A sold-out crowd packed Orange Tree Golf Resort in Scottsdale on Thursday, May 18, to honor the winners and finalists of the 2023 Champions of Change Awards.
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“Champions of Change honors those individuals and companies who lift up their communities and industries and make them better in ways that benefit all of us,” said Michael Gossie, editor in chief for AZ Big Media, which publishes Az Business, AZRE, Ranking Arizona and five other Arizona-based magazines. “That’s what makes this event special. Even though we will designate winners today, the efforts of today’s finalists and winners make champions of all of us.”
Sponsors for the 2023 Champions of Change Awards included Presenting Sponsor PNC, Dessert Sponsor Optum, Step-and-Repeat Sponsor Lerner & Rowe and Floral Provider PJs Flowers.
From a pool of nearly 500 nominees, the the editorial board and judging panel select five finalists in 10 categories. Here are the winners of the 2023 Champions of Change Awards:
Philanthropic Business Leader of the Year: Kevin Rowe, Lerner & Rowe
Philanthropic Company of the Year: Desert Financial Credit Union
Nonprofit Leader of the Year: Torrie Taj, Child Crisis Arizona
Nonprofit Organization of the Year: The Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation for Community & Health Advancement
Healthcare Leader of the Year: Steve Purves, Valleywise Health
Healthcare Organization of the Year: Embark Behavioral Health
Most Innovative Individual Business Leader: James Goodnow, Fennemore
Most Innovative Company of the Year: Arizona State University
Business of the Year (small and medium-sized companies ): Radix Law
Business Leader of the Year (small and medium-sized companies ): Rumpa R. Dey, AECOM
Business Leader of the Year (large-sized companies ): Rachel Skaff, Amazon Web Services
Business of the Year (large-sized companies ): Delta Dental of Arizona
