PHOENIX, Ariz. (June 26, 2026) – The IFMA Greater Phoenix Chapter hosted its annual Phoenix Rising: IFMA Excellence Awards & State of the Chapter, presented by Kary Environmental Services (KES) on June 18 at the Arizona Biltmore Golf Club.
The event brought together facility management professionals, associate members, and students for an afternoon of recognition, leadership announcements, and forward-looking discussion.
With Associate Member of the Year honoree Danny Najarian (KES) serving as master of ceremonies, Phoenix Rising is the chapter’s signature annual celebration, honoring member achievements, celebrating chapter-wide success, and introducing the leadership team guiding the organization into the next fiscal year.
Chapter President David Ramirez with APS delivered the 2026 State of the Chapter.
Chapter President David Ramirez, CFM, LEED AP BDC, CEASM, CMP, delivered the 2026 State of the Chapter, highlighting a milestone year that included recognition as the IFMA Awards of Excellence Large Chapter of the Year (2025) during the chapter’s 40th anniversary. Highlights:
- Membership increased by 60 members (16.5 percent growth);
- LinkedIn community surpassed 2,500 followers, with more than 27 percent engagement growth;
- Launch of the chapter’s first Trade Show;
- Expansion of FM Roundtable sessions, with hybrid growth planned;
- Rick Corea Scholarship awarded to Shelton Dube and Viswanathan Selvam
(Each received $1,500 to attend World Workplace 2025 in Minneapolis).
“As we look ahead, our focus remains on creating meaningful opportunities for our members to connect, grow, and lead,” Ramirez said. “The strength of this chapter lies in its people, and we are excited to build on this momentum with a leadership team committed to innovation and impact.”
Ramirez also introduced the incoming leadership team. Notably, the Executive Board remains unchanged, reflecting continuity and stability. Executive Board:
President: David Ramirez, Arizona Public Service; Immediate Past President: MJ Nagarajan Gomathi, Terracon; VP, Communications & Community: Stephanie Jones, Allied Universal; VP, Professional Development: Dale Benz, Arizona Public Service Co.; VP, Special Events: Elizabeth Capone Remley, Kowalski Construction; Secretary / Treasurer: Bobbi Jo Huskey, Partitions & Accessories Co.; Chapter Administrator: Kathleen Severson, IFMA Greater Phoenix; and Marketing Coordinator: Kristy Schlesselman, LMI360.
Student Leadership: Student Chapter President: Poornashree Shastri, Arizona State University; and Student Chapter Vice President: Vishwajeet Unmesh Patil, ASU.
Committee Leadership: AGFA, Jared Spangler, City of Peoria, and Pete Peralta, City of Goodyear; Community Outreach, Zachary Kann, ProServ Commercial Cleaning; Golf Committee, Ted Ritter, LMI360; Membership, Tiffany Pennington, Encore Landscape Management, and Shelly Carley, ACS Building Services; Programs, Gomathi; Social Events, Ginger Morton, Ghaster Painting & Coatings, and Kaitlyn Schares, RestorationHQ; and Sponsorship, Nickol Shaffer and Samantha Perkowski, Precision Concrete Cutting.
Phoenix Rising 2026 featured an expert panel on one of the most pressing issues in facility management: hybrid work. Moderated by Dale Benz, CFM, FMP, VP of Professional Development, the all-female panel explored perspectives across facilities, workplace strategy, and real estate. It featured Stephanie Allen, Director, Facilities, Transportation & Water Resources, APS; Jennifer King, Director, Workplace Consulting, Steelcase; and Kristen Comer, FMP, QPCR, Hybrid Workplace Leader, Farmers Insurance.
The awards ceremony honored outstanding achievements across the chapter. Top Honors:
- Lifetime Achievement in Facilities Management: Awarded to Jody Hawkins, FMP, CFM, SFP, recognizing a distinguished 35-year career and more than two decades of service to the IFMA Phoenix Chapter. His leadership, mentorship, and industry contributions have had a lasting impact.
- FM Project of the Year: Awarded to the Town of Queen Creek for the Gail A. Barney Public Safety Support Facility, accepted by Vincent Mauro, Facilities Services Superintendent. The project exemplifies excellence in planning, design, and operational performance.
2026 Award Winners
- Lifetime Achievement, Jody Hawkins;
- Professional Member of the Year, Pete Peralta, Jr.;
- Associate Member of the Year, Danny Najarian (KES);
- FM Project of the Year, Town of Queen Creek;
- Rising Star, Shelton Dube;
- Committee of the Year, Sponsorship & Trade Show Committee;
- Committee Member of the Year, Xarissa Merkley.
The chapter extends sincere gratitude to its 2026 event sponsors for their support. Facility management professionals and industry partners are encouraged to get involved with the IFMA Greater Phoenix Chapter to build connections, access resources, and advance their careers.
Phoenix Rising is the IFMA Greater Phoenix Chapter’s premier annual event, combining a State of the Chapter address, leadership announcements, an expert panel discussion, and member awards and recognition. The event celebrates both individual excellence and the collective growth of the chapter within the global IFMA community.
Phoenix Rising 2026 featured an expert panel on one of the most pressing issues in facility management: hybrid work. Moderated by Dale Benz, CFM, FMP, VP of Professional Development, the all-female panel explored perspectives across facilities, workplace strategy, and real estate. It featured Stephanie Allen, Director, Facilities, Transportation & Water Resources, APS; Jennifer King, Director, Workplace Consulting, Steelcase; and Kristen Comer, FMP, QPCR, Hybrid Workplace Leader, Farmers Insurance.
About the IFMA Greater Phoenix Chapter
The IFMA Greater Phoenix Chapter is one of the largest IFMA chapters in the nation and the recipient of the 2025 IFMA Awards of Excellence Large Chapter of the Year. Founded more than 40 years ago, the chapter serves facility management professionals across the Greater Phoenix metropolitan area through education, networking, professional development, and community outreach. For more information, visit ifmaphoenix.org.
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