Jones, Skelton & Hochuli welcomes 2 associates

Jones, Skelton & Hochuli announced the addition of two associates, Alejandro Barrientos and W. Michael Yohler, expanding the firm to 88 lawyers.

Alejandro is the newest associate in the firm’s Appellate Group. Prior to joining JSH, he served as a judicial law clerk to Judge Maurice Portley and Judge Samuel Thumma of the Arizona Court of Appeals, and Justice Ann A. Scott Timmer of the Arizona Supreme Court. He was also a deputy public defender for the Maricopa County Public Defender’s Office. During law school, Alejandro served as the articles editor for the Arizona Summit Law Review.  Alejandro earned his J.D. from Arizona Summit Law School, graduating cum laude, and his B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Wyoming. While pursuing his undergraduate degree, Alejandro worked as an assistant engineer and translator for Engineers Without Board in Honduras.

Mike has dedicated most of his 20-year-career to defending insurance carriers in all manner of claims, with a particular emphasis in personal injury matters. An experienced trial attorney, Mike has first-chaired 40 jury trials. He regularly represents clients in arbitrations and mediations, and has experience defending clients against subrogation claims, tort issues, and criminal offenses. He works in the firm’s General Liability and Auto Trial Group. Prior to joining JSH, Mike worked as staff counsel with Farmers Insurance for 10 years. Mike earned his J.D. from University of Denver Sturm College of Law, and his B.A. in Psychology from Arizona State University.

New GM and executive chef at Royal Palms in Phoenix

Royal Palms Resort and Spa in Phoenix, billed as one of the top luxury resorts in Arizona, has welcomed two new additions to the executive team with the appointment of Carlos Morales, general manager, and Alex Robinson, executive chef.

Steeped in nearly 100 years of history, romance and elegance, Royal Palms is part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand and recently underwent a nearly $4 million redesign of the Mediterranean-style hideaway that boasts 119 guest rooms, celebrated legacy restaurant, T. Cook’s and the award-winning Alvadora Spa.

As the newly appointed general manager of the resort, Morales has been part of the Hyatt team for more than 20 years and recently relocated from Hyatt Centric Key West in Florida where he served as the general manager. Prior to Key West, Morales was opening hotel manager of Grand Hyatt Playa Del Carmen and was director of food and beverage at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa.

Alex Robinson has taken the lead of all culinary operations for the resort, including T. Cook’s, with his new role as executive chef. This will be Chef Robinson’s seventh luxury-brand hotel position throughout his nearly 18-year career. Chef Robinson previously worked for The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel as the executive sous chef overseeing multiple outlets as well as servicing 80,000 square feet of meeting and event space. Robinson has also worked on the culinary teams at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North, Four Season Resort Jackson Hole, opening team member Four Seasons Hotel Denver, The Ritz-Carlton Chicago and Four Seasons Hotel Boston. Chef Robinson is a graduate from Le Cordon Bleu Scottsdale with an Associate’s Degree in Culinary Arts.

Paul Tuchin promoted to principal in Phoenix

Trammell Crow Company (TCC) announces that Paul Tuchin has been promoted to Principal with the firm’s Phoenix Business Unit. In this role, he will continue to be responsible for sourcing and executing real estate acquisition and development projects in the Phoenix marketplace and overseeing the office’s residential business under the firm’s High Street Residential brand. He previously served as a Senior Vice President. 

“Paul consistently distinguishes himself as an accomplished sourcer of quality acquisition and development opportunities for our Phoenix operations,” said Jim Mahoney, Senior Managing Director of TCC’s Phoenix Business Unit. “He has successfully launched our residential business locally, creating a healthy pipeline of activity. Paul is regarded as a trustworthy, competent real estate professional by the brokerage community and various municipal representatives and is an outstanding role model and mentor. I have no doubt he will continue to succeed in this new role.”

Since joining TCC in 2013, Paul has identified and secured several opportunities across multiple product lines including, The Osborn, The Fillmore, Park Lucero, Park Ladera, and Corridors Industrial Park, Coldwater Depot and Sky Harbor Business Center, spanning 1.4 million square feet at a value of more than $200 million. He applies more than 15 years of experience in real estate development, land transactions, and acquisitions for the firm’s projects leveraging outstanding relationships with capital providers, the brokerage community, and the construction and professional services industry. 

New leader named for UA Tech Parks

The University of Arizona announced that Carol Stewart, a long-standing authority on research parks, has been appointed to lead the UA Tech Parks.

In her new role as associate vice president for Tech Parks Arizona, Stewart will be charged with overseeing the UA Tech Park at Rita Road, developing the UA Tech Park at The Bridges, and elevating the Arizona Center for Innovation, the business incubator at the Rita Road park.

Stewart’s expertise in university research parks spans decades and nations. She has more than 20 years of experience working with research parks, technology commercialization, business incubation, governmental relations and business development. Previously, Stewart served as CEO of the Association of University Research Parks, which represents 200 research parks worldwide. In this role, she collaborated with leaders to build and grow university-related research parks through education, unification and collaboration.

Her achievements include co-founding the Canadian chapter of the Association of University Research Parks, leading the marketing efforts and launching the professional services division of Maplesoft, a global spinoff company from the University of Waterloo, and enhancing the entrepreneurial culture of Canada at the Canadian Industrial Innovation Centre. Stewart also was founding director of the David Johnston Research + Technology Park at the University of Waterloo, which was named Canada’s most innovative university for 26 consecutive years by Maclean’s, a Canadian news magazine.