Some of the best professional advice Chris Kirch ever received came early in his career as a newly minted intern at Kitchell. His lead superintendent advised: “Be a sponge.” “I’ve had a lot of great managers along the way,” Kirch shares. “At that young age, I wasn’t immediately clear what he meant by ‘Be a sponge,’ but I soon learned and this remains some of the best … [More]
From Intern to President: Chris Kirch’s Leadership Journey at Kitchell Contractors
Learning and collaboration paired with experience and perspective
Redevelopment Adds Industrial in Airport Submarket
Evergreen Devco, Inc., a leading retail, multifamily and industrial development company, has entered the airport submarket with a $13-million investment for 12.68 acres on two key sites that will become 48th@Alameda. Currently housing a vacant two-story office building, 2727 South 48th Street will be redeveloped to construct two speculative industrial buildings totaling 171,025 … [More]
Brandon Maxwell: Building His Legacy through Shared Ownership
M Culinary Concepts’ Journey to an ESOP
Brandon Maxwell isn’t just the CEO of M Culinary Concepts; he’s a visionary leader who’s reshaping success by sharing it with those who helped build it. In 2023, M Culinary made a bold move, transitioning to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), making it 100% employee-owned. This decision wasn’t just about numbers on a balance sheet. For Maxwell, it was about legacy — … [More]
John Willenborg’s Vision of Adventure – How Owl Vans Is Changing the Game
‘Jack of all trades’ innovates solutions
When it comes to business innovation, John Willenborg, founder of Owl Vans, has found his stride by being a "jack of all trades" rather than a specialist. While some might see this as a disadvantage, Willenborg argues that knowing a little about a lot allows for broader thinking, innovative solutions and the cross-pollination of ideas from different industries. This mindset is … [More]
Michael Erath Scales Up with Next Level Growth
Flexibility enables a tailored approach to client needs
My career started when I joined my family’s manufacturing business, Erath Veneer, eventually working my way up to president and CEO. I led the company’s revenue growth from $8 million to $45 million and expanded our workforce from around 75 to more than 200. I later started a new venture in the hardwood industry, which I took from a startup to $7 million in just five … [More]
Mike Nelson: Crafting Success in the Sandwich Scene
Mike Nelson forges franchise growth as Mr. Pickle’s Sandwich Shops charts nationwide expansion
In 2019, Mike Nelson ate a sandwich from Mr. Pickle’s while on business in California. At the time, it was a cult brand with locations limited to a regional section of the Golden State owned since the mid-1990s by a husband-and-wife team approaching retirement. So, what made Nelson — a veteran multi-unit franchisee — think he could purchase it and position the brand for … [More]
Goodmans CEO Leads by Listening, Workers Return in Droves
Focus on employee well-being supports company’s continued success
Many businesses have struggled with how to encourage their employees to return to the office voluntarily after the pandemic. Typically, this is due to companies looking for a silver bullet. Free lunches and foosball tables don’t provide long-lasting workplace satisfaction. At Goodmans, we believe that “One size misfits all.” The old paradigm of a small committee making … [More]
Carol Nalevanko Put Heart into the Health Industry
Sustaining 40 years of success for DMB’s Village Health Clubs & Spas
Longtime residents might remember the 1980s here in the Valley as a time of chaos and crashes. Now known as the Savings and Loan Crisis, banks and financial institutions across the state went belly-up and the Valley’s booming real estate market went into a free-fall. Of course, things stabilized and Greater Phoenix returned to its normal rocket ship-style growth by the early … [More]
Dillan Knudson: Amplifying Arizona’s Economy through Commercial Banking
Helping businesses with his team of experienced bankers and subject matter experts at Western Alliance Bank
It’s no secret the fast-paced world of banking is fraught with challenges. Whether it’s unwieldy interest rates today or a global health crisis tomorrow, each day brings a new obstacle to overcome — often with high stakes. But for Dillan Knudson, Western Alliance Bank’s new head of commercial banking in Arizona, these obstacles are opportunities. He sees each challenge as a … [More]
