Phoenix Custom Builder Revamps Leadership

Courtesy Genova-Detwiler Custom Builders

An interior from the Douglas Scottsdale, a six-home development by Genova-Detwiler Custom Builders (then Venue Builders).

Two of the owners and partners of Venue Projects development firm, Jon Kitchell and Lorenzo Perez, have opted to convey their stake in Phoenix, Ariz.-based Venue Builders to co-founders Aaron Genova and Cal Detwiler. Under Genova and Detwiler’s leadership, Venue Builders will be known as Genova-Detwiler Custom Builders, which will operate with a renewed focus on custom residential projects.

Courtesy Genova-Detwiler Custom Builders

Aaron Genova, co-founder of Genova-Detwiler Custom Builders.

Courtesy Genova-Detwiler Custom Builders

Cal Detwiler, co-founder of Genova-Detwiler Custom Builders.

“We’re excited to return to our roots and focus our energy on our custom building clients,” says Genova, “Crafting sophisticated environments is where our core experience lies and where we have the most fun. We are excited to re-focus our energy where we can benefit our clients the most.”

Together, Detwiler and Genova offer more than 40 years of construction industry experience, with a focus on resort-style homes in Arizona’s Paradise Valley, built under the Desert Star Construction, Linthicum Custom Builders, Kitchell Custom Homes, and Venue Builders brand names.

Both owners come from multi-generational custom builder families, and both are graduates of the Del E. Webb School of Construction Management at Arizona State University.

The team has worked together since 2012. Their company has grown its revenue by a factor of ten in the past five years, and expanded its management team from two to ten in the same period. Genova-Detwiler and Venue Projects will continue to occupy the same Phoenix office.

Courtesy Genova-Detwiler Custom Builders

“While this is a change of name for the business, everything else remains the same operationally, including the people, systems, location and leadership,” adds Detwiler. “The change is a natural transition for the growth of both Venue Projects, as developer, and Venue Builders, as contractor and serves to simplify and streamline both entities going forward.”

Beyond their work in the custom home sector, Detwiler and Genova also participate in some high-end production and multi-family projects, most recently the six-home Douglas Scottsdale development. They currently provide pre-construction advisory on two high-end residential Valley developments, and are also connected to the Villas at Baker Park, which they will build with the Empire Group.