AZ Business magazine and BestCompaniesAZ are honored to present the winners of the 2012 Arizona’s Most Admired Companies Awards.
Our primary goal in developing the program was to find and recognize those organizations that excel in four key areas: leadership excellence, social responsibility, customer opinion and workplace culture.
From hundreds of applicants and nominees, a selection committee comprised of our editorial team and professionals from a wide range of industries selected 40 of the most accomplished and prestigious companies in Arizona.
Adolfson & Peterson Construction
Arizona base: Tempe
Arizona leadership: Bryan Dunn, senior vice president
Years in Arizona: 21
Employees in Arizona: 63 in Tempe
Fast fact: Dogs and pets are allowed in the office and employees have the flexibility to bring their children to work.
Web: a-p.com
American Express
Arizona base: Phoenix
Arizona leadership: Tammy Weinbaum, senior vice president
Years in Arizona: 51
Employees in Arizona: 7,775
Fast fact: Fortune Magazine named the company to its Most Admired Companies and 100 Best Companies to Work For lists in 2012.
Web: aexp.com
Arizona Charter Academy
Arizona base: Surprise
Arizona leadership: Melissa Holdaway, CEO
Years in Arizona: 11
Employees in Arizona: 71
Fast fact: ACA values diversity and 70 percent of its student population is made up of minorities. ACA’s staff mirrors the diversity of its students.
Web: azcharter.com
Arizona Breast Cancer Specialists
Arizona base: Phoenix
Arizona leadership: Dr. Robert Kuske and Dr. Coral Quiet, co-founders
Years in Arizona: 4
Employees in Arizona: 54
Fast fact: Kuske is currently co-principal investigator in the largest breast cancer radiation trial in medical history.
Web: breastmd.com
Barrett-Jackson Auction Co. LLC
Arizona base: Scottsdale
Arizona leadership: Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO
Years in Arizona: 41
Employees in Arizona: 50
Fast fact: Has raised more than $48 million for local and national charities.
Web: barrett-jackson.com
Biltmore Bank of Arizona
Arizona base: Phoenix
Arizona leadership: Jeff Gaia, chairman and CEO
Years in Arizona: 9
Employees in Arizona: 50
Fast fact: For more than a decade, CFO Paige Mulhollan has volunteered nearly 40 Saturdays a year to Habitat for Humanity of Arizona.
Web: biltmorebankaz.com
Cancer Treatment Centers of America
Arizona base: Goodyear
Arizona leadership: Dr. Edgar Staren, president and CEO
Years in Arizona: 4
Employees in Arizona: 447
Fast fact: CTCA is the first 100 percent digital cancer hospital in the nation. Patient records are maintained in an Electronic Health Records System.
Web: ctca-hope.com
CA Technologies
Arizona base: Scottsdale
Arizona leadership: Jon Hunter, general manager
Years in Arizona: More than 20 years
Employees in Arizona: 88
Fast fact: Partnered with the Boys & Girls Club to launch “Tech Girls Rock” to inspire girls to explore technology-related opportunities and careers.
Web: ca.com
Casa Grande Regional Medical Center
Arizona base: Casa Grande
Arizona leadership: Rona Curphy, president and CEO
Years in Arizona: 28
Employees in Arizona: 845
Fast fact: Certified as a mature-friendly workplace by the state; 59 percent of employees are age 45 or older.
Web: cgrmc.org
CBIZ MHM, LLC
Arizona base: Phoenix
Arizona leadership: Carlos Wagner, executive managing director
Years in Arizona: 41
Employees in Arizona: 141
Fast fact: Has collected approximately 250,000 pounds of food for local food drives over the past 10 years.
Web: cbiz.com
CBRE
Arizona base: Phoenix
Arizona leadership: Craig Henig, senior managing director and Arizona market leader
Years in Arizona: 60
Employees in Arizona: 350
Fast fact: Through the company’s environmental stewardship, employees have helped clients make their facilities greener and contribute to the battle against climate change.
Web: cbre.com
CCS Presentation Systems
Arizona base: Scottsdale
Arizona leadership: John Godbout, founder and CEO
Years in Arizona: 21
Employees in Arizona: 108
Fast fact: Ranked among Inc. Magazine’s Fastest Growing Companies for five consecutive years (2008-2012).
