Make-A-Wish Arizona adds 2 employees
Make-A-Wish Arizona appointed Vicki Fiorelli, former Senior Director of Corporate Partnerships for Valley of the Sun United Way, to the newly created position, Director of New Commercial Alliances.
Vicki will work directly with local businesses across the state on cause-related promotions, fundraisers and corporate giveaways to strengthen and generate new revenue streams to fund Wishes at Make-A-Wish Arizona. Vicki will report directly to Make-A-Wish Arizona Executive Director Fran Mallace.
Make-A-Wish Arizona also announced Jodi Stoken as its incoming director of development.
Jodi, who has led Child Crisis Arizona’s marketing and philanthropic efforts for the past 21 years, has a wealth of fund-building experience as well as a personal commitment to improving the lives of children.
“Jodi brings decades of experience in achieving revenue growth goals through leading and mentoring teams and talent,” said Fran Mallace, Make-A-Wish Arizona President and CEO. “We are excited to have her join our team as we work toward our mission of creating life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.”
Jodi began her tenure with Child Crisis Arizona as a volunteer member of the Board of Directors, eventually bringing her passion for the agency’s mission with her as she transitioned from the for-profit to the non-profit sector.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to be a part of the Make-A-Wish Arizona team,” Jodi said. “As a passionate supporter of bringing hope to every child, I am committed to ensuring the vision of fulfilling the wish of every eligible child in Arizona.”
Jodi has a bachelor’s degree in voice communications, a CFRE designation, and CAP® (Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy) from the American College of Financial Services. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Greater Phoenix Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and served as co-chair of the 2016 and 2017 National Philanthropy Day Luncheon. In 2017, Jodi was honored as Fundraising Executive Award of the Year by AFP Greater Phoenix Chapter.
Mina Wassef leads the Weitz Southwest Office as General Manager
Earlier last month, The Weitz Company announced Mina Wassef as General Manager of its Southwest office based in Phoenix, Arizona. Wassef has been with the company for ten years, starting with Weitz’s parent company, Orascom Construction PLC, as Corporate Business Development Manager. As the newly appointed General Manager, she will continue to grow the Southwest team and ensure operational excellence well into the future.
“The Weitz Southwest office has a huge portfolio of well-known projects in the region and a brand that has been established here for 45 years,” says Wassef. “This office has grown with the region over the years and will continue to do so as we see the influx of projects that align perfectly with Weitz’s key product lines, namely mission critical, aviation/transportation, industrial manufacturing. /advanced and commercial. This is a very exciting time to be a part of our Southwest team. For the past several months, I have served as the interim General Manager of the Phoenix office and after experiencing the many exciting opportunities in the region, as well as working with outstanding team members, I was beyond grateful to accept the manager role. general full time. I am proud to work alongside some of the best in the industry and together we will drive safe, innovative and strategic construction projects.”
In addition to his corporate strategy background, Wassef brings four years of management and consulting experience at a top-tier global consulting firm. He is an engineer by training and also has an MBA from Harvard Business School. His industry experience, coupled with his educational background, offers unique business acumen that will help the Arizona team capitalize on and win the job in a rapidly growing market.
“Mina is incredibly motivated and dedicated to the strategic growth of our people, the Southwest office and the Weitz Company as a whole,” said Shane Bauer, Chief Operating Officer of The Weitz Company. “Arizona’s construction industry continues to grow, and the Weitz Southwest office grows with it. Mina is an excellent choice to lead this growing team towards more advanced projects with her diverse skill set and extensive professional experience.”
The Weitz Southwest office has won several notable projects in the region in recent years, including Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Terminal 4 baggage handling system, Phoenix Sky Train, Sagewood Life Plan Community, Comarch Data Center and more.
VanTrust launches its new National Science + Technology Division
VanTrust Real Estate, LLC (VanTrust) announced VanTrust Science + Technology, a new national division that is designed to combine its industry-leading real estate expertise and capital resources with public and private sector clients in the life sciences, R&D, institutional, governmental, biotechnological, pharmaceutical and technological industries. Operating under the umbrella of VanTrust, VanTrust Science + Technology is a real estate investment and development division that focuses on creating and implementing real estate strategies that create value for its clients operating in these cutting-edge sectors.
A founding member of VanTrust, Executive Vice President Rich Muller, has been selected to lead the company’s national expansion into the science and technology space. VanTrust Development Services veterans Jeff Turk and Ryan Lidke will provide design and construction oversight for this new division. VanTrust’s science and technology team will be joined by two Kansas City executives, Scott Hall and Lori Top, who will join VanTrust as vice presidents.
“With VanTrust Science + Technology, we have assembled an experienced team that has a unique ability to distill the complex real estate and capital requirements that often accompany projects in the science and technology industries into actionable, collaborative solutions. To this end, we are thrilled to have both Scott and Lori become part of the VanTrust family and look forward to leveraging their collective experience to grow our presence in this exciting space,” said Muller.
When it comes to deal structures, VanTrust takes a flexible approach. “We are equally comfortable delivering projects for a fee, as a joint venture partner, or as an owner. It really comes down to what works best for the specific property,” Muller said.
A seasoned professional in the field of economic and community development, Hall brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record to VanTrust’s Science and Technology division. Before joining VanTrust, Hall spent nearly a decade with the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. In his most recent roles as Senior Vice President of Civic and Community Initiatives and Chairman of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Hall oversaw work on the KC Chamber’s community impact projects, including public health and workforce development. His extensive experience as a leader in the KC Chamber, coupled with his deep understanding of the region’s economic landscape, positions him to significantly impact VanTrust’s life sciences efforts. His strategic mindset and his genuine passion for fostering economic growth and innovation will drive the team’s success in developing state-of-the-art facilities tailored to the needs of life sciences companies.
Top joins the VanTrust team as a seasoned design-build executive with over 25 years of experience. His extensive experience managing projects that require distilling complexity, incorporating cutting-edge technology, and helping define positive solutions is integral to his role in the VanTrust Science + Technology division. He excels at building relationships, developing and leading project teams, and creating environments that foster successful project outcomes. Prior to joining VanTrust, Top’s previous experience includes nearly 14 years as a principal at Burns & McDonnell, where she oversaw complex, large-scale design and construction projects in a wide range of industries with a total cost of more than $3.8 billion. At VanTrust, Top will focus on fostering strategic client, consulting and construction partnerships, while leveraging her experience in real estate and complex projects to define opportunities in the science and technology industries.
VanTrust Science + Technology is designed to address the specific challenges facing life sciences, R&D, institutional, government, biotech, pharmaceutical, and technology companies, and is already generating significant interest among several leading life sciences companies and institutions.
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