The finalists for Az Business magazine’s Champions of Change Awards, sponsored by PNC Bank, are remapping the business landscape in Arizona.

“The Champions of Change Awards spotlight those individuals and businesses in our communities who are truly moving the needle for Arizona,” says Amy Lindsey, publisher of AZ Big Media, which publishes Az Business magazine and seven other Arizona-based business publications along with this news website. “These are the game-changers — the individuals and businesses that truly impact the way we work, live, play and do business.”

The Champions of Change Awards will recognize those dynamic innovators and trailblazers who are changing Arizona’s business landscape through leadership, visionary thinking and philanthropy and have earned the right to be called a Champion of Change. Champions of Change will honor both individuals and organizations.

Az Business magazine will celebrate all finalists and winners at a luncheon on Thursday, May 18, 2023 at Orange Tree Golf Resort. The event will have a fun “superhero” theme to reflect the extraordinary accomplishments of the finalists. Tickets are on sale now.

The presenting sponsor of the Champions of Change Awards is PNC Bank. The dessert sponsor is Optum. The step-and-repeat sponsor is Lerner & Rowe and the flowers will be provided by PJs Flowers.

Here are the finalists for the 2023 Champions of Change Awards:

Philanthropic Business Leader of the Year

Liz Agboola, Trinity Integrated Care

Leonardo Loo, Quarles & Brady

Vicki Mayo, TouchPoint

Deborah Pearson, OneAZ Credit Union 

Kevin Rowe, Lerner & Rowe

Philanthropic Business of the Year

Delta Dental of Arizona

Desert Financial Credit Union

UnitedHealthcare

Salt River Project (SRP)

Valor Global

Nonprofit Leader of the Year

Beth Fiorenza, Nourish Phoenix

Mary Foote, Pipeline AZ

Joan Koerber-Walker, AZBio

Kristen Merrifield, Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits

Torrie Taj, Child Crisis Arizona

Nonprofit Organization of the Year

Arizona Donor Alliance

Kid in the Corner

Family Promise of Greater Phoenix

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation for Community & Health Advancement

Two Pups Wellness Fund

Healthcare Leader of the Year

David Dexter, Sonora Quest Laboratories

Tom Grote, Banner Aetna 

Pam Kehaly, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona

Steve Purves, Valleywise Health

Terri Waibel, Center for Compassion

Healthcare Organization of the Year

Circle the City 

Copa Health

Embark Behavioral Health

Risas Dental and Braces

Valleywise Health

Innovative Champion of Change (individual)

James Goodnow, Fennemore 

Andy Kvesic, Radix Law

April Stovall, Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino

Amy Walters, City of Hope (formerly CTCA)

Mike Weinberger, Item 9 Labs Corp.

Innovative Champion of Change (business)

Arizona State University

Amazon Web Services

AvAir

Dominium

Lectric eBikes

Large Business Champion of Change (individual)

Ken Goodrich, Goettl 

Perry Laufenberg, SVN Desert Commercial Advisors

Steve Macias, Optum Health 

Rachel Skaff, Amazon Web Services

Kerri Robinson, Arizona State University

Large Business Champion of Change (business)

CBRE

Delta Dental of Arizona

Geneva Financial 

HomeSmart

Optum Arizona

Medium Business Champion of Change (individual)

Rumpa R. Dey, AECOM

Kentaro Kawamori, CEO and co-founder, Persefoni

John Kobierowski, ABI Multifamily

Ari Levin, The Madison Center for the Arts

Steven G. Zylstra, Arizona Technology Council

Medium Business Champion of Change (business)

City to City Commercial

Lerner & Rowe

Radix Law

REDW

Tower Capital