Sharon Harper

      PHOENIX (April 1, 2019) – Commercial real estate’s leading annual awards celebration, the Best of NAIOP, took place on March 28 at the Arizona Biltmore. Nearly 1,000 industry professionals gathered to celebrate the many successes that helped make Metro Phoenix one of the most exciting markets in the country.

The Arizona Chapter of NAIOP gave out awards in 29 categories. Sharon Harper, whose development expertise and leadership have influenced the Valley’s commercial real estate and business communities, was honored with the Award of Excellence.

Harper, President, CEO, and co-founder of The Plaza Companies, is the first woman to win NAIOP Arizona’s Award of Excellence. Park Central, a Plaza Companies project under development in Midtown Phoenix, was selected as Transaction of the Year and named Talk of the Town.

NAIOP Arizona’s Award of Excellence is awarded by the Arizona Chapter Board of Directors on an annual basis at the Best of NAIOP event. The criteria for the recipient are an individual who has made a significant, positive impact on the office and industrial commercial real estate market in Arizona over a period of no less than 15 years, as well as their direct volunteer contribution to the chapter.

Butler Design Group kept its win streak alive, bringing home its seventh straight Architect of the Year award. Other company winners were CBRE, Brokerage Firm of the Year; Ryan Companies US, Inc., Firm of the Year;

Willmeng Construction, Inc.: General Contractor of the Year; Phoenix Design One, Inc., Interior Architect of the Year; and Lincoln Property Company, Owner/Developer of the Year.

In the brokerage awards, CBRE captured six of the nine honors, including Developing Leader, Healthcare, Investment, Office, Rookie, and Tenant Rep brokers of the year.

2018 Best of NAIOP winners:

Sharon Harper, Plaza Companies: Award of Excellence

Butler Design Group: Architect of the Year

CBRE: Brokerage Firm of the Year

Ryan Companies US, Inc.:
Firm of the Year

Willmeng Construction, Inc.: General Contractor of the Year

Phoenix Design One, Inc.:
Interior Architect of the Year

Lincoln Property Company
: Owner/Developer of the Year

Willmeng Construction, Inc.: Tenant Improvement Contractor of the Year

Cooper Fratt, CBRE: Developing Leader of the Year

Phil Haenel, Cushman & Wakefield: Emerging Broker of the Year

Vince Femiano and Kate Morris, CBRE: Healthcare Broker of the Year

Mike Haenel, Andy Markham, Will Strong, Cushman & Wakefield:
Industrial Broker of the Year

Barry Gabel, CBRE: Investment Broker of the Year

Kevin Calihan and Bryan Taute, CBRE: Office Broker of the Year

Dave Cheatham and Darren Pitts, Velocity Retail Group, LLC:
Retail Broker of the Year

Luke Krison, CBRE: Rookie Broker of the Year

Chuck Nixon, CBRE: Tenant Representative Broker of the Year

Ball Goodyear Plant: Industrial Build-to-Suit Project of the Year

Goodyear Crossing One-Blue Buffalo: Industrial TI of the Year

Estrella Medical Plaza II: Medical Office Project of the Year

Chandler Viridian: Mixed-Use Project of the Year

McKesson – Building I & II: Office Build-to-Suit of the Year

JDA Software Customer Experience Center: Office Tenant Improvement of the Year (Less than 50,000 SF)

Quicken Loans: Office Tenant Improvement of the Year (50,000 SF or more)


Consumer Cellular at Deer Valley:
Redevelopment Project of the Year

The Crossing at Sahuarita:
Retail Project of the Year

Goodyear Crossing One-Blue Buffalo:
Spec Industrial Project of the Year

The Offices at Chandler Viridian: Spec Office Project of the Year

Liberty Center at Rio Salado IV: Sustainable Project of the Year

Park Central:
Transaction of the Year

Trademark Visual, Inc.: Official Sign Sponsor of the Year

Park Central: Talk of the Town