10,000 reasons to care this year

Michael Gossie, Managing Editor
This is the season of giving. And you don’t have to look very far into Arizona’s business community to find individuals who will leave this world better than they found it.

• Bob Parsons, the former CEO of GoDaddy and cover model for this issue of Az Business, has pledged to give half his wealth — estimated in excess of $1 billion — to charity.

• Ira A. Fulton, founder of Fulton Homes, has donated more than $300 million to universities and other organizations, including more than $168 million to ASU.

• Tom Lewis, founder of T.W. Lewis Homes, has donated 10 percent of his company’s earnings to the T.W. Lewis Foundation since 2001. On Nov. 13, Lewis and his wife, Jan, will be named Outstanding Philanthropists at the Association of Fundraising Professionals 30th Annual Philanthropy Leadership Awards.

In addition to spotlighting Parsons’ charitable efforts in this issue of Az Business, we also feature Corporate Angels, a look at nonprofits that make a difference in Arizona through the support of the business community. AZ Big Media, which publishes this magazine and seven other Arizona-based publications, wants to help those nonprofits make an even bigger impact.

We have launched “10,000 Reasons.” It gives each nonprofit featured in Corporate Angels in this issue or in the May/June 2015 issue, a chance to win $10,000 from AZ Big Media.

Happy holidays.

Michael Gossie, Editor in Chief