F. Francis Najafi

Francis Najafi is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Pivotal Group, a forty-year-old investment firm with experience in private equity, growth ventures and real estate investments. Mr. Najafi serves as a Board Member of several private companies. He is also on the Board of Directors of the Quincy Institute, active in the World’s President’s Organization (WPO) and Chief Executive’s Organization (CEO).

Locally, Mr. Najafi serves, on the Board of Directors of Sandra Day O’Connor Institute, is a Cabinet Member of the President’s Club at Arizona State University, a Board Member Emeritus and Capital Campaign Chair of Arizona Science Center, and serves on ASU’s W.P. Carey School of Business Dean’s Council. Mr. Najafi completed his B.S. degree in engineering followed by two Masters Degrees from Thunderbird – The School of Global Management, and the University of Southern California (USC). At USC, he began his entrepreneurial activities while a PhD candidate in International Political Economy.

Mr. Najafi has received several honors including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the NCCJ Humanitarian Award, Thunderbird Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Award for Achievement as an Entrepreneur, and was honored as a Thunderbird Global Leader with the unveiling of the Najafi Global Mindset Institute at Thunderbird School of Global Management. Mr. Najafi is also a patron on numerous cultural and civic organizations.