Ambassador Steering Committee

Meet our FY23 Steering Committee

The Ambassador Steering Committee plays a pivotal role in ensuring our Ambassador Program aligns with the organization’s key objectives and mission. Members advise on the strategic direction of the Ambassador Program, serving as a sounding board for emerging initiatives, along with supporting the program implementation.

Committee Members

Favorite Ambassador Experience

“Modern Manufacturing, because it touched on how technology is impacting companies, reshoring some industries, and the role FDI plays.”

Ambassador Program Value

“Building a robust economy and growing new industries in our region requires collaboration. The GPEC ambassador program creates and informs dynamic leaders to support this vital task”.

Daniel Benson

Committee Member since FY22

Economic Development Specialist, City of Glendale

Wally Campbell

Committee Member since FY21

Councilmember, City of Goodyear

Gene Carl

Committee Member since FY21

Manager, Public Sector Enterprise Sales, Cox Communications

Ambassador Program Value

“Being part of the growth process is rewarding to me. My wife and I have lived in the Valley since 1972 and have watched as the area grew and matured.”

Why GPEC?

“Working collaboratively with other municipalities for a true regional approach to economic development is a great concept, and since we cover the Phoenix valley with clients and projects, GPEC was a perfect fit.”

Ambassador Program Value

“Connection. It has been said it is not what you know, but who you know. At GPEC you get an opportunity to have both.”

Larry Cox

Committee Member since FY18

Vice President of Culture, Sunstate Equipment Co.

Jeff Dalton

Committee Member since FY22

Vice President, FCL Builders

Laura Davis

Committee Member since FY18

Workplace Consultant, Atmosphere Commercial Interiors

Importance of Economic Development for the Community

“Growing our communities in thoughtful and strategic ways helps to protect the overall economy through the cycles, and provides diverse employment opportunities while considering the socio-economic, environmental and political aspects unique to our 22 member communities.”

Ambassador Program Value

“The value I get from the GPEC Ambassador Program is exposure to and education on the important and emergent subjects that uniquely position Arizona for long-term success, as well as provide opportunities to engage in conversations that identify opportunities to strengthen our competitive position.”

Why GPEC?

“GPEC has the future-thinking mindset that our economy needs to make the right decisions for economic development in our communities.”

Andrea Drozdowicz

Committee Member since FY18

Senior Vice President, Investor Real Estate Advisory, Wells Fargo

Chase Farnsworth

Committee Member since FY22

Senior Project Development Manager, Mortenson

Kirsten Hall

Committee Member since FY22

Business Attraction Project Manager, City of Surprise

Memorable Ambassador Experience

“In addition to excellent programming, the energy, passion and dedication of every person on the GPEC team is evident and it spreads to others.”

Ambassador Program Value

“GPEC provides an opportunity to work with other business leaders to develop and implement a diverse economic vision for the future of Arizona.”

Why GPEC?

“Our company invests with GPEC because we understand and are also committed to the importance of building a stronger community by bringing growth and opportunity to the marketplace.”

Paige Heavey

Committee Member since FY22

President, Bridge Relocation Concierge

Don Helton

Committee Member since FY18

Vice President, Business Development, Brycon Construction

Garrett King

Committee Member since FY21

Manager, Event Development, Arizona Diamondbacks

Advice for New GPEC Ambassadors

“Be a sponge and take in as many of the programs that GPEC sets up. Many of us are the only representative of GPEC, so getting others in your firm involved with what GPEC is and what they do is such an important part of providing value back to GPEC for all the value they give us as companies.”

Favorite Ambassador Experience

“All have been great, but the one that stands way out was the helicopter ride over the different SRP lakes.”

Being Part of the Community

“I feel like I’m part of something dynamic and growing, but most of all, my family and friends are here and I love them very much.”

Kirk McClure

Committee Member since FY22

Senior Client Solutions Manager, JE Dunn

David Patch

Committee Member since FY18

Strategic Account Manager and Senior Sales Account Executive, Air Products and Chemicals

Michael Patterson

Committee Member since FY18

Partner, Spencer Fane LLP

Importance of Economic Development for the Community

“Economic development is important to business growth in job creation, industry diversification, improving quality of life.”

Value of the Ambassador Program

“The value received is broad-based and is far-reaching. Whether we are explaining to others what we have learned from our close-knit discussions on critical economic issues/topics, or how and why a company decides to locate to the Phoenix metro area, there is never a loss of information to be had and learned by being a GPEC Ambassador.”

