FALCON DISTRICT - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• City of Mesa Office of Economic Development in 2021 As a Project Manager
• Economic Development Project Manager

Bryan Smith joined the City of Mesa Office of Economic Development in 2021 as a Project Manager, helping companies locate in Mesa. As a Project Manager, Bryan assists companies to find real estate, navigate City systems, and create networks for success. Bryan's work largely focuses on attracting new businesses to Mesa and improving businesses' connection to workforce and education partners. In his previous roles at Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona and Greater Phoenix Economic Council, Bryan worked in research, business development, community engagement, grant management, and government affairs to attract and expand businesses as well as expand and establish new workforce development programs across the state. These experiences have developed a network of contacts across business, real estate, government, and workforce that Bryan can call upon to support the mission and work of the Office of Economic Development. During his career, business attraction and expansion projects managed by Bryan have generated a direct economic impact of more than 1,250 new jobs, $85 million in annual payroll, $100 million in capital expenditures and 700,000 square feet in real estate absorption. Bryan's work has also secured and administered more than $15 million in grant funding to support programs that served more than 40,000 jobseekers during his tenure. Working for the City of Mesa allows Bryan the opportunity to work with a variety of businesses and clients, as well as learn from his OED teammates to continue to grow as an economic developer. One of Bryan's favorite things to do in Mesa is to get a delicious meal with his friends at one of the many unique restaurants in Mesa's Downtown or Asian District. Bryan was born and raised in New Jersey before attending Arizona State University, graduating with a B.A. in Sustainability and a master's in Urban and Environmental Planning.

Job Titles:

• Member of the ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM
• Management Assistant II

Chris Molnar joined the City of Mesa Office of Economic Development in January 2021, serving as the Management Assistant II. She brings more than 18 years of City experience in a variety of challenging departmental support roles. Chris began her professional career in the tech industry as a business development and Software Licensing Representative in her home state of Nebraska after obtaining a bachelor's degree in Business Management and Organizational Behavior. After moving to Arizona in 2000 and working part-time for a real-estate company providing administrative, computer, and marketing support, Chris was hired by the City of Mesa in the Human Resources Department in 2003. Her career with the City has provided many fruitful opportunities to learn from her team members in a variety of departments and has proven to be invaluable in her support of Mesa's economic development team. Chris takes her role as the "team member working behind the scenes making everyone out front look good" very seriously. One of Chris' favorite things to do in Mesa is enjoying the variety of unique dining and social options available, always searching for her new favorite spot to share! When she is not working hard to support her team, Chris is in the middle of her latest DIY project at home, has her nose in a great book, or is on an adventure with her husband and teenage son. Every day is a chance to learn something new!

Job Titles:

• Economic Development Specialist

Elyce Gobat joined the City of Mesa's Office of Economic Development in 2021 and serves as an Economic Development Specialist. In this role, Elyce works with many businesses, providing them with information, tools, and support to locate and expand in Mesa. In addition, Elyce uses her skills to enhance collateral materials and provide research and data for marketing purposes. Prior to joining the City of Mesa, Elyce worked for the Economic Development Corporation of Lea County in Hobbs, New Mexico as the Director of Research and Special Projects. During her tenure, she helped locate companies including Devon Energy, 3 Bear Midstream, FlexSteel, and Covenant Health Hospital. Her efforts created more than 1,000 jobs and $6 billion in capital expenditures for the community. Elyce has been working in economic development for nearly a decade, and in 2020, she earned her Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) designation through the International Economic Development Council. In 2022, she was recognized with the Young Economic Development Professional of the Year award by the International Economic Development Council. Working for the City of Mesa has allowed Elyce to support projects in a much larger community and use her knowledge to help companies find new space in Mesa. One of the many things Elyce enjoys about living and working in Mesa is the growing downtown, which is full of unique dining options including Proof Bread and Que Chevere. Elyce graduated from the University of Arizona with a B.A. in French and a minor in political science. She has lived in both China and France, where she taught English as a Second Language. When not working, her favorite hobby is picking up new hobbies including baking, pottery, metalsmithing, drawing, painting, photography, digital design, writing novels, and more. She speaks French professionally, as well as elementary levels of Italian and Mandarin, and has been to 23 countries.

