PHOENIX, Arizona – It was an evening of celebration recently as the NAIOP Arizona Developing Leaders Young Professional Group (YPG) Mentor Program hosted graduation for the 2016-2017 class at Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Spa.
Mentors and protégés gathered in a private dining room for a reception, presentations, and a dinner. The 15 protégés, grouped into four teams, pitched development proposals on Phoenix Trotting Park, the long-abandoned horse racing track along I-10 and the Loop 303 in Goodyear (1068 N. Cotton Lane).
All the projects focused on an industrial development that included multiple buildings ranging from 100,000 SF to 1 MSF. The teams presented market analysis statistics, architectural site plans, market studies and marketing plans, construction budgets, and exit strategies to the judges.
State 48 took home first-place honors. Team members were Sean Sheppard of Seefried Properties, Serena Wedlich of CBRE, and Joe Charles of JLL.
The I-10 frontage road and surrounding development was a selling point for e-commerce and manufacturing users.
“All four groups presented compelling projects – each with its own take on the best opportunity to meet tenant demand and maximize investor returns,” said Larry Pobuda of Opus Group, NAIOP Arizona Chairman and one of the three judges. “Candace Rosauro and Billy Cundiff did a terrific job in coordinating this year-long program. It was obvious that the mentors provided meaningful guidance while the mentees sunk their teeth into all of the possibilities that this site offers.”
This year’s other two judges were Jim Wentworth Jr. of Wentworth Property Company and Jenna Borcherding of JLL.
“Our goal is to provide the tools and platform for young professionals to go through the development process from start to finish,” said YPG Chair Candace Rosauro of Jokake Construction. “More importantly, it forges bonds with their teammates and mentors they know they can call on throughout their career.”
Applications for the 2017-2018 NAIOP YPG Mentor Program will be available in August. All NAIOP members who are age 35 or under qualify to participate in the Developing Leaders program, whether they joined through the DL membership category or as part of a corporate membership.