Why GPEC?

“It is the premier source for regional economic development news, access to information regarding new business opportunities for my company, and networking with other professionals who seek to further the growth and diversity of the Arizona economy.”

Kim Poole

Committee Member since FY22

Vice President, CLAYCO

Mayor Christian Price

Committee Member since FY18

Mayor, City of Maricopa

Rock Rickert

Committee Member since FY18

Principal, Business Development, Archicon

Ambassador Program Value

“The ability and responsibility in serving our communities, to be apart of a greater vision for the advancement of future generations and the betterment of our community.”

Favorite Ambassador Experience

“My favorite GPEC Ambassador experience so far has been a tour of the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station. We were able to get a behind the scenes look at this key regional asset to better understand how it works and supports our communities.”

Russell Skuse

Committee Member since FY22

Associate II Land Development and Planning Group Manager, Horrocks Engineers

Marc Valenzuela

Committee Member since FY22

Senior Economic Development Project Manager, SRP

All Certified Ambassadors

David	Patch	Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
Elissa	Rubman	Alliance Bank of Arizona
Cameron	Robb	APS
Calvin	Bovee	APS
Kelly	Patton	APS
Michael	Denby	APS
Rock	Rickert	Archicon Architecture and Interiors, L.C.
Garrett	King	Arizona Diamondbacks
Scott	Pompe	Arizona Republic/LOCALiQ
Kelly	Sandin	ASU
Andrew	Nelson	ASU
Paola	Garcia Hidalgo	ASU
Caden	Gillespie	ASU
Jodie	Gutierrez	ASU
Chris	Richardson	ASU
Jenni	Thomas	ASU
Laura	Davis	Atmosphere Commercial Interiors
Jeffrey	Anderson	Atmosphere Commercial Interiors
Karen	Bottesch	Bank of America
Karen	Bottesch	Bank of America
Christy	Withgott	Banner Health
Paige	Heavey	Bridge Relocation Concierge
Don	Helton	BRYCON Construction
Billy	Price	Burns & McDonnell
Brion	Crum	Caliber Companies
Jessica	Morin	CBRE
Pat	Feeney	CBRE
Michael	Sokol	CBRE
Cathy	Teeter	CBRE
Bill	Bayless	CBRE
Vanessa	Vogel	CBRE
Maggie	Niescier	CBRE
Ann Marie	Rucker	Center for Entrepreneurial Innovation (CEI)
Carly	Figman	Center for Entrepreneurial Innovation (CEI)
Lisa	Gonzales	Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc.
Robin	Barker	City of Apache Junction
Janine	Solley	City of Apache Junction
Suzanne	Boyles	City of Buckeye
Richard	Wilkie	City of Casa Grande
Craig	McFarland	City of Casa Grande
Edyie	McCall	City of Chandler
Diana	White	City of Chandler
Thomas	Doyle	City of El Mirage
Daniel	Benson	City of Glendale
Wally	Campbell	City of Goodyear
Laura	Kaino	City of Goodyear
Wally	Campbell	city of Goodyear
Jaye	O’donnell	City of Mesa
Bryan	Smith	City of Mesa
Robert	Goodhue	City of Peoria
Karen	Calivas	City of Peoria
David	Valenzuela	City of Peoria
Susana	Trasente	City of Peoria
Sheila	Hunt	City of Peoria
Joseph	Macewan	City of Phoenix
Pam	Lindley	City of Phoenix
Denise	Yanez	City of Phoenix
Michelle	Pierson	City of Phoenix
Karla	Scott	City of Phoenix
Martin	Perez	City of Phoenix
Phil	Bradstock	City of Phoenix
Juan	Batres	City of Phoenix
Melissa	Huffman	City of Phoenix
Josh	Utterback	City of Scottsdale
Deanna	Owens	City of Scottsdale
Scott	Cooper	City of Scottsdale
Skip	Hall	City of Surprise
Kirsten	Hall	City of Surprise
Jeanine	Jerkovic	City of Surprise
Parrish	Spisz	City of Tempe
Maria	Laughner	City of Tempe
Stephanie	Handley	Clayco
