PetSmart Charities appoints Aimee Gilbreath as president
The Board of Directors of PetSmart Charities today announced the appointment of Aimee Gilbreath as president, effective July 6, 2020.
A seasoned leader in both non-profit and private-sector organizations, Ms. Gilbreath most recently served as the executive director of the Found Animals Foundation, Inc., a non-profit supporting pet owners and animal welfare organizations with a mission dedicated to saving pets and enriching lives. Ms. Gilbreath will report to J.K. Symancyk, president and CEO of PetSmart and chairman of the PetSmart Charities Board.
“The Board and I look forward to Aimee’s leadership of PetSmart Charities,” said J.K. Symancyk, president and CEO of PetSmart. “She demonstrates an incredible skill set and a true passion for animal welfare. With her expertise and leadership, PetSmart Charities will have an even more powerful impact on the people, pets and communities it serves.”
Prior to her role at the Found Animals Foundation, Ms. Gilbreath served as a principal at the Boston Consulting Group, where she evaluated and problem solved challenges for Fortune 500 clients, developing and implementing strategic and operational improvements. She also previously held roles as a process engineer and research associate for Motorola, launching and building the company’s start-up biotech research and development division.
Will Shepler joins ABI Multifamily as broker
ABI Multifamily, the leading multifamily brokerage and advisory services firm in the Western U.S., has added a new broker to the Phoenix team. Will Shepler joined the Phoenix office of ABI in March. In his new role, he will provide advisory services to assist clients with investment strategies, opinions of value, property and market guidance, and the successful completion of multifamily investment transactions in the Phoenix metro area.
“Will has been involved in real estate practically his whole life,” says ABI Senior Managing Partner, John Kobierowski. “From a young age, he was involved in his family business managing and renovating single-family rentals across the Valley. He then gained valuable experience in digital marketing and got solid experience working at real estate research firm Vizzda, a company I know and respect.”
At Vizzda, Shepler was the head of planning and zoning, overseeing tracking of all planning and zoning activity in the Phoenix and south Florida markets. Prior to joining Vizzda, he worked in Internet marketing and sales. He earned his bachelors degree from Arizona State University. When he’s not helping clients buy and sell apartment buildings, Shepler says he enjoys renovating his fixer-upper home with his wife.
“I haven’t been here long, but I can tell already that ABI is the ideal spot to launch my career in multifamily brokerage,” says Shepler “It was clear to me from day one that everything here has been designed to maximize efficiency and effectiveness of the entire team — from the open design of our corporate headquarters to custom data-sharing systems and our collaborative company culture.”
In his role as broker, Shepler helps clients navigate all phases of real estate transactions, including marketing strategy and positioning, negotiations, and successful closing. His unique perspective on commercial real estate will provide clients with high-level insight and guidance on topics including entitlements, zoning codes, and the varying approval processes among metro Phoenix municipalities.
Arizona REALTORS elects 2021 line officers
Arizona REALTORS® has officially elected its executive committee line officers for the 2021 year. The leadership team is comprised of several returning line officers with decades of industry experience including President Jan Leighton, President-Elect Gary Nelson and First Vice President Eric Gibbs. Next year, Yuma real estate pro Shelley Ostrowski will join the executive committee as treasurer.
A seasoned real estate veteran, Ostrowski brings more than 25 years of industry experience to the team. Prior to joining the state executive committee, she served on the board of directors for the Yuma Association of REALTORS®, where she had previously served as president for two terms along with chairing various committees. Other leadership roles include legislative and political affairs committee chair and RAPAC trustee committee chair for the Arizona REALTORS®.
“I am honored to join the executive committee as treasurer and serve alongside the state’s most inspiring and hardworking real estate professionals,” said Ostrowski. “I believe we can continue to build on the ideas of past and present leadership to move the organization forward and ensure our member’s voices are heard at the state and national levels.”
Ostrowski and the full executive committee will incorporate their vast industry knowledge and leadership skills earned from serving in their respective communities, as well as in legislation. An active voice in the real estate community, Arizona REALTORS® is dedicated to the protection of private property rights for all Arizonans and strives to provide the best, and most current, legal information and education available.
The 2021 line officers span the state from metro Phoenix to Flagstaff, Tucson and Yuma and will take office on December 1, 2020. Responsibilities will include leading the state association and its membership of more than 50,000 professionals from all areas of real estate including residential, commercial, property management, land, appraisal, relocation and more.
“We’re extremely proud to have such a dedicated and inspiring group of individuals serve on our executive committee,” said Michelle Lind, CEO of the Arizona REALTORS®. “With their combined leadership skills, we are confident our association will build on past successes and continue to be the voice of the Arizona real estate industry.”
As the largest trade organization in the state, Arizona REALTORS® provides a number of professional benefits to its members and acts as the legislative voice of the industry through professional lobbying, legislative analysis, grassroots contacts and long-term political relationship. To learn more, visit aaronline.com.
St. Joseph the Worker welcomes Rick DeBruhl to board
St. Joseph the Worker (SJW) is pleased to announce the addition of Rick DeBruhl to the Board of Directors. An award-winning network television broadcaster with a master’s degree in media management, DeBruhl brings over 30 years of communication expertise to the table. His addition to the board and his commitment to the SJW mission will be a valuable asset, as the nonprofit continues to carry forth its mission to help disadvantaged or displaced individuals in Arizona become self-sufficient through quality employment.
For over 30 years, SJW has been the conduit to connect Valley job seekers to jobs, connecting more individuals to employment than any other employment agency in Maricopa County. Now, their mission is more important than ever to individuals, families and the economy.
“Rick has been connected to St. Joseph the Worker for more than a decade, and the timing of his addition to the board could not have been better,” said Brent Downs, St. Joseph the Worker Executive Director. “We know Rick will be instrumental in helping SJW thrive, especially now as we help the community come out of this Coronavirus pandemic strong, financially-sound and firmly employed.”
DeBruhl spent 31 years at the NBC affiliate in Phoenix as an anchor and reporter. During that time, he covered everything from politics to the environment to sports. His tenure there also included managing the station’s Call 12 For Action consumer advocacy team. His numerous awards include three Emmys, the American Women in Television and Radio Best Reporter award.
“Working as a journalist here in Arizona for more than three decades, I’ve interviewed people who were homeless or living on the edge of poverty all because they lacked a paycheck. While covering their stories helped show the impact of joblessness, I wanted the opportunity to do more,” said DeBruhl. “Joining the board of St. Joseph the Worker puts me in a position to have a direct impact on people’s lives. It allows me to move beyond the world of reporting and into a world of action.”
If you or someone you know is in need of employment services, contact SJW by calling 602-584-5511 or emailing 5800sjw@sjwjobs.org. St. Joseph the Worker is community funded, meaning they accept no restrictive government funding. To donate or learn more, visit www.sjwjobs.org.
About AZ Business Leaders
AZ Business Leaders is an annual business-to-business publication that combines the who’s who of Arizona business community with their valuable leadership advice and knowledge. The magazine is published by AZ Big Media. To learn more about Az Business Leaders, contact Sheri Brown, director of sales.
