Phoenix State of the Market

Phoenix Community and Economic Development director, Christine Mackay, has served the people of Phoenix since August 2014. She is responsible for leading and fostering an environment where businesses can create and retain jobs, make capital investment and reinvestment in the community, and connect our workforce to employers and training opportunities. During Mackay’s tenure with the City of Phoenix, the department has facilitated the creation of over 100,000 high-value jobs, seen the average wage of those jobs increase from over $30,000 in 2014 to more than $80,000 in 2023, and closed deals with more than $75 billion in capital investment. Christine leads a department of over 55 full time staff that encompasses the full spectrum of economic development areas including: business attraction, business retention and expansion, community development, international relations, Sister Cities, the Phoenix Business and Workforce Development Board, administration, research, marketing, the City-owned Footprint Center and Phoenix Bioscience Core. In 2021, Christine was named as one of the Top 50 Economic Developers in the Country by Consultant Connect. She is a three-time honoree as "Economic Developer of the Year, Large Community" by the Arizona Association for Economic Development. Mackay was recognized as "Leader of the Year in Economic Development–Public Policy" by the Arizona Capitol Times, and "Industry Leader of the Year – Economic Development" by Arizona Commercial Real Estate Magazine. She has also been on the list of the Arizona Business magazine’s "50 Most Influential Women in Arizona." She is a member of the Economic Development Director's Team for Greater Phoenix, Maricopa Association of Government's Building a Quality Regional Community committee, Flinn Foundation Biosciences Roadmap committee, the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), Commercial Office Real Estate Executives (CoreNet), the Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED), and the Arizona Business Incubator Association. Christine has more than 26 years’ experience in economic development overlapping 30 years of commercial real estate experience. Christine Mackay has spent both her personal and professional life here in the Valley.

A key player in the Southwest Region’s growth during the past 15 years, Chuck now serves as the region’s leader. As President of the Southwest Region, he oversees team members from all of Ryan’s services and works closely with the entire regional leadership team to purposefully grow the region in concert with the company’s strategic direction. Chuck is also responsible for developing strong, productive relationships with partners and market players across the spectrum. He brings 25 years and over 25 million square feet of project experience—all at Ryan—to his new role, including deep expertise in design, development, construction management and leadership. Under his guidance, the Southwest Region supported Ryan’s expansion into the West, Northwest and Rocky Mountain Regions— forming the Western Division and growing the Southwest Region from $100M to more than $800M in the entire division. Each of those new regions were staffed and led in part by Chuck’s trained construction teams, while he held direct responsibility for each of those teams until the regional offices were formally established. He has a reputation for leading with integrity and trust.

Steven leads all aspects of ViaWest Group with primary emphasis on investment and development strategy, deal-sourcing, and capital markets activity. He has thirty years of experience in the development, operations and financing of all types of real estate, with deep experience in industrial and office properties. Through involvement in over $3 billion worth of projects, Steven has provided build-to-suit, speculative development, acquisitions, dispositions and property management services in multiple product types in the Southwest, Pacific Northwest, and Southeast U.S. Prior to forming ViaWest Properties in 2003, Steven led the development as SVP of The Plaza Companies, a full service, medical-office, senior-living development, and property management company. Prior to joining Plaza, Steven rose through the ranks to become COO and EVP of The Hewson Company, a privately-held, real estate development company in the Western U.S. in which capacity he developed properties ranging from mid-rise office buildings to a 2.2MM s.f. industrial complex. Other work experience includes Real Estate Finance work with SunTrust Banks in Atlanta, GA. Steven graduated from The University of Texas Honors Program with a B.A. with Honors in Marketing. He has served as Chairman of the NAIOP Arizona Chapter, on the National Board of Directors of NAIOP, and in national and local capacities with Urban Land Institute (ULI). He has also served on numerous local and national boards and councils of non-profit philanthropic, civic and industry organizations including Greater Phoenix Leadership, Greater Phoenix Economic Council, as Board Chairman of the Jewish Community Association of Greater Phoenix and on the National Board of JFNA. He resides in Paradise Valley, Arizona with his wife Jennifer and has three grown children.

John Orsak is a 15 year veteran of the commercial real estate industry. Prior to joining Lincoln Property Company, John began his career in Phoenix at Hines and later moved on to VanTrust Real Estate. In his current role at LPC, John heads leasing, acquisitions and dispositions, project management, and property management for Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and New Mexico. A native Texan, John is a graduate of Sam Houston State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. John is an active member of Urban Land Institute and National Association of Industrial and Office Properties.