Steve Purves: Expanding Access to Healthcare throughout the Valley
And leading by empowering others
When Steve Purves joined Valleywise Health in 2013 as president and CEO, the organization was in dire financial straits. It was the region’s only public teaching hospital and primary safety net system of care, so it was imperative that Purves got Valleywise Health back in the black. And fast. Over the ensuing years, Purves orchestrated a $170-million financial turnaround at … [More]
Levi Conlow: Leading the E-Bike Industry
Lectric eBikes’ success driven by founders’ customer-centric approach
The Lectric eBikes XP 3.0 is the most popular e-bike in America. Based in Phoenix, the company has sold more than 400,000 e-bikes in less than five years, and sells the most popular cargo e-bike and the most popular adult electric trike. Lectric eBikes CEO Levi Conlow co-founded the company with his childhood friend and mechanical engineer, Robby Deziel, in 2019. At the time, … [More]
Darin Roberge: Innovator in Collector Car Marketing
His love of cars culminates in Motorwerks Marketing
From a young age, Darin Roberge has loved all cool things on wheels. Fueled by his passion for classic and exotic cars, Roberge began his career journey in 2014 at top collector automobile auction company Russo and Steele. During his tenure running the marketing and media departments there, he identified gaps within the car marketing landscape. During the Russo and Steele … [More]
Developer Brian Frakes Builds Brick-&-Mortar Community in an Evolving Retail World
And he leads Common Bond into an all-new field with The Global Ambassador
Not long after graduating from University of Arizona, Brian Frakes landed a dream job for any aspiring commercial real estate developer. The year was 1999, and he’d accepted a position as a development manager for Westcor, then the state’s premier shopping mall developer and famed for building some of the biggest, most profitable shopping malls in the nation. Frakes was clearly … [More]
HealthspanMD Founder Dares to Fix a Fragmented System
How Robert Todd Hurst, M.D., is ushering in a new approach to patient-centered cardiology
It’s no secret that gaps and bureaucracy in the healthcare system are impacting the quality of care. Yet the issues have become so big and complex, few people are willing tackle to them head on. Board-certified cardiologist Robert Todd Hurst, M.D., FACC, FASE, is among the innovative providers who are choosing to chart a new path, putting patients first, exhibiting the highest … [More]
Nancy Kleitsch: Making an ICONic Evolution with Automation
My family business overcame the barriers to automation with Robotics-as-a-Service
Since its founding in 2001, family-owned ICON Injection Molding has grown organically from a little stall in Happy Valley, Arizona, to three facilities spanning more than 55,000 square feet. Being a custom molder means each job we take is unique and, whether a customer orders 1,000 parts or 100,000, we must be ready to react. Like most U.S. manufacturers, we’ve also faced … [More]
Brian Raab: Striking a Chord with the Tequila Industry
And bringing Tequila Corrido back to life
The ballad of Tequila Corrido began several years before local restaurateur Brian Raab took on a vital role in the company. Corridos, typically a traditional Mexican-style ballad that narrates an event, are all about storytelling. “Our product is meant to be shared, offering people a way to experience life together,” says Brian Raab, president and partner of Tequila … [More]
Christo Demetriades Manifests Power of Entrepreneurial Perseverance
South African immigrant tilled fertile soil in Scottsdale
Some people are born entrepreneurs. And if there ever was one who fits that description, it is Christo Demetriades. He has spent most of his life and certainly his career in business for himself. It’s been a life of risks and rewards, highs and lows, challenge and achievement. As Demetriades says, that’s par for the course. But Demetriades’s entrepreneurial life is anything … [More]
Humble Bistro’s Chef and Co-Owner Stays Humble
Jorge Gomez focuses on the guest experience
Jorge Gomez’s love for food started in Sonora, Mexico. His mother, grandmother and extended family found joy in the kitchen preparing food, whether it was preparing tamales or making chocolate from scratch. Love existed in the kitchen and, when he was seven years old, he knew this was his calling. At 17, he started his culinary adventure by attending the Culinary Institute of … [More]