Job Titles:

• Member of the PROJECT TEAM

JD Beatty joined the City of Mesa Office of Economic Development team in April 2013, and currently serves as the department's Senior Economic Development Project Manager. He specializes in major business attraction and site selection efforts, complex infrastructure and entitlement processes, and key strategic initiatives. During his tenure with Mesa, JD has led projects and programs across the City, with an emphasis on the Elliot Road Tech Corridor, Riverview, and the Pecos Advanced Manufacturing Zone areas. He has also spearheaded the department's Data Center & Mission Critical Initiative, as well as the Pecos Industrial Rail Access and Train Extension (PIRATE) Project. JD is passionate about driving growth and new investment in the community and has successfully led and landed over 60 attraction and retention projects in Mesa. These projects have resulted in the creation of 3,700 new jobs, $5.7 billion in capital investment, and over 8.3 million square feet of new commercial space across the city. In 2021, his contributions to Mesa were further recognized by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), as he was announced as the Young Economic Development Professional of the Year. JD previously worked for CBRE's Labor Analytics Group in Phoenix, an international site selection consultancy within the Fortune 500 company, specializing in labor analysis and workforce strategy, which helped build his strong foundation in economic development and real estate. JD is a proud, born-and-raised Arizonan and attended Arizona State University where he received bachelor's degrees in marketing, tourism, and German. When he's not economically developing Mesa, you can find him working on a home renovation project or frequenting one of the Valley's many escape rooms.

Job Titles:

• Member of the EXECUTIVE TEAM
• Assistant Economic Development Director for the City of Mesa
• Economic Development Assistant Director
• Member of the Arizona Association of Economic Development

Jaye O'Donnell has served as the Assistant Economic Development Director for the City of Mesa since 2012. In her role, Jaye is responsible for strategic planning, brand management, communications, and operations. During her career in Mesa, Jaye has led key initiatives including Mesa's higher education recruitment efforts, Falcon District and Asian District brand development, Mesa K-Ready initiative, and Mesa CARES Small Business Reemergence Grant and Technical Assistance programs. Prior to coming to Mesa, Jaye held the position of Senior Director of Marketing and Business Attraction at the Arizona Department of Commerce and the Director of Advertising, Media Relations, and Fulfillment for the Arizona Office of Tourism. Jaye is an active member of the Arizona Association of Economic Development, Visit Mesa Board of Directors, and Mesa's Higher Education Taskforce. Jaye began her career in the public sector at the City of Glendale more than 24 years ago. She holds a B.S. in Journalism and Mass Communication from Iowa State University.

Job Titles:

• City of Mesa Office of Economic Development in 2022 As an Economic Development Specialist
• Economic Development Specialist

John Ahumada joined the City of Mesa Office of Economic Development in 2022 as an Economic Development Specialist, supporting the relocation and expansion of companies, small to large, in the City of Mesa. As a Specialist, John is responsible for responding to requests for information, providing research support, and assisting in City processes to encourage economic development. John has an international background, having completed high school and college in Tokyo, Japan. John has experience as both a management consultant working for incubator and accelerator programs in Chile, Belgium, Japan, and Tucson, Arizona. He also ran a vacation rental business as an entrepreneur in Miami, Florida. Working for the City of Mesa provides John with the perfect opportunity to work in a large city doing great things while still benefiting from a small town feel at the workplace. John attended Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan where he received a Bachelor of Arts in international business. John then attended Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts where he received a Master of Arts in entrepreneurial leadership. John's favorite thing to do in Mesa is to have Korean BBQ in the Asian District.

