Hundreds of Arizona’s best and brightest business leaders gathered Thursday at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa as Az Business magazine presented the 2019 Industry Leaders of Arizona Awards.
“It was John Quincy Adams — or maybe it was the Mad King — who once said, ‘If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader,'” AZ Big Media Editor in Chief Michael Gossie said. “Tonight, we recognize organizations that are doing just that by driving innovation, disrupting industries and producing success in a way that separates them from the competition. Or, in the immortal words of Beavis and Butthead: ‘If you, like, saw these guys on the street, you wouldn’t even know that they’re cool.’”
The Industry Leaders of Arizona recognizes the contributions and impact of Arizona‐based companies on both the economy of Arizona and in the communities they serve. Winners were selected is five key industries: Healthcare, hospitality, logistics/distribution, software, and financial services. In addition, two special awards were presented — the Industry Disrupter Award and the Founder’s Award.
Sponsors for the Industry Leaders of Arizona Awards are Cresa, Lovitt & Touché, and the Phoenix Suns.
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Winners of the 2019 Industry Leaders of Arizona Awards
Healthcare: Sonora Quest Laboratories
With 75 Patient Service Centers located throughout the state and time-saving services, such as online appointment scheduling, Sonora Quest offers Arizona residents increased convenience to healthcare. Additionally, Sonora Quest is contracted and considered in-network with most major health plans and offer reduced pricing for patients who wish to pay at time of service due to lack of insurance coverage or high-deductibles.
Hospitality: Riot Hospitality Group
RHG’s business is rooted in innovation, service, and community. RHG has transformed the industry’s landscape through pushing the envelope of the typical hospitality experience while maintaining exceptional customer service. At its brands El Hefe, Farm & Craft, Hand Cut, Riot House, and Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row, the mission is simple: to make every single hospitality experience better than the last.
Logistics/distribution: Freeport Logistics
Freeport Logistics has been in business for 47 years since opening in 1971 and has grown to occupy a more than 750,000-square-foot warehouse. By implementing an inventory management system, being serviced by the Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail lines, and now having more than 200 expert employees ready to handle everything from full pallet storage to same day shipment, Freeport Logistics continues to lead the third-party logistics industry.
Software: JDA Software
JDA has committed to creating the “Autonomous Supply Chain” of the future. JDA has more than 490 patents and patents pending for capabilities that drive differentiation for its customers through the use of its software, which is 10 times more than any other company focused on supply chains. In May 2018, JDA unveiled JDA Luminate, which embraces digital edge technologies such as SaaS, the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced analytics.
Financial services: Annexus
Since 2006, the industry’s best-performing fixed indexed annuities and indexed universal life insurance policies have been powered by Annexus, making Annexus the nation’s leading independent product design and distribution company. Since 2014, its top line has grown by more than three-fold and its bottom line by five-fold. The product development team at Annexus has more patents and patents pending than the rest of the industry combined and was named “Annuity Innovator of the Year” in 2017 and 2018.
Industry Disrupter Award: Offerpad
Offerpad’s on-demand platform is revolutionizing the industry with an innovative end-to-end real estate experience. Essential to Offerpad’s unique product and service is its internal and public-facing tech strategy. Offerpad uses a pointed algorithm to help determine the value of houses and is therefore capable of delivering offers to buy customers’ homes within 24 hours of request. Offerpad marries great customer service with state-of-the-art tech to revolutionize the real estate industry and offers streamlined options when buying and selling.
Founder’s Award: Bill Rogers of Homeowners Financial Group
HFG understands and embraces the capability, application, and impact of emerging technology in the residential mortgage sphere. In finance, leading companies must develop efficient and beneficial solutions on an ongoing basis, as well as respond rapidly to changes in technology. HFG does just that with their “high-tech with a human touch” methodology, which combines a cutting-edge digital mortgage experience with the experienced guidance of a loan professional.
