Valley Partnership names Clark Princell as new president and CEO
Valley Partnership announced Clark Princell has been named president and CEO. Princell was selected by the Valley Partnership board of directors following a statewide search to lead the organization during a critical time for the development industry. He is the former chief of staff at at the office of Mayor Kate Gallego at the City of Phoenix.
Valley Partnership is the Valley of the Sun’s Premier Advocacy Group for Responsible Development. In its representation of the commercial, industrial and master planned real estate development industry, Valley Partnership presents a balanced, pro-development perspective and the Valley’s best industry education and networking opportunities.
Princell replaces Cheryl Lombard, the organization’s president and CEO since 2015, who accepted a new role with ClearPath to oversee the group’s regulatory reform work to reduce and remove global energy emissions.
CFA board of directors appoints Dr. Sybil Francis as chair
The Board of Directors for Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA) has named Dr. Sybil Francis as Chair of the board in addition to her current role as President & CEO. The unanimous decision, made in May 2023, makes official a role that Dr. Francis assumed in July 2022 as acting Chair, following a decision by CFA co-founder Lattie Coor to retire as Founding Chair Emeritus.
The move, made as CFA celebrates its 20th anniversary, comes on the heels of Dr. Francis being recognized as a Lifetime Achievement honoree as part of the Phoenix Business Journal’s 2023 Most Admired Leaders in May.
CFA founding board member Bill Post, who chairs the organization’s finance committee, said the appointment reflects the board’s confidence in Dr. Francis’s leadership, the impact she has made, and the immense potential for CFA with her at the helm.
“CFA has experienced exponential growth in size and impact since Dr. Francis assumed her role as President & CEO in 2018,” Post said. “Dr. Francis has consistently guided effective decisions and strategies in lockstep with CFA’s nonpartisan mission–and with the best interests of all Arizonans and the greater good at the forefront. Now as Chair, President & CEO, the impact she is already making will only be amplified.”
Under the leadership of Dr. Francis, CFA has an ambitious and positive agenda focused on where Arizonans agree and where there are opportunities to come together for positive change. CFA advances The Arizona We Want, based on Arizonans’ Shared Public Values and aspirations for the future of Arizona. As a self-proclaimed “do-tank,” CFA takes action towards achieving this vision for the state – sharing the data-driven message that we are more united than divided as Arizonans, informing leaders and communities about where there is work to do and actions that the majority of Arizonans support, convening partnerships, and impacting hundreds of thousands of lives through statewide programs and initiatives in education, workforce, and civic engagement.
Helaine Levy joins NexMetro board
NexMetro Communities, the country’s leading developer of luxury leased single family home neighborhoods, has named distinguished Arizonan and long-time philanthropist Helaine Levy to its Board of Directors. An innovative non-profit and business executive who has a gift for advancing philanthropy, Levy has more than 30 years of leadership experience and proven success as a visionary, community problem solver and strategic partner.
“Helaine brings a valued wealth of experience and perspective to our board,” said NexMetro CEO Josh Hartmann. “Her years of success in business, unparalleled integrity and deep community engagement in the public, private and non-profit sectors are tremendous assets and we are grateful to learn from her and grow NexMetro with her guidance.”
As Principal of Diamond Ventures Inc. (DVI), one of Arizona’s more successful real estate development companies, Levy helps to guide the Tucson-based company, including its private equity investments. Levy’s additional experience includes the management of her family’s multigenerational office investments.
Congruently, Levy serves as executive director of Diamond Family Philanthropies, whose focus is to provide support to various Tucson non-profit organizations. As a leader in Tucson’s philanthropic sector, Levy founded two thriving non-profit organizations. She actively engages with community organizations on behalf of DVI and the Foundation and was named Tucson Women of the Year for her commitment to empowering the city and state.
Levy credits her strong relationships and ability to use resources as key in business opportunities.
Currently, Levy serves on the University of Arizona President’s Board of Trustees, the Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona Board of Directors and the University of Arizona College of Medicine Dean’s Advisory Board.
Levy replaces Robert Fortuno, a business lawyer based in Tucson, who served on the NexMetro board of directors for six years. She joins other board members Ken Abrahams (chairman), Marc Sandroff, G.S. Jaggi and Howard Rossman.
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