Job Titles:

• Economic Development Project Manager
• Project Manager for the City of Mesa Office of Economic Development ( OED ) Team

Kelley Keffer is a Project Manager for the City of Mesa Office of Economic Development (OED) team and joined the team in December 2012. Kelley is responsible for leading the department's small business and entrepreneurship initiative - Mesa Business Builder and the Mesa HUUB digital platform for small businesses; managing LaunchPoint, Mesa's business incubator; and managing various attraction, retention, and expansion projects. Currently, she works with over 1,000 small businesses each year, providing support, resources, and training on a wide range of topics. During her time managing LaunchPoint, more than 30 participating companies in a wide range of technology, green technologies, medical devices, and advanced materials have created more than 250 jobs, and have enhanced the local economy of the City of Mesa and other Phoenix Metro area localities. Kelley earned a Bachelor of Business Administration - Management from Walsh College. She is a certified business analyst and holds instructor certifications in NxLevel, FastTrac, and Profit Mastery for entrepreneurs. In addition, she has completed the coursework and will take the exams to earn the designations as a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) and as an Entrepreneurship Development Professional (EDP) in 2022 -2023. Originally from the metropolitan Detroit area and prior to joining the City of Mesa, Kelley served for more than six years as the Director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Mohave Community College, and as an Associate Faculty member teaching Entrepreneurship and Small Business. In addition to the aforementioned roles, she was co-owner of a successful residential and commercial contracting company for more than 20 years. Kelley proudly works to improve the city she lives in for the citizens of Mesa. To her, the most fulfilling aspect of working in economic development is working with businesses and entrepreneurs to overcome challenges and find solutions to keep them growing to enhance the diverse economic base in Mesa. In her off time, she enjoys spending time with her family, pets, and newest hobby - raising chickens for organic eggs as well as reading, learning, traveling, and gardening.

Job Titles:

• Member of the PROJECT TEAM
• Marketing & Business Development Manager
• the Marketing and Business Development Manager

Kim Lofgreen joined the City of Mesa Economic Development team in April 2013 as the Marketing and Business Development Manager. In this position, Kim is responsible for developing and implementing a broad base of marketing and business development strategy to recruit business and drive the expansion of Mesa's key industries including Healthcare and Healthcare Services, Medical Devices, Aerospace and Defense, Advanced Manufacturing, Technology, and Advanced Business and Financial Services. Previously, Kim served as the Senior Advisor to the World Trade Center Utah on marketing strategy and China related topics and events. He also served as the Vice President of Marketing and Communications for the Economic Development Corporation of Utah. Kim has also held marketing management positions within the semiconductor and graphic design industries. Kim earned both an MBA and a BS in Marketing with an emphasis in international business and Asian studies from Arizona State University.

Job Titles:

• Deputy Director
• Member of the EXECUTIVE TEAM
• Economic Development / Deputy Director - Strategic Initiatives

Lori Collins joined the City of Mesa Economic Development team in September 2019 as Deputy Director. Her focus is on Mesa business retention/expansion, activities relating to new business attraction throughout the City, and strategic development priorities including Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport and ASU Polytechnic Campus and Innovation Zone. Previously, Lori worked for the City of Phoenix as the Deputy Director of economic development with responsibility for business attraction, focusing specifically on developing and implementing strategies to encourage investment and drive job growth. Since 2014, she has personally worked on projects and led teams that assisted to locate companies who committed to bring more than 25,000 jobs to the region. Lori also worked at the City of Chandler as an Economic Development Specialist and airport administrator for the Chandler Municipal Airport. Lori has gained a wide breadth of experience in the Greater Phoenix area by serving in various roles including Marketing and Communication Manager with the Greater Phoenix Economic Council and as Marketing Director for the Phoenix and Las Vegas office of a major commercial real estate firm. She is a National League of Cities (NLC) Equitable Economic Development Fellow and a past President of the Board of Directors for the Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED). In 2021, Lori was recognized among Arizona Business Leaders by AZ Big Media as a leader changing the face of Arizona business. Lori is passionate about working in economic development because it allows her to collaborate with community organizations and build upon relationships she has fostered over her 20+ year career to help shape a successful economic future for Arizona. One of her favorite things to do in Mesa is to attend the National Geographic Live Series at the Mesa Arts Center. When not working, she spends time with her family playing golf, hiking, and exploring Arizona's food and wine scene.

