Experience Matters elects 5 to Board of Directors

Five business, education and community leaders have been elected to three-year terms on the Experience Matters board of directors.

“As Experience Matters expands its reach and impact in the community by connecting passionate individuals with nonprofit organizations, so too, does the depth and expertise of our board of directors,” said Executive Director Wendy Cohen. 

Newly elected board members are:

• Jessica Gabry, program manager at Starbucks where she supports career development strategy, working closely with leadership to develop best-in-class technology teams across the organization.  Among her previous volunteer positions are board leadership roles with Arizona Women’s Education and Employment (AWEE), The Phoenix Symphony Young Professionals, Social Venture Partners and Junior League of Phoenix.  She lives in Phoenix.

• Maria Hesse, Professor of Practice at Arizona State University where she recently retired as Vice Provost for Academic Partnerships. Previously, she had served as President and CEO for Chandler-Gilbert Community College after a career as a high school teacher and principal.  She lives in Gilbert.

• Paula Hill, Vice President, Principal Relationship Manager and Non-Profit Banking Specialist for Wells Fargo Specialty Markets.  Hill assists Arizona nonprofit organizations achieve their mission using credit and treasury management solutions catered to their special needs.  She and her team develop and implement strategies addressing cash flow and all other financial operational objectives.  She currently is Board Chair of the YWCA of Metropolitan Phoenix and on an advisory committee for KJZZ and KBAQ. Hill lives in Glendale.

• Todd Judkins, Senior Associate at Point B Inc., a management consulting company where he specializes in large, complex technology-enabled strategic initiatives for companies to realize the full value of their portfolio of investments. A Navy veteran, Judkins, has consulted with numerous Fortune 500 companies and served in senior positions at IBM and Deloitte. He lives in Gilbert.

• Dr. Jeff Smith, Superintendent of the Balsz School District. A teacher, principal and district office administrator for more than 36 years, Smith was named Arizona Superintendent of the Year in 2012.  An accomplished author, he has been featured in District Administration Magazine, is a book reviewer for The School Administrator Magazine and has received numerous awards for innovation and leadership. He lives in Phoenix.

For more information about Experience Matters, visit www.experiencemattersaz.org.

Fidelity hires Franklin DeLaCruz

Fidelity National Title Agency, Inc. announced that Franklin DeLaCruz, MRED, has joined the company as Vice President, Commercial Account Manager.

DeLaCruz brings more than 18 years of experience in the commercial real estate and capital development field. He holds a master’s degree in real estate development from Arizona State University, a master’s degree in general management and finance from Stevens Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and mathematics from Manhattan College.

Prior to joining Fidelity, DeLaCruz was instrumental in raising private equity and consulting principals on repositioning and reselling distressed commercial assets with favorable returns. He has been a financial analyst, project engineer and project manager for national leaders in construction and provided oversight for acquisition and syndication of distressed asset portfolios.

Cushman & Wakefield brings Martinez onto Tucson team

Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR’s multifamily brokerage team welcomed Conrad Martinez in October 2019.   Martinez is a graduate of New Mexico State University with a major in marketing and a minor in the PGA of America Professional Golf Managements Program.  His three-year golf career included playing professionally in the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico, Latin America, and competing in over 80 professional events.  Martinez said, “I’m excited to be joining the Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR team and to be learning from Allan Mendelsberg.  I’ll be taking my hardworking mentality and competitive nature to the commercial real estate market and networking with as many people as I can.” Martinez enjoys spending time with family and friends, boating, hiking and volunteering at the First Tee of Tucson and the Community Food Bank of Arizona.   

Sundt adds 5 to team in Tempe

Sundt Construction, Inc. has added Brodrick Slaugenhoup, Matthew Sprague, Sergio Lopez, Nick Favia, and Dan Reglin to the company’s Tempe office. 

“With an expanding Southwest region, adding a strong group of employee-owners to the team will help us reach our goals,” said Stewart Grauer, Sundt’s Vice President and Phoenix Regional Director. “Brodrick, Matthew, Sergio, Nick and Dan all bring unique backgrounds and skillsets to the team and will be valuable assets for Sundt.”

Reglin will serve as a project manager. He brings over ten 10 years of experience on projects in industrial, office, medical, educational, hospitality, and correctional sectors. Reglin holds a bachelor’s in construction management with a minor in occupational safety from the University of Wisconsin.

Returning to Sundt, Sprague will be assisting the preconstruction team in their estimating services. He earned his bachelor’s in engineering management with a focus in business analytics. Currently working on obtaining his Project Management Professional Certification, Sprague is also Lean certified. During his previous career with Sundt, he worked as a project engineer on the Biomedical Science Partnership Building in Phoenix for the University of Arizona and the Pima Animal Care project in Tucson.

Lopez joins the company as safety coordinator in the Valley of the Sun. Previously working as a dispatcher and field training officer, Lopez has an impressive background. He holds over 12 different certifications including Emergency Medical Technician, OSHA 30 and OSHA 510.

A recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Slaugenhoup will serve as a field engineer on the Canopy by Hilton Tempe project. He earned his bachelor’s in construction management while working as an intern for Sundt during two consecutive summers.

Favia joins the Tempe team as a project engineer on a confidential project. He has over 10 years of experience in the construction industry and holds a bachelor’s in business management from the University of Phoenix. In his previous roles, Favia had been responsible for project forecasts, schedules, timelines, personnel performance and cost efficiency.

Sundt has over 90 years of experience in Arizona, with offices in in Tempe, Tucson and Phoenix. The company ranks in the top three of ENR Southwest’s top contractors. Sundt is currently working on the Canopy by Hilton Tempe and recently completed the Gilbert Road Light Rail Extension, Ocotillo Water Reclamation Facility and the Ina Road and I-10 Traffic Interchange.

About AZ Business Leaders

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