PHOENIX, ARIZ. – Molly Ryan Carson, a former NAIOP Arizona Board Chairman, has been selected as Chair of NAIOP Corporate Board for 2021.

Carson, Senior Vice President of Real Estate Development, Market Leader Southwest Region for Ryan Companies US, Inc. succeeds 2020 Board Chairman Larry Lance of EVP Asset Services, EverWest Real Estate Partners in Lakewood, Colorado.

“My goals for 2021 are to continue the work on mentorship, and to focus on diversity and inclusion in our businesses and within our industry,” Carson said. “Meaningful connections, especially in these challenging times, are what will make the difference in whether we remain stagnant or grow.”

A NAIOP member since 2007, Carson served as the Arizona Chapter’s Board Chair in 2019. She possesses nearly 20 years of experience in her role at Ryan Companies US, Inc. She is responsible for the leadership of office, industrial, retail and healthcare real estate development efforts. Carson handles site selection and acquisition, municipal use permits and approvals, design and construction coordination, financial packaging and lease or sale negotiation.

Carson has also served as a mentor, cultivating a strong group of development professionals in the industry.

“Molly brings an unmatched enthusiasm and critical perspectives to the role as NAIOP chair,” said Thomas J. Bisacquino, NAIOP president and CEO. “Her dedication to mentoring rising professionals, expanding our diversity and inclusion efforts and attracting future generations to commercial real estate are all important to our industry’s future.

“Molly’s leadership in 2021 will be invaluable as the industry and economy continue to experience the pandemic’s impact. I’m looking forward to her leading our efforts to provide our members with critical resources, and also working with members across the chapter network to leverage our many strengths and ensure that the association and industry succeed,” Bisacquino said.

Besides her ability to deliver high-profile developments, Carson is committed to improving the community in which she works. She is known for her philanthropic activity and active engagement within local and national real estate organizations.

“Molly has been an amazing leader for the Arizona Chapter of NAIOP and a champion for the entire commercial real estate industry,” said Jim Wentworth, Principal at Wentworth Property Company and 2020 Board Chairman for NAIOP Arizona. “I am certain that her special combination of business acumen and public policy savvy as well as her ability to bring people together will serve NAIOP extremely well at the national level as we all work together to recover and rebuild from the effects of the COVID pandemic.”

PHOENIX, Arizona  – Marcus & Millichap (NYSE: MMI), a leading commercial real estate brokerage firm specializing in investment sales, financing, research and advisory services, announced today the sale of Northern Palms Apartments, a 50-unit apartment property located in Phoenix, Arizona. According to Ryan Sarbinoff, regional manager of the firm’s Phoenix office, the asset commanded a sales price of $5 million  or $100,000 per unit.

“The seller purchased this property in 2018 and stabilized the operations with highly effective management. Because of previous success working with Marcus & Millichap, the seller knew that there was a high probability of locating a highly motivated buyer, willing to pay a very aggressive price under very short timelines,” said Richard Butler, senior vice president investments in Marcus & Millichap’s Phoenix office. Butler had the exclusive listing to market the property on behalf of the seller, a limited liability company.

“Because we represented the buyer in previous transactions, we were certain that they would fulfill the many goals that the seller had set out. With certainty, the buyer met the seller’s pricing goals within a very short timeframe,” added Sean Connolly, investment specialist also in the firm’s Phoenix office. The buyer, a private investor, was procured by Connolly and Butler.

Built in 1984, Northern Palms Apartments is located at 2835 West Northern Avenue in Phoenix, Arizona and is comprised of 50 one-bedroom units. These units include newly replaced electrical service panels, air conditioners, windows, doors, security gates, kitchen cabinets and fixtures, as well as new bathroom vanities and showers.

WASHINGTON, DC – The NRF Foundation today launched two new credentials in its RISE Up program in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The credentials focus on Retail Operations and Customer Conflict Prevention to further ensure retail workers — and the millions of customers they serve — can work and shop more safely and help keep the economy open.

“Retailers have been on the front lines of this pandemic as economic first responders and are going above and beyond to maintaining a safe work environment for themselves, their colleagues and their customers,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “These new credentials will give employees the training they need to continue operating and serving customers safely. An informed workforce will build customer confidence and show local and state governments that retailers are taking all steps possible to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”

While major retailers began implementing training for employees at the outset of the pandemic, the NRF Foundation’s new trainings have streamlined these best practices from retailers and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to create a more comprehensive training for the entire industry. Both credentials are targeted toward front-line retail employees of small and mid-size businesses that do not have learning and development teams.

Made possible by American Express, the COVID-19 Retail Operations credential will train customer-facing retail workers, distribution center workers and job seekers to help safely operate during the pandemic. Designed to assist retailers meet state and local requirements for COVID-19 trainings, the course helps educate employees to recognize COVID-19 symptoms, take appropriate actions if exposed and understand CDC best health practices and tools used in retail.

The NRF Foundation partnered with the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI), a global leader in verbal de-escalation trainings, to create the COVID-19 Customer Conflict Prevention credential. Developed specifically for customer-facing retail workers and job seekers, the program focuses on how to help avoid and de-escalate conflict. This training is specific to retail’s unique challenges, including mask requirements for customers, customer-to-customer conflicts and line management. It will help equip employees with the skills they need to better manage and resolve customer conflicts, especially during the busy holiday season.

For more information visit nrffoundation.org/riseup.