Denise Hart, vice president of Phoenix-based Vestar, has been named as the 2016 Business Woman of the Year by the Tempe Chamber of Commerce.

Hart was honored at the 21st annual Women in Business Conference this week at the Doubletree by Hilton in Tempe.

Hart oversees commercial properties across the country including Tempe Marketplace. Hart, the first female executive at Vestar, mentors and promotes professional female staff members within the company..

She is a Certified Marketing Director and Certified Retail Property Executive with the International Council of Shopping Centers and has received the organization’s Design and Development Award.

“The Business Woman of the Year award recognizes the valuable contributions that Denise has made to the business community and to the Tempe Chamber of Commerce," Mary Ann Miller, president and CEO of the Tempe chamber, said. "Her hard work and dedication have made an admirable and positive impact that we are proud to recognize."

The two other finalists were Tracy Bullock, president of Bullock Training & Development, and Dawn Hocking, director of development at TCH.