By Peter Madrid
Cushman & Wakefield of Arizona, Inc.He’s irreverent, funny, opinionated – and did we mention he’s irreverent?
A standing-room-only audience – more than 200 Partners strong – was entertained at the final Valley Partnership breakfast of 2013 by the always-entertaining Grant Woods.
Even Goodyear Mayor Georgia Lord, this month’s “Mayor’s Minute” guest speaker, did not escape the good-humored barbs by perhaps Arizona’s most colorful former Attorney General.
Woods’ lively chat – which he has delivered to Valley Partnership for the past 7 years – was not for the faint of heart. And to his credit, he always warns the crowd. It’s also entertaining to see Valley Partnership President and CEO Richard Hubbard wince a bit as Woods takes the podium.
After Mayor Lord invited those in attendance to visit and also do business in her city, Woods came out swinging.
He offered his take on the Arizona governor’s race, told a hilarious story about a cab ride in Washington, D.C., and shared some anecdotes about Sen. John McCain. It was all presented in a way only Grant Woods can.
He did end on a semi-serious note by saying, “Leadership matters.” Whether it’s the oval office in D.C. or the governor’s office in Downtown Phoenix, “It does matter,” he said.
“We are the leaders,” Woods added. “Leadership counts, and we have great opportunities here. It matters.”
The January Valley Partnership breakfast will feature a panel discussing commercial market conditions for 2014. That event is set for Jan. 24.
Happy holidays from your humble blogger …
