PHOENIX -- Team president/CEO Derrick Hall was inducted into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame last Friday night, but if he had his way, hundreds of others would have gone in with him.

“It’s not about me,” Hall said during his induction speech. “It’s an honor, and a recognition of our staff. They are the greatest in sports. They’re why I’m up here tonight. They always say, if you surround yourself with the smartest people, you’re going to look better. That’s all this is. This is an award for the entire organization, the entire Arizona Diamondbacks staff."

Joining Hall in the 2019 class were former Suns forward Tom Chambers, U.S. Olympic swimmer Amy Van Dyken-Rouen, boxer Michael Carbajal, former University of Arizona football coach Dick Tomey and longtime Northern Arizona University athletic trainer Michael Nesbitt.

The Arizona Sports Hall of Fame honors athletes, coaches, administrators and others who have made significant contributions to Arizona sports. The 2019 class was selected by a vote of trustees and the public. To be eligible, an individual must meet one of three criteria -- be a native of Arizona, be immediately recognized as an Arizonan or have made at least two significant contributions to the athletics community in the state.

Hall graduated from Arizona State University, and although he first became a prominent executive with the Los Angeles Dodgers, rising up to senior vice president of communications, Arizona is home.

“Derrick Hall is a person deeply committed, not only to the D-backs and their success and what that means for the community, but the building of metropolitan Phoenix as a great American city,” ASU president Michael Crow said. “He's deeply committed on every level to ... ASU, the community and its success. He's all in for building the community, with sports being a part of it.”

Hall joined the D-backs in 2005 and quickly rose to the position of team president before eventually adding CEO to his title.

“I think Derrick's key to success is the interactions that he has with people,” said D-backs legend Luis Gonzalez, who attended the event with manager Torey Lovullo. “He's constantly checking his email with fans. If we're in the stadium and someone complains that it's too hot, or something going on during the game, he's up there in the box and he's answering the emails.”

Giving back to the community has always been a point of emphasis for the D-backs organization, which recently surpassed the $65 million mark in charitable giving; $55 million of that has come during Hall’s 14-year tenure.

“Derrick makes certain everyone knows that this team gives back, that these players are approachable, and that is something that I think is special and unique about Derrick Hall and the Arizona Diamondbacks,” Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey said. “Derrick is someone who is uniquely Arizonan. Like so many of us, he was born somewhere else, but he represents the state in every venture.”

Hall joins several D-backs in the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame, including Gonzalez, Randy Johnson, Mark Grace, Curt Schilling and Jerry Colangelo.