What’s Going Down in Mesa Town E17
Although she dabbles in real estate all over Arizona, Carla is never quiet about how much she loves the city of Mesa! Fellow Mesa enthusiast and native Jenn Duff tells us her story of going from fashion to fishing and eventually on to city government as a councilwoman and Vice-Mayor.
Mesa is a wonderfully vibrant and diverse city. Councilwoman Duff fills us in on changes and all of the ways Mesa is adjusting to & welcoming growth.
With a population of more than 504,000 Mesa, Arizona is the 37th largest city in the United States and second largest in the Phoenix-Mesa metro area. Mesa encompasses 138 square miles inside a 21-city region that has a population of 4.9 million people and is projected to grow to 5.4 million by 2026.
Mesa is a favorite destination to thousands of visitors with more than 300 sun-filled days a year and average temperature of 72.6 degrees. The area’s economy is driven by four major industries healthcare, education, aerospace, and tourism. Mesa is home to two award-winning airports, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport and Falcon Field Airport. For more information about the City of Mesa go to mesaaz.gov.
Elected to the Mesa City Council in November of 2018, Councilmember Jenn Duff began her first term representing District 4 in January of 2019. She was named Vice Mayor of Mesa on January 11, 2021. Her term on the Council runs until January of 2023.
A Mesa native with British family roots that go back to Falcon Field during World War II, Duff is very active in the Mesa community. She spent six years on the Board of Directors of the i.d.e.a. Museum. She has served on the City of Mesa Planning and Zoning Board and co-founded the Retail, Arts, Innovation and Livability (R.A.I.L) Community Development Corporation. In 2015 she was awarded the Mesa Community College Hall of Fame Alumni Achievement Award. In 2021 Duff received the LISC Phoenix Annual Exemplary Advocate Award for her work supporting the Downtown Mesa community.
Duff is the President and Owner of Jef International, Inc., an import/export trading business specializing in sport fishing tackle. She started the business in 1990, following six years as a Professional Bass Angler. She was recognized as the top woman pro bass angler in the Southwest and is the only American woman to ever compete professionally in Japan. Duff lived in Japan in 1989 competing and promoting the sport. Duff is also the former owner of Lobina Lures, which manufactured and distributed Rico brand topwater bass fishing lures since 1991. Prior to her career in sport fishing, Duff worked as a buyer for Goldwater’s department store for six years.
Duff is a graduate of Mesa High and earned her AA degree in Fashion Merchandising from Mesa Community College. She completed the Mesa Leadership Training and Development in 2012, Neighborhood Works Leadership Training in 2012, the Mesa Chamber Leadership Development Program in 2018 and the Mesa Fire and Medical Inaugural Citizen’s Academy in 2018. She recently completed the Smart Growth America Complete Streets Champions Institute program.
Connect with Jenn on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About the Show
Smashing Through Walls is geared toward a guide through complex commercial real estate and finance topics while adding humor and anecdotes along the way. Discover what is going on in the valley and beyond with host Carla Magee, broker at MHG Commercial.
About Our Host
Carla Magee’s background is designed with the investor in mind. After obtaining her finance degree from the University of Washington in Seattle, she worked for large corporations like Boeing and Microsoft. With a critical eye and flair for analytics, she was able to shave millions in lost profits, managing cross-functional teams by utilizing her Green Belt in Six Sigma and Masters Certification in Project Management.
Ultimately she realized that she couldn’t be contained in an office environment working for the corporate world. Being an investor herself, she came into real estate as an investment & multifamily property specialist, effectively applying her education & skillset. Carla excels in helping investors make sound decisions for their financial goals, in real estate negotiations, and takes deep pride in educating homebuyers and sellers.
On a personal note, Carla is a busy wife & mother to two daughters. In addition to an ever growing career and podcast, she also enjoys volunteering and being active in the community. She has a deep love for Arizona and although she travels whenever possible, she always finds her way back to the beautiful Sonoran Desert.
Connect with Carla on LinkedIn.
About Our Sponsor
MHG Commercial emerged from the highly successful and innovative residential brokerage: My Home Group. MHG Commercial’s vetted and experienced advisors have a wide range of complementary professional expertise that span over 100 years of cumulative experience.
Encompassing every aspect of commercial real estate from office to industrial development, raw land to luxury commercial, and multifamily to subdivision development. We excel at out of the box thinking and transactions that require a more hands-on approach and ingenuity.
No matter the property type or service need, our commercial advisors are committed to your objectives. Combined with business finesse and unsurpassed market intelligence, MHG Commercial brokers help you determine and surpass your business goals.
