Ken Peterson is the vice president of Sales & Marketing at Shea Homes Arizona, a position he has held for 25 years. “From our corporate office in Scottsdale, we develop communities across the Valley that offer traditional single-family homes and luxury residences. It’s great to help people fulfill their dream of owning a new home.” Learn about Ken Peterson…
Hometown: Pontiac, Michigan
First job: Working with my father building custom homes and commercial development.
Favorite ways to spend your free time in AZ: Outdoors (home and backyard entertainment, hiking, cycling and sailing) and enjoying our exquisite restaurants across the Valley.
Your biggest accomplishment and why: My passion is building. And what I am most proud to have created are my two amazing children, Kenny and Heather (now adults, 30 and 32). It was the journey, while different at every step of the way, the final transition to adulthood has made me extremely proud.
The biggest obstacle you overcame: As a result of the last downturn in the market, we lost about 85 percent of our team members in the Arizona Division. Many of these individuals I had worked with for years, and it was a gut-wrenching time. We experienced new obstacles and challenges, but through tenacity and perseverance, we were able to rehire many of our team members. This trepidatious time gave me the wisdom to always be cautiously optimistic.
Someone who inspires you and why: My father is the person that inspires me every day. His compassion, work ethic, integrity and wisdom are all attributes that I strive to emulate in both my professional and personal endeavors. He was always a great champion and a voice of reason. He was diagnosed with leukemia about five years ago, fighting that battle until last year when he passed away. During that time, he never felt sorry for himself nor complained. He remained positive and would continue to reflect on how blessed he was with family and friends. He lived a full life and was at peace.
Advice to someone pursuing a career path in what you do: Learn everything you can about your field of interest, listen to others, be patient, passionate and have the utmost respect for people. Forget you have a job and focus on your career.
Favorite quote: “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”
Something someone would be surprised to learn about you: My most favorite music is electronic dance music (EDM), techno, trance and chill. A little-known fact: EDM helps people process and retain information which also provokes the flow of dopamine in the brain while trance and chill mixes are very relaxing and calming.
What makes someone fabulous: To me, being fabulous is related to one’s service to others; how you view yourself in a holistic perspective, contributions to make our world a better place, your faith, how you treat other people and how they remember you.