HI, MY NAME IS… Matthew Wedding.
I’VE LIVED IN CHANDLER MY ENTIRE LIFE AND I LOVE IT BECAUSE… there is a true sense of community. From my days at Anderson Elementary and Junior High to Chandler High School to now, we are all here for each other and really care.
MY FAMILY IS… the absolute best. My immediate family includes my wife, Jacquie, and our 12-year-old twins Declan and Ireland. We also have two mini schnauzers, Mack and Malah.
A TYPICAL DAY IN MY LIFE INCLUDES… getting to the gym by 5:30 a.m. and then home so Jacqui and I can help get Ireland and Declan get off to school. I then head to one of the projects I oversee in my role with CHASSE Building Team or check in at the office, which is in Tempe. I am very proud to head up our Job Order Contracting and Pimmex-CHASSE divisions. Through our Job Order Contracting division we complete 150-plus on-call projects a year with our education and municipal clients. It’s fast-paced and our team makes it fun for all involved. I’m lucky to partner with my dear friend and colleague Carlos Munoz through Pimmex-CHASSE, where we focus on construction projects on tribal land. We’re currently working on a new health care Center for the Pascua Yaqui tribe and wrapping up an emergency services stationhouse. If I am in the office and done with regular administrative work and meetings, I am likely working with our CHASSE-ing Healthy team to plan bikes and other fitness adventures for our team. After work, it is all about the kid’s activities, which right now includes wrestling, football, track, and golf before dinner and some time to relax before bed.
ONE THING I CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT IS… other than my family, being on our boat on the lake.
MY FAVORITE MOVIE I COULD NEVER GET TIRED OF WATCHING AND WHY IS… “Flight of the Navigator.” There is just something about seeing and loving something in one’s youth. It just sticks with you forever, and you never tire of it.
WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I WANTED TO BE… a firefighter. And I actually did it. Prior to joining CHASSE Building Team, I worked as a firefighter in Flagstaff after graduating from NAU and before moving back home to Chandler.
THE SONG I WOULD SING AT KARAOKE NIGHT IS… anything country.
THE ONE PERSON WHO MOTIVATES ME IS… Barry Chasse, with whom I’ve worked for more than 15 years. As a business leader, he has grown CHASSE from a handful of employees to more than 200 strong with hundreds of thousands of dollars in construction projects across Arizona. And he has done it while building each of us up right along with the business, so much so that last year he transitioned the company into an ESOP, which allows our team members to invest in the business as owners moving forward. As a community leader, I’ve been inspired by his tireless work for youth-focused nonprofits, and with the Boys & Girls Clubs in particular, as well as his work to further our industry with the Arizona Builder’s Alliance and more. And finally, I am always inspired by him as a husband and father. He and his wife, Rikki, have built something special and have the two best now-adult daughters.
THE LAST THING THAT MADE ME LAUGH OUT LOUD WAS… anything my kids do. Where do kids come up with some of the stuff that they do? Hilarious.
THE PERFECT DAY IS… boating with my family and friends on Roosevelt Lake.
MY FAVORITE LOCAL NONPROFIT IS… a tie between the Chandler Education Foundation and Chandler Compadres. I am currently a sitting member of the Chandler Education Foundation board, which invests community support into educational opportunities, paving the way to lifelong success for Chandler Unified School District students. We have more than 100 student scholarships at any given time as well as a host of other programs including IMPACT Chandler Scholars and the Coach Mez Athletic/Activity Fund in honor of Rich Meseroll. I also love the Chandler Compadres, which I have been a member of since 2019, as we are helping build stronger families in the East Valley 24/7.
MY LIFE IS… filled with fun and organized chaos.
THE BEST GIFT I’VE EVER RECEIVED WAS… from my wife. Years ago, she and I took six months out of our lives to travel the country. She documented the entire trip in photos and surprised me with a photo book chronicling every single adventure. I treasure it.
MY DREAM VACATION WOULD BE… anything in Mexico.
THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE I’VE EVER RECEIVED IS… from my uncle. He advised me when I was planning to get married about the importance of building a strong family unit with my wife. Putting it above most else. And he was right. Today, we are strong, happy, and have a life I could have only ever dreamed of when I was young.