As NINE dot ARTS Chief Curator, Molly leads, mentors, and supervises interdisciplinary creative teams through the research, curation, acquisition, and installation of a range of national art experiences. Her leadership and consulting expertise include working directly with private and public sector clients on everything from curated corporate art collections to robust community art plans. Molly’s innovative approach to art consulting includes building a global community of artists and supporting education, advocacy, and career-building opportunities. She and Co-founder Martha Weidmann formed NINE dot ARTS in 2009 with the vision of building a forward-thinking art consulting company that both curates incredible art experiences and advocates for art and artists. Since then, the firm has completed over 900 projects in real estate development across 35 states and five countries, generating more than $40 million in revenue for the creative economy. Currently, their artist app, Dotfolio, features over 10,000 artists from around the world.

Always moving. Always fearless. That’s Joshua Simon. Joshua started SimonCRE in 2010, during some of the toughest of economic times. As Founder and CEO, Joshua leads the company’s growth strategy while directing the daily operations. SimonCRE develops properties all across the country. To date, the company has completed over 283 projects across 23 states, equaling a total value of $1 billion. Under his leadership, SimonCRE has become a vital partner in the rapid growth of many national retailers within emerging communities. Beginning with the new retail center of Village at Prasada, which at 700,000 square feet is the largest open-air retail center to be built on the West Coast in the last 15 years, he has expanded his efforts to better serve tenants and communities alike. To this end, several other open-air retail centers are now under development: Prasada North, which will cover 350,000 square feet; Roosevelt Commons, covering 100,000 square feet; Asante Trails, which will be a multi-phase 44-acre mixed-use project; and Elm Street at Surprise City Center, which will be a multi-phase 40-acre project with the first phase occupying 70,000 square feet. All of these developments are poised to add exciting new retail and dining options for consumers.

Ryan Norris serves as a Vice President in Trammell Crow Company’s Phoenix Business Unit. In his role, he is responsible for sourcing and executing new development and investment opportunities in the Greater Phoenix marketplace. Ryan applies more than 10 years of experience developing and acquiring over 3 million square feet of product in the market to his pursuit and execution of new and existing projects. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Trammell Crow Company – Phoenix, AZ – 2013 to Present Senior Vice President, Development and Investment Services US Airways – Phoenix, AZ – 2012 to 2013 Senior Revenue Analyst Alaska Airlines – Seattle, WA – 2010 to 2012 Yield Analyst PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) Arizona State University SDC Young Professionals Group EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS Gonzaga University, Bachelor of Science, Economics and Finance

Carrie has been working with nonprofit and government entities for over 15 years. She came to the Arizona Association for Economic Development from Downtown Santa Barbara where she served as Executive Director. Prior to that, she served as Executive Director of the Mohave Community College Foundation in Kingman, Arizona. Originally from Indiana, Carrie worked as Local Government Services Director at McGaughey & Sosbe Law Offices for 11 years and as a nonprofit consultant in Indiana, working on fundraising, strategic planning, and rural community development. She holds a B.A. in Art History and Master of Public Administration from Indiana University.

Serving as Executive Vice President and Market Leader, Bob Osbrink provides strategic direction for market penetration, including business development and the hiring and development of the sales force, primarily in Phoenix. With over four decades of commercial real estate experience, Bob brings industry insight and market knowledge that is pivotal to Matthews’ continued growth and success. In conjunction with his position at Matthews™, Osbrink works as the Director of the Center for Real Estate at California State University. This role supports vigorous growth and development for Matthews’ recruiting efforts, as Osbrink expands outreach and opportunities for students preparing to enter the commercial real estate field. Preceding California State University, Osbrink was the Vice President and Regional Manager of Marcus & Millichap’s Orange County operations. Under his management, the Orange County office ranked as a top-ten brokerage within the firm and reached its highest revenue since its opening in 1981. Prior to Marcus & Millichap, Osbrink held several positions at Grubb and Ellis, starting as Sales Manager before quickly rising in the ranks, eventually becoming Co-CEO. Osbrink has also held leadership positions at The Irvine Company, Cushman and Wakefield, and has been a trusted advisor to recognized firms including SRS, the Yellowstone Group, and Newmark Knight Frank.

Ben is the principal-in-charge of tax services for the Phoenix Arizona office. He has more than 27 years' experience as a highly respected business advisor and tax consultant to entrepreneurs and their businesses. As a principal with CLA, Ben's entrepreneurial vision and tenacious insight has helped clients build and retain capital by leveraging tax saving strategies such as cost segregation, like-kind exchange planning, use of federal and state tax credits, tax deferrals, and asset disposition plans. His commitment to private clients and their unique needs has also contributed to the successful transition of family businesses to new generations. In addition, Ben's persistence has benefited clients -and the profession - in a multiplicity of ways, including working with clients to create millions of dollars of tax savings. He is not afraid to tackle new problems and strives to create an atmosphere where others are encouraged to do the same. Ben focuses on serving clients in the real estate industry. He has worked with Emerging Fund Managers and Sponsors, Private Family Offices, Private Equity Groups and business owners in the Southwest who acquire real estate including developers, investors and operators. He is highly knowledgeable in specialized technical areas such as mergers and acquisitions, business succession planning, pass-through taxation (partnerships and S Corporations), accounting method planning, and estate and gift planning.

