Joe Contadino, a home builder developer for 52 years, is appointed to fill the vacancy on the Paradise Valley Board of Adjustment through March 2024.

On Oct. 19, Paradise Valley Town Council held a special meeting to interview three applicants to fill a vacancy on the Planning Commission. They voted unanimously to appoint Robert Brown, thus creating a vacancy on the Board of Adjustment. Contadino was one of the other applicants for the Planning Commission seat, according to a staff report.

Pursuant to Town Code, members of the Board of Adjustment are appointed by the mayor and confirmed by a majority vote of the council.

Contadino has an extensive background in home construction and residential development. He has held positions with Coventry Homes, Del Webb and Universal Homes. Among his many development projects was the Finnisterre community in Paradise Valley, the staff report shared.

Contadino is the owner of Universal Homes, established in the 1950s. He began his home building career in 1971 as chief financial officer of Continental Homes. He became president of the business in 1976 and directed its growth to become the largest home builder in the Phoenix area by 1978.

From then on, Contadino has managed the construction of more than 15,000 single family homes, townhouses and condominiums, predominantly throughout the Southwest. He has developed properties and built homes in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, California, Illinois, Ohio and Washington State.

In 1980, Contadino established Coventry Financial, Inc., a holding company that owned and operated Coventry Homes and Fairmount Mortgage.

In 1990, Contadino sold the assets of Coventry Homes to the Del Webb Corporation. He and his management staff were hired by Del Webb, which formed the basis of Del Webb’s entry into the conventional home building business. In 1995, Contadino was named executive vice president of Del Webb Corporation with responsibilities for all community developments plus the mortgage banking operations for the company.

In 1998, Contadino resigned his position at Del Webb and reopened Universal Homes, which Coventry Financial had acquired. Universal Homes is actively pursuing the development of a 1,243-acre master-planned community along Glassford Hill Road in Yavapai County, Prescott Valley, known as Granville.