Business Awards

Business awards earned in Southern Arizona

R&A CPAs: R&A CPAs won the best of accounting award for providing superior service; one of just 44 accounting firms across the U.S. to achieve the distinction. ClearlyRated’s Best of Accounting Award winners have proven to be industry leaders in service quality based entirely on ratings provided by their clients. On average, clients of 2022 Best of Accounting winners are 70% more likely to be satisfied than those who work with non-winning firms. R&A received satisfaction scores of nine or 10 out of 10 from 90.4% of their clients, significantly higher than the industry’s average of 50% in 2022. Their 86.4% Net Promoter Score was more than double the industry average of 39% in 2022.

University of Arizona Eller College of Management: The University of Arizona Eller College of Management has named Kent McClelland, chairman and CEO of Shamrock Foods Company, as the 2023 Eller College of Management Executive of the Year. McClelland, the third-generation leader of the family-owned and -operated company founded in 1922, joins the likes of former honorees such as Cathy Engelbert (Deloitte), Fredrick W. Smith (FedEx) and Howard Schultz (Starbucks).

As the guiding force behind the 100-year-old company, McClelland’s focus and foresight have led to continuous innovation and exponential company growth. His leadership, customer-centric business practices and emphasis on geographic expansion and brand penetration have evolved the company into the national leader it’s recognized as today.

Affirm Wealth Advisors: Affirm Wealth Advisors earned the Ameriprise Client Experience Award for 2022.

Affirm Wealth Advisors was recognized for its ability to consistently deliver personalized, goal-based advice and exceptional client service. Award recipients earned an overall client satisfaction rating equal to or greater than 4.9 out of 5.0 and maintained stellar business results.

University of Arizona: The University of Arizona has earned a spot on Forbes list of America’s Best Large Employers, placing at No. 257 out of 500 employers and No. 28 in the education subcategory.

The University of Arizona has nearly 16,000 employees, with 55.7% identifying as female and 24.7% identifying as Hispanic or Latinx.

Forbes and German market research firm Statista selected this year’s employers through an independent survey applied to a sample of approximately 45,000 American employees working for companies with more than 1,000 employees in the U.S.

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