Jerry Meek

Jerry Meek is the founder and CEO of Desert Star Construction, a luxury custom home building company based in Arizona. At age 18, Meek started a carpentry business with his father, serving both custom home and commercial markets. With guidance from architect George Christensen, Meek and his father obtained their general contractor licenses and established Desert Star Construction. Meek became CEO and president at age 27. The company has grown from modest beginnings to managing nearly $200 million of work in progress.

Desert Star Construction has completed more than 150 high-end residential projects in Paradise Valley and has contributed to some of Arizona's most prominent homes. The company has been recognized for its work in sustainable construction, including building the first Net-Zero Energy custom home and the first LEED-certified new custom home in Paradise Valley. Meek also led the renovation and sustainable retrofitting of Arizona's first Gold LEED-certified full-service commercial restaurant, El Chorro Lodge. Desert Star Construction's projects have been featured in more than 30 magazines and have received honors such as multiple Gold Nugget Awards, Phoenix Home & Garden Home of the Year, Southwest Contractor, and NAHB Custom Home of the Year. Meek was the first luxury custom home builder to receive Phoenix Home & Garden's Master of the Southwest, an award recognizing excellence in design and craftsmanship.

In addition to his work in construction, Meek is a published author and public speaker. He authored "Team Builder Toolbox: 13 Tools To Build The Power Of Your Team," offering leadership strategies for business executives. His subsequent books include "Be Great … Before It's Too Late," which explores lessons from historical figures, and "Leadership on the Level," which integrates insights from scripture and business case studies. "Leadership on the Level" has been endorsed by leadership expert Dr. John C. Maxwell.

Meek has also contributed to the community as the founding president of the Phoenix Dream Center Foundation. Under his leadership, Team DSC received the Heart of Business Award and Community Spirit Award for building a commercial kitchen that has served millions of meals to individuals in addiction recovery, human trafficking, and foster care programs. Desert Star Construction also led "The Rescue Project," renovating 10 Dream Rooms for young survivors of human trafficking in partnership with local trades and the design community.

Drawing from personal experiences, including frequent moves during his youth and overcoming personal challenges, Meek shares insights on perseverance, leadership, and community engagement with audiences across industries. His expertise in luxury home construction, sustainable building, and leadership development positions him as a resource in the fields of custom home building and executive leadership.