Web: ccsprojects.com
Cigna HealthCare of Arizona
Arizona base: Phoenix
Arizona leadership: Stephanie Gorman, president and general manager
Years in Arizona: 40
Employees in Arizona: 2,865
Fast fact: One of only 25 companies in 2011 recognized for diversity and inclusion in Racing Toward Diversity magazine.
Web: cigna.com
FedEx TechConnect
Arizona base: Phoenix
Arizona leadership: Jack Carroll, senior manager
Years in Arizona: 28
Employees in Arizona: 148
Fast fact: In 2012, earned Arizona’s Top 100 Companies Centennial Celebration Star Award.
Web: fedex.com
Go Daddy
Arizona base: Scottsdale
Arizona leadership: Scott Wagner, interim CEO
Years in Arizona: 15
Employees in Arizona: 2,704
Fast fact: Go Daddy donated more than $5 million to various charities in 2011.
Web: godaddy.com
Grant Thornton LLP
Arizona base: Phoenix
Arizona leadership: Ralph Nefdt, managing partner
Years in Arizona: 8
Employees in Arizona: 60
Fast fact: Audit Partner Stella Shanovich helped develop Women at Grant Thornton to ensure a culture that enhances retention and recruitment of women.
Web: us.gt.com
Great American Title Agency, Inc.
Arizona base: Phoenix
Arizona leadership: Bruce Beverly, CEO
Years in Arizona: 14
Employees in Arizona: 127
Fast fact: Ranked No. 1 by Ranking Arizona among title companies from 2009-2012.
Web: azgat.com
Infusionsoft
Arizona base: Gilbert
Arizona leadership: Clate Mask, CEO
Years in Arizona: 8
Employees in Arizona: 246
Fast fact: Mask was an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist in 2012 and earned a Father of the Year Award in 2007.
Web: infusionsoft.com
International Cruise & Excursions, Inc.
Arizona base: Scottsdale
Arizona leadership: John Rowley, president and CEO
Years in Arizona: 15
Employees in Arizona: 928
Fast fact: ICE is the largest woman-owned business in Metro Phoenix.
Web: iceenterprise.com
KeatsConnelly
Arizona base: Phoenix
Arizona leadership: Robert Keats, president
Years in Arizona: 22
Employees in Arizona: 27
Fast fact: Has earned the Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility for four consecutive years.
Web: keatsconnelly.com
Laser Spine Institute
Arizona base: Scottsdale
Arizona leadership: Dr. Michael Weiss, chairman of surgery and chief spine surgeon
Years in Arizona: 4
Employees in Arizona: More than 75
Fast fact: 80 percent of Laser Spine Institute patients report returning to daily activities within two weeks of surgery.
Web: laserspineinstitute.com
Mark-Taylor
Arizona base: Scottsdale
Arizona leadership: Dale Phillips, president
Years in Arizona: 26
Employees in Arizona: 420
Fast fact: Donating rent for an entire year through its Save the Family partnership allowed members of the Mark-Taylor team to experience the joy of giving back.
Web: mark-taylor.com
Mayo Clinic
Arizona base: Scottsdale
Arizona leadership: Wyatt Decker, vice president and CEO
Years in Arizona: 25
Employees in Arizona: 5,524
Fast fact: Fortune Magazine has named Mayo Clinic to its 100 Best Companies to Work For list for nine consecutive years.
Web: mayo.edu
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.
Arizona base: Tempe
Arizona leadership: Robert “Bo” Calbert, president, Southwest Division
Years in Arizona: 33
Employees in Arizona: 326
Fast fact: Successfully implemented techniques to become one of the nation’s safest builders, improving safety results by more than 82 percent.
Web: mccarthy.com
McMurry
Arizona base: Phoenix
Arizona leadership: Chris McMurry, CEO
Years in Arizona: 26
Employees in Arizona: 109
Fast fact: Was named 100 Best Companies “Trailblazer” in 2012 by BestCompaniesAZ.
Web: mcmurry.com
Microchip Technology Inc.
Arizona base: Chandler
Arizona leadership: Steve Sanghi, president and CEO
Years in Arizona: 23
Employees in Arizona: 1,579
Fast fact: Recorded its 86th consecutive quarter of profitability in May 2012.
Web: microchip.com
Orchard Medical Consulting
Arizona base: Phoenix
Arizona leadership: Robin Orchard, president and owner
Years in Arizona: 11
Employees in Arizona: 26
Fast fact: This year, Orchard donated scholarships for five women to attend Fresh Start for Women free of charge.
Web: orchardmed.com
The Paradies Shops
Arizona base: Phoenix
Arizona leadership: Gregg Paradies, president and CEO
Years in Arizona: 15
Employees in Arizona: 107
Fast fact: Airport Revenue News recognized The Paradies Shops as the “Best Airport Retailer” for the 17th year in a row in 2012.
Web: theparadiesshops.com
PCA SKIN
Arizona base: Scottsdale
Arizona leadership: Richard Linder, CEO
Years in Arizona: 22
Employees in Arizona: 77
Fast fact: Every member of the PCA SKIN team is given a paid day off to volunteer in the community.
Web: pcaskin.com
Ryan, LLC
Arizona base: Scottsdale
Arizona leadership: Jon Sweet, executive vice president and vice chair for strategy and business development
Years in Arizona: 8
Employees in Arizona: 38
Fast fact: The Ryan Foundation was formed in 2011 and supports four key beneficiaries: Susan G. Komen, St. Jude Children’s Research Center, the American Heart Association, and Habitat for Humanity.
Web: ryan.com
SCF Arizona
Arizona base: Phoenix
Arizona leadership: Don Smith, president and CEO
Years in Arizona: 87
Employees in Arizona: 480
Fast fact: Company has an in-house wellness center that is staffed by two nurse practitioners.
Web: scfaz.com
St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance
Arizona base: Phoenix
Arizona leadership: Beverly Damore, president and CEO
Years in Arizona: 45
Employees in Arizona: 160
Fast fact: Organization has a prestigious Arizona heritage as the birthplace of the world’s first food bank.
Web: firstfoodbank.org
ScriptSave
Arizona base: Tucson
Arizona leadership: Lori Bryant, president and CEO
Years in Arizona: 18
Employees in Arizona: 68
Fast fact: Recognizes employees with its Most Valuable Peep (MVP) Award. The MVP receives a cash bonus, covered parking and a package of “Peeps” candy.
Web: scriptsave.com
Shutterfly
Arizona base: Phoenix
Arizona leadership: Dwain Parrish, senior site director
Years in Arizona: 3
Employees in Arizona: 234
Fast fact: 90 percent of new ideas to improve the company’s manufacturing processes are conceived by employees on the production floor.
Web: shutterfly.com
Sonoran Quest Laboratories
Arizona base: Tempe
Arizona leadership: Dave Dexter, CEO
Years in Arizona: 15
Employees in Arizona: 2,644
Fast fact: In 2012, Sonoran Quest Laboratories will provide testing services for more than 6 million patients and will perform more than 20 million tests.
Web: sonoraquest.com
Sundt Construction, Inc.
Arizona base: Tempe
Arizona leadership: David S. Crawford, president and CEO
Years in Arizona: 93
Employees in Arizona: 737
Fast fact: As a 100 percent employee-owned company, Sundt has produced 119 employee-owners with stock balances of more than $1 million since 1996.
Web: sundt.com
Suntech
Arizona base: Goodyear
Arizona leadership: Jerry Liu, general manager
Years in Arizona: 2
Employees in Arizona: 101
Fast fact: About 80 percent of Suntech Arizona’s workforce was hired out of unemployment, showing the solar industry’s ability to create jobs.
Web: suntech-power.com
UnitedHealthcare of Arizona
Arizona base: Phoenix
Arizona leadership: Jeri Jones, CEO
Years in Arizona: 28
Employees in Arizona: 2,910
Fast fact: Since 1999, has been listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and North American Index.
Web: uhc.com
US Airways
Arizona base: Tempe
Arizona leadership: Douglas Parker, CEO
Years in Arizona: 29 (1983-2005 as America West)
Employees in Arizona: 9,764
Fast fact: Has earned a 100 percent rating from the Human Rights Campaign for seven years in a row.
Web: usairways.com
Ventana Medical Systems
Arizona base: Tucson
Arizona leadership: Mara Aspinall, president
Years in Arizona: 25
Employees in Arizona: 1,102
Fast fact: Manufactures more than 200 cancer diagnostic tests and instruments for 56 countries and for 4 million people afflicted with cancer yearly around the world.
Web: ventana.roche.com
2012 Most Admired Companies Event Photos