Job Titles:

• Member of the ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM
• Administrative Assistant III

Maribeth Smith joined the City of Mesa Office of Economic Development in 2018 as the Administrative Assistant III to the Director. In this role, Maribeth provides administrative support by assisting the Director in accomplishing performance goals and executing key priorities. In her previous roles, Maribeth worked for financial and education organizations and was responsible for compliance oversight, budgeting, purchasing, and administrative functions while managing millions in federal grant dollars.

Job Titles:

• Economic Development Project Manager

Nick Juszczak joined the City of Mesa Office of Economic Development in January 2021 and currently serves as Project Manager. Nick is responsible for management and site oversight at the City of Mesa's AZLabs facility, including business attraction, expansion, lease negotiations. In addition, he works with developers to bring new product to the market and helps to move them through the entitlement process. Prior to joining the City of Mesa, Nick worked with CBRE Labor Analytics as a Site Selection Consultant. He specialized in labor market analysis, including workforce longevity, scalability, and development strategies for corporations. Former clients include Alorica, Bank of America, Charter/Spectrum, General Motors, Hyatt, Kohls, MetLife, and Royal Bank of Canada. Working in downtown Mesa allows Nick access to some small business restaurants that have excellent desserts. Main Street Sweets and Novel Ice Cream are two of his favorites. Nick is a native of Arizona and graduated from University of Arizona in Tucson with a B.S. in Business Management. He also played golf collegiately and pursued his dream of playing professionally after graduation. Today, he continues playing golf competitively at an amateur level and can often be found competing in Arizona Golf Association events around the State.

Job Titles:

• Member of the ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM
• Administrative Assistant II

Rebecca Perks joined the City of Mesa Office of Economic Development in April 2022, serving as the Administrative Assistant II. Rebecca brings more than 25 years of support staff experience in the resort, marine diesel engine, and real estate industries. In her current role, Rebecca provides administrative assistance including managing travel arrangements, purchasing requirements, website maintenance and posting industry news on OED's social media platforms. Rebecca was born and raised in Pennsylvania and has watched her small town revitalize through local economic development efforts. She is excited to be part of the team that is helping Mesa grow and develop. She attended Penn State University, pursuing a degree in Math Education. She then moved to Florida, working for 12 years as Sales Administrator and Executive Assistant for MAN Engines and Components, Inc. She has been in Arizona since 2007. Most recently, Rebecca was the senior Business Application Specialist for the Arizona Association of Realtors. Rebecca has made a rule for herself that she needs to do at least one new thing a month. She loves to explore off the beaten path attractions in Arizona, discover new board games, and try new restaurants.

While Maribeth is an Arizona native, she has also lived in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Texas. In her free time, she enjoys trying local restaurants, reading, and spending time with family, which includes her Boston Terriers.

Job Titles:

• Member of the EXECUTIVE TEAM
• Economic Development Director

Job Titles:

• Marketing / Communications Specialist II

Yvette Armendariz joined the City of Mesa Economic Development team in September 2021 as a Marketing/Communications Specialist II. Hired to create awareness of resources available to small business owners via Mesa Business Builder, she also supports social media messaging, earned media efforts, and branding projects including Mesa's Asian District mural project. Previously, Yvette managed marketing and media relations for the i.d.e.a. Museum, part of the City of Mesa's Department of Arts & Culture. She has a long history as an award-winning business journalist with Gannett, working for both The Arizona Republic and the El Paso Times. During her newspaper tenure, she won several awards for being a small business advocate (highlighting trends and issues facing small, diverse companies) from the U.S. Small Business Administration and various chambers and business advocacy groups. Her understanding of small business needs and challenges is integral to her role in economic development, where she's also working toward becoming a certified Entrepreneurship Development Professional. Her career also includes freelance writing/editing for various magazines, social media management and public relations consulting. Yvette earned a BA in journalism, with a minor in economics, from New Mexico State University. Working for the City of Mesa has been rewarding for Yvette because she gets to help citizens and business owners become the best they can be - at work (via economic development tools) and at play (via cultural offerings). One of her favorite things to do is check out the newest art exhibitions at the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum.