Brendan Lyons
The Southern Arizona Home Builders Association welcomes Brendan Lyons as its director of government affairs.
“Brendan’s dynamic background in public safety, government, and non-profits will be an asset for SAHBA,” said SAHBA President and CEO David Godlewski.
Lyons’ journey into public service began as a firefighter. After responding to far too many crashes, he founded the nonprofit ‘LOOK! Save A Life’ in 2012. A year later, he became a statistic, struck from behind by a distracted motorist, while bicycling. His recovery fueled his advocacy for stricter laws, leading to the successful passage of Arizona’s Hands-Free Distracted-Driving Law in 2019. This compelled him to run (in 2020) for the state legislature, marked by his genuine interest in bridging diverse perspectives and fostering an environment of collaboration.
Despite an unsuccessful bid for the state house in Arizona’s 9th Legislative District, Lyons continued his public service as deputy director for the Office of Arizona Governor Doug Ducey.
Lyons holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Arizona with a focus in Collaborative Governance from the School of Government and Public Policy. He is also active in the community, serving on the board of directors for Greater Tucson Leadership and Davis Monthan Air Force Base’s Desert Thunder Squadron (Honorary Commander Alum, 25th Operational Weather Squadron). Lyons is a distinguished Flinn-Brown Fellow through Arizona Center for Civic Leadership, where he was recently honored with the Arizona Champion Award. He is also a member of the Tucson Metro Chamber, where he serves on the Emerging Leaders Council.
He’s also been named “Hometown Hero” by Davis Monthan AFB & the USAF Thunderbirds, a Tucson 40 under 40, recognized as the “Dedication-Recipient” & “Man-of-the-Year” for El Tour de Tucson, recipient of the Brigadier General Ronald L. Kurth Award for Leadership from Greater Tucson Leadership. He is an honorary member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars for commitment to ideals of leadership and service.
“I am eager to serve SAHBA and our members through strategic engagement and impactful government relations to shape a vibrant future for Southern Arizona,” Lyons said. “My experience has prepared me to help foster collaboration and advance policy priorities that benefit the home building industry.”
