Pat Lamb: First National Bank of Arizona

Developer’s discipline, loyalty, and long-term perspective impresses Champion’s lenders. By taking a long-term perspective on its projects, and by using a methodical disciplined approach, Champion has earned the respect and loyalty of high-quality lenders, says Pat Lamb, general counsel at First National Bank of Arizona. “We have helped finance four Champion projects over the past several years,” Lamb says. “We have been very impressed by Ricky Lyons and his team at Champion. On every level, they have demonstrated a professional and thoughtful approach that makes them a pleasure to work with.” Lamb says Lyons and his team are appealing to lenders because they are very selective about the projects they undertake. “Ricky is very patient. He is willing to wait for just the right circumstances. He is not interested in jumping into every opportunity. He carefully scrutinizes every aspect of each project, and puts together a cohesive plan. He thinks through everything.” Lamb is also impressed by Champion’s ability to attract high-quality tenants on a consistent basis. “As a lender, we are looking for developers who can meet their leasing and sales targets. But Champion goes even further. Because of their reputation as great landlords, they are able to draw in lots of top name tenants with excellent credit ratings.” Overall, Lamb says Champion is a model client because Ricky Lyons and his team are committed to strong, long-term relationships. “There are some developers who just want to throw up a building and make a quick profit, no matter what the long-term consequences are. But Champion is different. They want to make sure that everyone benefits from their projects—lenders, tenants, citizens, and government. They take a real partnership approach, and demonstrate tremendous loyalty.” “We look forward to working with Champion for many years to come.”