Barry Manuel named CIO at MEB Management Services

MEB Management Services, a provider of comprehensive multifamily management services throughout the Southwest, has named Barry Manuel as its new chief information officer.

A native of San Diego, Manuel will be responsible for strategic technology planning to accommodate business growth objectives for all of MEB’s companies. He joins MEB after 17 years at Shelton-Cook Real Estate Services.

Manuel earned a Master’s of Science degree in information management from Arizona State University. He is involved with the W.P. School of Business at ASU, the TechExecs Network, and Arizona Professional Networkers.

“We are very excited to welcome Barry to the MEB family,” said Jodi Sheahan, Founding Principal with MEB. “The utilization of technology in all areas of our company is critical when creating value for our clients, residents, and team members. Barry will play a significant role in driving the strategy of creating more value utilizing technology and leading the change management required.”

Shepley Bulfinch welcomes Alexandra Gino

Shepley Bulfinch, a national architecture firm known for design excellence and innovation with offices in Boston, Houston and Phoenix, announced today that Alexandra Gino has joined the firm as marketing and business development manager in the Phoenix office. An energetic, highly collaborative, and resourceful professional and trained architect, Alex brings more than 20 years of experience in the fields of architecture, teaching, and marketing to her new role, where she will support the firm’s leadership in the pursuit of challenging and groundbreaking projects.  

Alex is passionate about architecture and believes in promoting the role of women in the real estate industries and beyond. Her 10 years of higher education teaching experience includes faculty associate positions at Arizona State University (ASU),
Iowa State University, University of Texas Austin, University of Nebraska, and University of Westminster, London. While at ASU, she taught Design Studio at the graduate and undergraduate level, with a specialty in filmmaking and storytelling for architects, artists, and designers. Prior to joining Shepley Bulfinch, Alex served as marketing director at Jones Studio Inc., an architecture firm in Phoenix. In her role there, she was responsible for all aspects of marketing and proposal coordination as well as communications and client management.  

“We are excited to welcome Alex to the Phoenix office at Shepley Bulfinch,” said Jennifer Wells, vice president of Brand Strategy at Shepley Bulfinch. “With her extensive background in both architecture practice and marketing, Alex is uniquely qualified to lead our marketing and business development efforts in the Southwest region. She brings an unmatched enthusiasm for design combined with experience in developing strategies and prioritizing tactics for executing on business development plans. We look forward to working with her to raise the firm’s profile in Phoenix and beyond.”

James Goodnow joins Make-A-Wish board

Attorney James Goodnow (PRNewsfoto/Fennemore Craig, P.C.)

Fennemore Craig, a leading Mountain West law firm, announced that James Goodnow, the firm’s President and Managing Partner, has been named to Make-A-Wish®  Arizona’s Board of Directors. Goodnow joins a distinguished team of Arizona leaders who are dedicated to volunteering time and efforts toward granting wishes for children with critical illnesses.

“We are excited to welcome James to our diverse roster of individuals helping our chapter and our future wish kids as we work toward our vision of granting every eligible wish in Arizona,” said Elizabeth Reich, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Arizona. “Our current Board of Directors is excited to work with James and seven additional leaders who have elected to give their time and energy to grant wishes right here in Arizona.”

Make-A-Wish Arizona’s Board of Directors has been key in growing the number of wishes the chapter can grant by three to five percent annually over the past five years. The chapter has a goal to grant 400 wishes this fiscal year.

“As a father of two small children, I am deeply moved by the work everyone at Make-A-Wish Arizona does to support the wishes of children diagnosed with critical illnesses,” states Goodnow. “Being a native Arizonan, I am particularly proud to be part of the founding chapter of Make-A-Wish, where the Make-A-Wish mission was born nearly 30 years ago.”

Gus Schneider joins Polsinelli

Gustavo (“Gus”) Schneider has joined national law firm Polsinelli as a senior associate in the firm’s Phoenix office. 

Mr. Schneider is a real estate finance attorney with significant experience facilitating commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) and Capital Markets Execution (CME) transactions on behalf of lenders and loan servicers. 

He earned his J.D. from ASU’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law and his B.A. from the University of Texas at El Paso.

Kimpton’s Amara Resort in Sedona hires GM

Tara Cline has joined Kimpton’s Amara Resort and Spa as the new General Manager.

Cline was previously at Enchantment Resort in Sedona, where she spent over 25 years educating herself in hotel operations, revenue management, sales and marketing.

Throughout her time at the independent resort, Cline found her passion for the luxury hospitality industry as she took on many roles and eventually worked her way up to Director of Rooms.

She believes that teamwork and empowerment provide the ability to operate a successful hotel and is excited to become a part of the Kimpton family.