Az Business and AZRE magazines announced the publications’ lists of the Most Influential Women in Arizona of 2021, including Jeanine Jerkovic of the City of Surprise. In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Most Influential Women program, azbigmedia.com is profiling one of the Most Influential Women of 2021 each day leading up to the Most Influential Women of 2021 dinner and reception.
READ ALSO: The Most Influential Women in Arizona Business for 2021
The Most Influential Women for 2021 will be honored at a reception on August 26 at Chateau Luxe in Phoenix. For sponsorship information, email Amy.Lindsey@azbigmedia.com. For information about the event honoring the Most Influential Women, email Lynette.Carrington@azbigmedia.com or click here.
To buy copies of the Most Influential Women in Arizona issue, click here.
Today’s spotlight: Jeanine Jerkovic
Economic development director
City of Surprise
Jerkovic was recognized in 2019 as “Economic Developer of the Year” by the Arizona Association for Economic Development.
Lesson learned in 2020: “I learned the importance of having a plan and mobilizing that plan quickly. During the first days of the pandemic, our leadership team involved me in our city’s emergency continuity team, and I not only gained resiliency skills as a leader, I credit this with creating a vital lifeline to our business community.”
Source of pride: “I am most proud of leading the recruitment of Costco to the City of Surprise, because it was the most-wanted retailer by the residents for several years. When the Surprise Costco opened its doors in September 2020, it launched a 890,000-square-feet Prasada Gateway Village masterplan.”
Surprising fact: “I love llamas! Every year on February 26, I do a social media shout-out to celebrate the anniversary of the great ‘llama run” of 2015, when two llamas who escaped a local petting zoo went on a run through the City of Surprise. I love that a local cowboy lassoed them live on national television.”
