Latasha Causey joins U-Haul as director of recruiting
U-Haul International is actively seeking to hire the best information technology, customer support and business professionals in the marketplace. A Phoenix native with 17-plus years of human resources experience has been tasked with attracting those top job candidates.
Latasha Causey, who has led the recruiting efforts of other major organizations in the Valley, recently joined U-Haul as its Director of Recruiting for locations across the U.S. and Canada. She will be based at the corporate towers on Central Avenue in Midtown Phoenix, where U-Haul has been headquartered since 1967.
“I’m excited to be part of this culture and a company that has done so much for so many people for so long,” Causey stated. “U-Haul is a large company with a family-like feel, and that’s what sets us apart from other companies. I want to enhance the recruiting process and employment brand so that applicants are knocking down our doors.”
Vitalyst Health Foundation announces new board members
Vitalyst Health Foundation announced the addition of five new members to the organization’s board of directors. The new board members bring extensive experience in health policy, leadership, and financial management. The new board members are January Contreras, Aidan McSheffery, Susan Pepin, Siman Qaasim, and Jason Wong.
“I’m honored to welcome our new board members to the team,” said Suzanne Pfister, President and CEO of Vitalyst Health Foundation. “Their combined knowledge and community experience coupled with their immense leadership skills will be invaluable as Vitalyst continues to improve the health of our Arizona communities.”
January Contreras, JD, is an Arizona attorney and longtime champion for women and children. Contreras served as a county and state prosecutor before serving as health policy advisor to Governor Janet Napolitano. Contreras subsequently took on federal leadership roles when appointed as a designee to President Obama’s White House Council on Women and Girls, and as senior advisor to the secretary and national ombudsman for citizenship and immigration services at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In 2013, Contreras returned home and launched the legal aid center Arizona Legal Women and Youth Services (ALWAYS), which provides attorneys to children and young adults who have survived abuse, trafficking, homelessness, and the foster care system. Contreras earned her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Arizona.
Aidan McSheffrey serves as associate general manager and chief financial executive for Salt River Project (SRP). He has been with SRP for over 27 years and has served as Chief Financial Executive for 8 years. In his current role, McSheffrey is responsible for financial services, corporate accounting, supply and trading and fuels, IT services, and cybersecurity. Prior to becoming associate general manager, he served as manager of financial services and corporate treasurer. McSheffrey represents SRP on the Large Public Power Council (LPPC) Tax and Finance Task Force and CFO working group. He currently serves on the Western Energy Institute’s Board of Directors as treasurer and is a board member for the Phoenix Symphony. McSheffrey earned a Master of Science degree in economics from Arizona State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from Northern Arizona University.
Dr. Susan M. Pepin is an educator, surgeon, and clinician. She joined Arizona State University (ASU) in 2018 as managing director of health and clinical partnerships, senior advisor to the executive vice president, and clinical professor in the College of Health Solutions and Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation. Pepin came to ASU from Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, where she served as president and CEO from 2014 – 2018, leading the trust’s vision for supporting Maricopa County by advancing community resilience, addressing inequity, and enhancing health and well-being for all. She holds a BA from Yale University, BA and MA from University of Oxford, MD from University of California, San Francisco, and a Master of Public Health from the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice. She is a Rhodes Scholar.
Siman Qaasim is a well-seasoned public health and public policy professional, with a background in community health programs. Born in Mogadishu, Somalia, Qaasim moved to Arizona as a second-grader, eventually starting her career in refugee health running a small community center to assist Somalis adjust to life in America. After this, she served ten years at the Maricopa County Department of Public Health. Currently, Qaasim serves as President and CEO of Children’s Action Alliance, an advocacy organization focused on the health, education, and security of Arizona’s children. Qaasim’s career has taken her all over the world, from international policy in Washington, D.C. to the Bahamas as an assistant director of health and safety for a large private company, to volunteering in Tanzania with Maasai women. She was awarded the Phoenix Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award in 2013 and is an alumnus of Valley Leadership. Qaasim earned her bachelor’s degree at Howard University in Washington, D.C. and holds a master’s degree in business administration (MBA) from Nova Southeastern University in Florida.
Jason Wong is a founder and current Board Chair of Asian Corporate & Entrepreneur Leaders (ACEL), where he leads ACEL towards becoming the premier professional organization for Asian Americans in Arizona. Wong was the founding director of the Asian Pacific American Student Center of the University of Arizona. He was the recipient of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguish Leadership Award (1992) & Diversity Leadership Alliance’s Diversity & Inclusion Leader Award (2013). Wong also took an active part in Governor Janet Napolitano’s Asian American Advisory Council (2007-2009) and the City of Phoenix Pacific Rim Advisory Council (2006-2007). He served as a national board member (2008-2009), president of the East Valley Chapter (2007-2010) of the University of Arizona Alumni Association, Vice President of the Arts of Business Council of Greater Phoenix (2011-12) and currently serves on the board of directors of the FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Association.
Parrish Rowland joins Willmeng Construction
Willmeng Construction, Inc., a Phoenix-based commercial general contractor, announced that Parrish Rowland has joined the team as their Job Order Contract (JOC) Division Manager. In this role, he will lead Willmeng’s continued efforts to serve their growing business of job order programs for their public and private clients.
“The addition of Parrish speaks to the growing need to serve our clients at the highest level, and their day-to-day needs to result from growth, business changes and expansion is a critical component to this. Our public and private clients often manage a portfolio of buildings, oversee the facilities for an entire campus and have ongoing building needs. Few builders in the Valley understand the JOC process and how to execute it as seamlessly as Parrish and we are confident he will enhance this growing segment of our business,” James Murphy, Willmeng president and CEO said.
Rowland has many years of experience in job order contracting project management, including over 15 years managing and executing state, county and city JOC programs. For the past two years, he served as a National Board Member for the Center for JOC Excellence.
Rowland’s experience will integrate seamlessly into Willmeng’s approach to JOC work as they grow this area of their business and develop a team that focuses solely on the specific needs of clients’ JOC programs. Parrish brings an extensive resume of skill sets in JOC required for small and large projects made up of a variety of construction types.
JDRF Arizona welcomes new executive director
The JDRF Arizona Chapter has appointed Scott Showers as its new executive director.
Showers’ professional experience includes more than 25 years in business development. Most recently he served three years as Vice President of Annual Giving for Honor Health (formerly John C. Lincoln Health Network). Prior to Honor Health, Showers was with John C. Lincoln Health Network for eight years, holding the key positions of Director of Major Gifts and Vice President of Development and Operations. Additionally, his breadth and depth of experience and outcomes were gained and realized at Banner Health, Sun Health, American Red Cross, Glencroft, and Rainbow Acres, in a variety of important development and management capacities.
“I am very excited at the opportunity to work for JDRF knowing that the work I do will have such a direct and significant impact in the lives of millions of people,” says Showers. “Being part of a global effort focused on life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat type 1 diabetes and its complications, is a privilege and an honor.”
Showers’ achievements in implementing new business strategies, delivering innovative solutions, and facilitating nonprofit fundraising operations will be an asset to the JDRF Arizona Chapter and the local type 1 diabetes (T1D) community.