Rick Naimark joined Arizona State University in October 2015 as Associate Vice President for Program Development Planning. Naimark’s primary role at ASU is to lead efforts to expand the University’s educational and research capacity across Arizona and beyond through physical campus development and program partnerships with government and community organizations. Naimark came to ASU after 29 years with the City of Phoenix, where he most recently served as Deputy City Manager. Over his tenure at the City, he oversaw a variety of departments. He also led efforts to develop the ASU Downtown Phoenix Campus and Phoenix Biomedical Campus. He has a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and an undergraduate degree in Public Policy from Stanford University. Naimark is active in the community, serving on various community boards including Hospice of the Valley, The Arizona Science Center, Artlink, The Friends of Phoenix Public Art, The Arizona Jewish Historical Society, and the Phoenix Citizens’ Transportation Commission. He and his wife, Dana, have two adult children, Jared, 26, and Nathan, 23.

Stephanie Mitrović, AIA, NCARB, NCIDQ, is an Architect and has served as Principal and Science & Technology Studio Leader with SmithGroup in Denver & Phoenix, Arizona, for the last five years. She earned a Master of Architecture Degree from Arizona State University. Stephanie leads the Science & Technology Studio for the firm’s Phoenix and Denver offices, specializing in Life-Sciences, Biotechnology, academic research, corporate R&D, and federal research. As Principal-in-charge, she oversees $500 million in active projects. She has honed her career by working on meaningful, research-focused projects that can have a lasting impact on individuals and society at large. She leads an integrated design team dedicated to creating technologically-advanced research environments, including notable work like Caris Life Sciences, Creative Testing Solutions, the National Institutes of Health, BD, and TGen spinoffs OncoMyx, Ashion Analytics, and Exact Sciences. Stephanie and her team are currently collaborating with Wexford Science + Technology to envision the future of the Phoenix Bioscience Core and Aggie Square at the University of California, Davis. Stephanie is committed to serving her community and serves as a TGen Ambassador, bringing awareness and support to the Translational Genomics Research Institute through philanthropy and advocacy. In 2022, the Phoenix Business Journal chose Stephanie for their 40 under 40 honorees class. AZRE Business Magazine named her one of 2018’s “Most Influential Women in Business,”and she is a 2019 “40 Under 40” honoree by Building Design + Construction Magazine. She serves on multiple national and local Boards, including BD+C Magazine – Women in Design & Construction (WiD+C), Valley of the Sun’s United Way’s Women United, and Arizona State University Alumni Board. She is also a member of the American Institute of Architects and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.

Jennie Starr, Director, Marketing & Recruitment for GoodNature, a Seres Therapeutics program. Jennie oversees the GoodNature program marketing and the team recruiting and screening donors and building community relationships to support our commitments to patients. Jennie is a lawyer and marketing professional with a background in strategic marketing and communications.

Gonzo is an Arizona native and has been in the Commercial Real Estate his entire career spanning 22 years. He has worked for national General Contractors and Developers and is currently the Regional Director of the Building and Industrial Divisions at Keeley Construction. Gonzo is actively involved with NAIOP DEI program having guest taught and judged for the JA partnership the last few years and ULI Next member. Has served on various Non-Profit boards and philanthropic organizations throughout his career. One of his many passions is mentoring and giving back to young leaders within the industry. Keeley construction is a national Developer/Design Builder based out of STL with offices in Phoenix, New Braunfels, Ft Worth, Fargo, Charlotte, St Louis, and Canton.

Kyle serves as Vice President and Market Executive for Phoenix and Seattle and is responsible for new developments, marketing, leasing, community engagement, construction, and operations in those markets. The first project in Phoenix is 850 PBC, a 227,000 SF building in partnership with Arizona State University and the City of Phoenix at the Phoenix Bioscience Core. This building provides a bioscience focused innovation and research space for ASU, CEI, and private companies, resulting in the beginning of a vibrant Knowledge Community in downtown Phoenix. Prior to joining the Wexford team, Kyle was a Development Manager for PEG Companies, a full- service real estate firm based in Utah. He has completed extensive underwriting and due diligence throughout the United States and brings development experience in a variety of asset types and markets. His experience includes the development of a 1,604 bed student housing community at Utah Valley University, over 450 apartment units, and hotels in multiple states. He received his Bachelor of Science in Facility and Property Management from Brigham Young University and a Master of Business Administration in Real Estate from the University of Utah. Kyle currently serves on the Downtown Phoenix Inc Board, Phoenix Community Alliance Board, ULI2D Committee, and the BYU Facility and Property Management Industry Advisory Council.