Kim	Poole	Clayco
Thomas	Brophy	Colliers International
Phillip	Hernandez	Colliers International
Paula	Bommarito	CopperPoint Insurance Companies
Kendra	Turner	Cox Communications
Gene	Carl	Cox Communications
Sheldon	Caldwell-Meeks	Cox Communications
Matt	Even	Deloitte
Michael	Loeschen	Deloitte
Jacob	Weinberg	Deloitte
Matthew	Beeler	Deloitte
Jeff	Wentzel	Desert Financial Credit Union
Rick	Dircks	Dircks Moving & Logistics
Jim	Kallof	Dircks Moving & Logistics
Dale	Snyder	Dircks Moving & Logistics
Sean	Ahern	DLR Group
Susan	Bansak	DMB Associates
Chris	Petroff	DPR Construction
Sharla	Fisher	Equality Health
Shawn	Dunivant	Equality Health
Smita	Mehta	Equity Land Group
Jeff	Dalton	FCL Builders
Michael	King	Gammage & Burnham
Heath	Anderson	Gateway Community College
Katy	Mendoza	Gateway Community College
Debbie	Hartland	Goodmans Interior Structures
Victoria	Sanchez	Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona
Dwight	Farris	Grand Canyon University
Haley	Fagerlie	Grand Canyon University
Isac	Artzi	Grand Canyon University
AJ	Jeffers	Hensel Phelps Construction Co.
Paul	Vidano	Honeywell Aerospace
Russell	Skuse	Horrocks Engineers
Dennis	Wiensch	Industrial Storage
Kirk	McClure	JE Dunn Construction
Bill	Honsaker	JLL
Valerie	Kelly	Kitchell Corporation
Damian	Glaze	Kitchell Corporation
Marc	Pierce	Lee & Associates
Matt	Nebeker	Lee & Associates
Michael	Stavros	M Culinary
Julie	Stiak	Maricopa County Community College District
Emilio	Cabrera	Maricopa County Community College District
John	Catapano	Maricopa County Community College District
Kimberly	Faust	Maricopa County Community College District
James	Jones	Maricopa County Community College District
Harvey	Smith	Maricopa County Community College District
Michael	Voss	Mesa Community College
Tammy	Carr	Mortenson
Matthew	Avila	Mortenson
Chase	Farnsworth	Mortenson
Mike	Hawksworth	MSS
Keith	Latchaw	MSS Business Transformation Advisory
Michelle	Johnston	Northern Trust
Jennifer	Zonneveld	Northrop Grumman
Todd	Kinney	Okland Construction
Chip	Griffith	OneAZ Credit Union
Jonathan	Sylvie	Page
Stephanie	Tomlin	Partnership for Economic Innovation
Maria	Reyes	Phoenix College
Cathleen	Walker	PNC Financial Services Group
Kyle	Steinbuch	PNC Financial Services Group
Lourdes	Sierra	PNC Financial Services Group
Terry	Switz	PNC Financial Services Group
Mike	Vanderwey	Rexco, LLC
Michael	Greer	RSM
Jaime	Northam	Ryan Companies, Inc.
Marc	Valenzuela	Salt River Project (SRP)
Karla	Moran	Salt River Project (SRP)
Melanie	Burm	Scottsdale Community College
Milena	Dankenbring	Scottsdale Community College
Azim	Hameed	Sherman & Howard
Gregory	Falls	Sherman & Howard
Matt	Hesketh	Sherman & Howard
Gerald	Morales	Snell & Wilmer, LLP
Jody	Isaac	Social Television Network (STN)
Eric	Sperling	Social Television Network (STN)
Mike	Patterson	Spencer Fane LLP
Larry	Cox	Sunstate Equipment Company
Will	Novak	Suntec Concrete
Chuck	Reynolds	Terracon
Michael	Martella	Town of Gilbert
Doreen	Cott	Town of Queen Creek
Michael	LeVault	Town of Youngtown
Jennifer	Barili	Transwestern Commercial Services
Ellen	Bublick	University of Arizona
Justin	Finnerty	University of Arizona
Mark	Strickling	University of Arizona
Julie	Trujillo	University of Arizona
Cortez	Smith	University of Arizona
Patrick	Fitzhugh	USAA
Joe	Ihrke	VanTrust Real Estate LLC
Jennifer	Wiener	ViaWest Group
Roger	Beguiristain	Wells Fargo Bank
Andrea	Drozdowicz	Wells Fargo Bank
Peter	Drozodowicz	Wist Office Products Company