School of Construction alumni honored by national industry association
Two alumni of the Del E. Webb School of Construction were recently honored by the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA) for their contributions to the industry.
The national organization’s 2011 Arizona Construction Industry Pioneer Award was given to Ron Rodgers, former president of J.B. Rodgers Mechanical Contractors.
Under Ron Rodgers’ leadership, J.B. Rodgers Mechanical Contractors—the company founded by his father—grew to be the largest mechanical contracting company in Arizona and among the 30 largest in the country. Rodgers is also a past president of the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association. Today, he is the chairman emeritus of the New Horizons Foundation, which supports education and research critical to the construction industry. In honoring his career achievements, the CFMA noted Rodgers’ contributions through his business to numerous civic and community organizations.
CFMA’s 2011 Arizona Construction Executive of the Year Award went to Mike Fann, president of Fann Contracting.
Fann has grown his company—founded by his father, James Fann—to become the largest locally owned heavy highway construction contractor in northern Arizona. The company employs more than 300 people and works with major clients such as the Arizona Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. One of the company’s recent major projects involves improvement of facilities and construction of an amphitheater at Mather Point, a popular visitors area at the Grand Canyon. A second company, Fann Environmental, does soil remediation work. The CMFA also noted the Fann company’s record of contributing to charitable causes.
Mike Fann’s son, Jason, a project manager for the Fann Contracting, is also a graduate of the Del E. Webb School of Construction. In honor of Fann’s late father, the James L. Fann Memorial Scholarship was established in recent years at Arizona State University through a $250,000 donation to the ASU Foundation. The scholarship supports students from central Yavapai County who are pursuing careers in construction.