On July 1, NAIOP announced a new name for the organization: the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, or CREDA. According to CREDA, the new branding better communicates the broad scope of commercial real estate work members engage in, such as multifamily housing, retail destinations, logistics and fulfillment facilities, offices, mixed-use developments, data centers and more. To celebrate this new era for the association and honor its past achievements, here is one of the winners of 2026’s Best of NAIOP Awards.
Molly Carson, president, Southwest region // Ryan Companies US
Arizona’s commercial real estate sector is fortunate to have wise leaders, and a collaborative community that understands prosperity begets more prosperity.
“We all like to win,” explains Molly Carson, president of the Southwest region at Ryan Companies US, “but we also know that competition is a privilege. If someone else gets stronger, we’ll get stronger too. That’s the whole idea of ‘high tides raise all boats’ — it sounds silly since everyone says it, but it’s true. And NAIOP has created that environment here and will ensure it continues to grow as CREDA.”
When it comes to winning, Carson knows a thing or two. During the 2026 Best of NAIOP Awards, she was honored with the prestigious Award of Excellence in recognition of her positive influence on the association and industry as a whole.
AZRE magazine sat down with Carson to reflect on how Phoenix has changed since she first arrived, the relationships made possible through CREDA and what this recognition means to her.
The following has been edited for clarity and length.
AZRE: You first moved to Phoenix in 2010 — a difficult period for the overall economy and especially the construction industry. What was that experience like?
Molly Carson: It was a scary time for everyone. My husband doesn’t work in real estate, and a few weeks after we came to Phoenix, he asked, “Why did we move here for your job? I haven’t seen a single crane yet.”
Today, things are very different. Arizona’s economy used to be very cyclical, but now we have a broad diversity of job opportunities and companies here. What hasn’t changed is people’s desire to work hard and build a strong community.
AZRE: Speaking of community, you were involved in CREDA before moving to Arizona. Did that help with your transition?
MC: Absolutely. As soon as we got to Phoenix, I got involved. My first assignment was co-chairing Night at the Fights, and they gave me that opportunity thanks to my past experience in the Minnesota chapter — they knew I would put in the effort. It was a fantastic way to meet so many people within our community.
AZRE: How did folks in the Arizona chapter know you had already been participating in the association?
MC: Early in my career, I met Jean Kane, who was the CEO of Colliers in Minnesota at the time. She became my mentor and gave me some wonderful advice: “Get involved. That’s how you find your people, and once that happens, the learning opportunities come along with the connections.”
Later, Jean encouraged me to join CREDA at the national level and did so right before I moved, which helped me have a leg up once I got to Arizona. Jean is the reason I got — and stayed — involved with CREDA. I’m happy to say we’re still friends today.
AZRE: How did you feel when you heard your name called out as the recipient of the Award of Excellence?
MC: I was surprised! I’d love to tell you that I’m really confident, but if I’m honest, my first thought was that I don’t belong to the same group of people who won it before me. It didn’t feel like I had earned it yet.
It’s one of the biggest honors I’ve received in my professional career, and it’s still a bit overwhelming. But I’m so grateful to be honored, and I wake up every day wanting to earn that recognition because I still have a long life left in this career.