust Science + Technology is a real estate investment and development division that is focused on creating and deploying real estate strategies that drive value for its clients operating across these cutting-edge sectors.
A founding member of VanTrust, Executive Vice President Rich Muller, has been tapped to lead the firm’s national expansion into the science and technology space. VanTrust Development Services veterans, Jeff Turk and Ryan Lidke, will provide this new division with design and construction oversight. The VanTrust Science + Technology team will be joined by two Kansas City executives, Scott Hall and Lori Top, both of whom will join VanTrust as Vice Presidents.
“With VanTrust Science + Technology, we have assembled an experienced team that is uniquely skilled at distilling the complex real estate and capital requirements that often accompany projects in the science and technology industries into collaborative and actionable solutions. To this end, we’re thrilled to have both Scott and Lori be part of the VanTrust family and look forward to leveraging their collective expertise to grow our presence in this exciting space,” said Muller.
When it comes to deal structures, VanTrust takes a flexible approach. “We are equally comfortable delivering projects on a fee basis, as a joint venture partner, or as owner. It really just boils down to what works best for the specific real estate,” said Muller.
Hall, a seasoned professional in the field of economic and community development, brings a wealth of expertise and a proven track record to VanTrust’s Science + Technology division. Prior to joining VanTrust, Hall spent nearly a decade at the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. In his most recent roles as Senior Vice President for Civic and Community Initiatives and President of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Hall oversaw the work on the KC Chamber’s community impact projects, including those in public health and workforce development. His extensive experience as a leader in the KC Chamber, coupled with his deep understanding of the region’s economic landscape, positions him to significantly impact VanTrust’s life sciences endeavors. His strategic mindset and genuine passion for fostering economic growth and innovation will drive the team’s success in developing cutting-edge, state-of-the-art facilities tailored to the needs of life sciences companies.
Top joins the VanTrust team as an experienced design and construction executive with over 25 years of experience. Her extensive experience managing projects that require distilling complexity, incorporating cutting-edge technology, and helping to define positive solutions is integral to her role in the VanTrust Science + Technology division. She excels at building relationships, developing and leading project teams, and creating environments that foster successful project outcomes. Before joining VanTrust, Top’s prior experience includes nearly 14 years as a Principal at Burns & McDonnell, where she oversaw complex and large-scale design and construction projects across a diverse array of industries with a total cost of more than $3.8 billion. At VanTrust, Top will focus on fostering strategic client, consulting, and construction partnerships while leveraging her background in real estate and complex projects to define opportunities in the science and technology industries.
VanTrust Science + Technology is designed to address the specific challenges faced by life sciences, R&D, institutional, governmental, biotech, pharmaceutical and technology companies and is already generating significant interest among several prominent life sciences companies and institutions.
Az Business Leaders: The AZ Big Spotlight is sponsored by AZ Business Leaders, an annual business-to-business publication that combines the who’s who of Arizona business community with their valuable leadership advice and knowledge. The magazine is published by AZ Big Media. To learn more about Az Business Leaders, contact Sheri Brown, director of sales.
