Commercial real estate’s leading annual awards ceremony, the Best of NAIOP, celebrated the top-performing people, companies, and projects of 2023 on April 25 at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa.


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The Arizona Chapter of NAIOP bestowed awards in 35 categories before a sold-out crowd of more than 1,070 commercial real estate professionals.

“Congratulations to all the Best of NAIOP nominees and winners. This was a record year for attendance and number of award nominations received. We recognize the nominees’ efforts and are grateful for your contributions to our community,” said Best of NAIOP Chairman CJ Osbrink with Newmark. “We want to extend our utmost gratitude to the NAIOP staff, Board of Directors, and the Best of NAIOP committee volunteers for all the hard work and time they have put forth in making this such a successful and rewarding evening.”

NAIOP Arizona kicked off the evening with the prestigious Award of Excellence. This year’s recipients were Rick Butler and Jeff Cutberth, partners for the past 28 years at Butler Design Group (BDG). Butler and Cutberth have grown BDG into one of the most successful design firms in the Valley, gaining numerous awards including the NAIOP Architect of the Year20 times (again in 2023).

Company winners were Ryan Companies US, Inc., Firm of the Year; ViaWest Group, Industrial Owner/Developer of the Year and Office Owner/Developer of the Year; High Street Residential/Trammell Crow Company, Multifamily Owner/Developer of the Year; Willmeng, General Contractor of the Year and Tenant Improvement Contractor of the Year; Butler Design Group, Architect of the Year; Phoenix Design One, Inc., Interior Architect of the Year; and Suntec Concrete, Subcontractor of the Year.         

In the brokerage awards, Cushman & Wakefield was Brokerage Firm of the Year with two individual/team winners; JLL had three individual/team winners; and CBRE had two individual/team winners.

In the project awards, Transaction of the Year went to The Ranch @ Power & Elliot; Economic Impact went to Yuma|143; Redevelopment Project of the Year went to Desert Medical Campus; Retail Project of the Year went to Village at Prasada; and Large Spec Industrial of the Year went to Park 303, Phase II.

“It was an incredible night celebrating the tremendous projects and great achievements by our NAIOP members. Congratulations to all that were nominated and to the award winners – job very well done,” said 2024 NAIOP Arizona Board Chair John Orsak with Lincoln Property Company.

Office Developer-Owner of the Year: ViaWest Group

Best of NAIOP winners

Here are the Best of NAIOP Arizona winners, celebrating accomplishments in 2023:

Company awards

Architect of the Year: Butler Design Group

Brokerage Firm of the Year: Cushman & Wakefield

Firm of the Year: Ryan Companies US, Inc.

General Contractor of the Year: Willmeng Construction

Industrial Owner/Developer of the Year: ViaWest Group

Interior Architect of the Year: Phoenix Design One, Inc.

Multifamily Owner/Developer of the Year: High Street Residential/Trammell Crow Company

Office Owner/Developer of the Year: ViaWest Group

Subcontractor of the Year: Suntec Concrete

Tenant Improvement Contractor of the Year: Willmeng Construction

Individual/team awards

Award of Excellence: Rick Butler and Jeff Cutberth, Butler Design Group

Developing Leader of the Year: Chelsea Porter, Renaissance Construction

Emerging Broker of the Year: Ben Farthing, CBRE

Healthcare Broker of the Year: Sheila Bale, Tom Weinhold, and Erika Eckblad, Cushman & Wakefield

Industrial Broker of the Year: Tony Lydon, Marc Hertzberg, John Lydon, Riley Gilbert, Kelly Royle Team

Investment Broker of the Year: Will Strong, Cushman & Wakefield

Multifamily Broker of the Year: Asher Gunter, Matt Pesch, Sean Cunningham, and Austin Groen, CBRE

Office Broker of the Year: Pat Williams, Andrew Medley, Chris Corney, Vicki Robinson, Sydney Setnar Team, JLL

Retail Broker of the Year: Dave Cheatham, Darren Pitts, Velocity Retail Group

Tenant Representative Broker of the Year: Mark Bauer, JLL

Project awards 

Economic Impact Project of the Year: Yuma | 143

Industrial Build-to-Suit Project of the Year More Than 500,000 SF: 303 Crossroads/Puma

Industrial Build-to-Suit Project of the Year Less Than 500,000 SF: Cutter Aviation – New Hangars at Phoenix Deer Valley Airport

Industrial Tenant Improvement Project of the Year: AMPlify Sky Harbor

Medical Office Project of the Year: Banner Sports Medicine Scottsdale

Multifamily Project of the Year: AVE Phoenix Sky

Office Build-to-Suit Project of the Year: Juggernaut Case

Office Tenant Improvement Project of the Year More Than 50,000 SF: DoorDash 

Office Tenant Improvement Project of the Year Less Than 50,000 SF: Lessen, Inc.

Redevelopment Project of the Year: Desert Medical Campus

Retail Project of the Year: Village at Prasada

Spec Industrial Project of the Year More Than 500,000 SF: Park303 Phase 2

Spec Industrial Project of the Year Less Than 500,000 SF: Merit PLC | 2

Spec Office Project of the Year: The Grove

Sustainable Project of the Year: ECO Mesa

Transaction of the Year: The Ranch @ Power and Elliot