The finalists for Az Business magazine’s Champions of Change Awards, sponsored by PNC Bank, are remapping the business landscape in Arizona.
“The Champions of Change Awards spotlight those individuals and businesses in our communities who are truly moving the needle for Arizona,” says Amy Lindsey, publisher of AZ Big Media, which publishes Az Business magazine and seven other Arizona-based business publications along with this news website. “These are the game-changers — the individuals and businesses that truly impact the way we work, live, play and do business.”
The Champions of Change Awards will recognize those dynamic innovators and trailblazers who are changing Arizona’s business landscape through leadership, visionary thinking and philanthropy and have earned the right to be called a Champion of Change. Champions of Change will honor both individuals and organizations.
Az Business magazine will celebrate all finalists and winners at a luncheon on Thursday, May 18, 2023 at Orange Tree Golf Resort. The event will have a fun “superhero” theme to reflect the extraordinary accomplishments of the finalists. Tickets are on sale now.
The presenting sponsor of the Champions of Change Awards is PNC Bank. The dessert sponsor is Optum. The step-and-repeat sponsor is Lerner & Rowe and the flowers will be provided by PJs Flowers.
Here are the finalists for the 2023 Champions of Change Awards:
Philanthropic Business Leader of the Year
Liz Agboola, Trinity Integrated Care
Leonardo Loo, Quarles & Brady
Vicki Mayo, TouchPoint
Deborah Pearson, OneAZ Credit Union
Kevin Rowe, Lerner & Rowe
Philanthropic Business of the Year
Delta Dental of Arizona
Desert Financial Credit Union
UnitedHealthcare
Salt River Project (SRP)
Valor Global
Nonprofit Leader of the Year
Beth Fiorenza, Nourish Phoenix
Mary Foote, Pipeline AZ
Joan Koerber-Walker, AZBio
Kristen Merrifield, Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits
Torrie Taj, Child Crisis Arizona
Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Arizona Donor Alliance
Kid in the Corner
Family Promise of Greater Phoenix
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation for Community & Health Advancement
Two Pups Wellness Fund
Healthcare Leader of the Year
David Dexter, Sonora Quest Laboratories
Tom Grote, Banner Aetna
Pam Kehaly, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona
Steve Purves, Valleywise Health
Terri Waibel, Center for Compassion
Healthcare Organization of the Year
Circle the City
Copa Health
Embark Behavioral Health
Risas Dental and Braces
Valleywise Health
Innovative Champion of Change (individual)
James Goodnow, Fennemore
Andy Kvesic, Radix Law
April Stovall, Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino
Amy Walters, City of Hope (formerly CTCA)
Mike Weinberger, Item 9 Labs Corp.
Innovative Champion of Change (business)
Arizona State University
Amazon Web Services
AvAir
Dominium
Lectric eBikes
Large Business Champion of Change (individual)
Ken Goodrich, Goettl
Perry Laufenberg, SVN Desert Commercial Advisors
Steve Macias, Optum Health
Rachel Skaff, Amazon Web Services
Kerri Robinson, Arizona State University
Large Business Champion of Change (business)
CBRE
Delta Dental of Arizona
Geneva Financial
HomeSmart
Optum Arizona
Medium Business Champion of Change (individual)
Rumpa R. Dey, AECOM
Kentaro Kawamori, CEO and co-founder, Persefoni
John Kobierowski, ABI Multifamily
Ari Levin, The Madison Center for the Arts
Steven G. Zylstra, Arizona Technology Council
Medium Business Champion of Change (business)
City to City Commercial
Lerner & Rowe
Radix Law
REDW
Tower Capital
