AZRE magazine sat down with eight NAIOP Arizona members to learn more about their relationship to the association, how they’ve grown their careers from getting involved, the benefits of networking with competitors and what trends they’re seeing in the market. Responses have been edited for clarity and length. Meet Tom Jarvis, partner and vice president of pre-lease estimating, Willmeng Construction.

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Tom Jarvis, partner and vice president of pre-lease estimating, Willmeng Construction

AZRE: How did you first get involved with NAIOP?

Tom Jarvis: I was hired by Willmeng in the fall of 2004, and at that time we specialized in commercial tenant improvements. We only had nine employees and a handful of really good clients, and one of them was Lincoln Property Company. The head of the firm, David Krumweide, advised myself and James Murphy that we needed to get involved with this organization called NAIOP. I remember the first event I went to because I ran into some friends from college, so it felt right from the very beginning. 

AZRE: You’ve gone from attending events to serving on the board and chairing committees. What motivated you to take on that level of commitment?

TJ: If I commit to doing something, whether it’s personally or professionally, I’m going to see it through. That means investing my time and energy, but I think that’s the right approach to take in life. Not only that, but NAIOP has given me far more in my career than I could ever repay through volunteering. I’ve made friends, met like-minded people to do business with — I even met my wife during a NAIOP event many years ago, so the organization will always have a special place in my heart because of that.

From a business perspective, Willmeng has grown into one of the largest general contractors in the state, and the relationships we’ve formed through NAIOP has allowed us to open offices throughout the region. Sure, some of our competitors are members too, but there will be a day where we need to stand by each other to fight a bill being considered at the state legislature. I don’t view being in an association with my competition as a threat — I see it as an opportunity to make Willmeng and our industry stronger. 

AZRE: What industry trends should readers be watching?

TJ: Artificial intelligence is changing all our lives, and these advances will make the industry safer and more efficient. We’re getting extremely accurate information in real time, allowing us to provide better service to the developers and communicate more easily across the whole project team. That said, the labor shortage will continue to be a challenge as the baby boomer generation ages out of the workforce. As they do, we lose both a worker and the institutional knowledge they have.  

But overall, Arizona is in a great position. As we go through deglobalization, international companies are choosing to open their facilities in our state more than ever before. Leaders of years past did an amazing job making sure Arizona can be great hosts to the businesses that want to come here.