The annual awards dinner was presented by WESTMARC and the Arizona Cardinals, Thursday, Nov. 10, 2016. The dinner was held on the field at University of Phoenix Stadium. Arizona Cardinals President, Michael Bidwill was the guest speaker.
[espro-slider id=198018]
Photos by Bette Sharpe, Glendale Daily Planet
AWARDS
Inspiration in Leadership Award
The award went to U.S. Senator John McCain who was unable to attend. Accepting the award for Senator McCain was the Mayor of Goodyear, Georgia Lord. A video message from Senator McCain was played at the event, where he thanked WESTMAC.
John McCain was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona in 1982 and elected to the United States Senate in 1986. He was the Republican Party’s nominee for president in 2008. He currently serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee of Armed Services.
Senator McCain worked diligently in Congress to overwhelmingly pass the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016, a bill that ensures military personnel have vital resources needed to protect and defend the nation.
U.S. Senator John McCain was instrumental in his support and advocacy in securing the F-35 position at Luke Air Force Base. As a major training base for the newest jet in the country’s defense arsenal, this further secures the base as a significant asset is the West Valley’s economy. He has worked in strong partnership will all West Valley cities and the County to ensure land use decisions protect the base.
Senator McCain seeks innovative approaches to immigration reform and is currently working with West Valley communities and the County to address the threat of fire and flood created by the widespread growth of invasive Salt Cedar trees in the Gila River.
Regional Advancement Award
The award went to Dr. Denton Santarelli who has served the Peoria Unified School District for more than 35 years as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, K-12 administrator, assistant superintendent, deputy superintendent and most recently as superintendent. Dr. Santarellli is well-known for his contributions to school improvement and his expertise extends beyond the Peoria Unified School District. Throughout his career, Dr. Santarelli has been an on-going advocate for public education by promoting an environment conductive to the social, emotion, physical and academic growth of all students.
Dr. Santarelli was honored with the 2014 American Association of School Administrators (AASA) Arizona Superintendent of the Year Award, 2013 Arizona School Administrators (ASA) Raymond Sterling Kellis Leadership Award, and many other well-known awards.
He earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University, and Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts degrees from Northern Arizona University.
Economic Engine Winner: EPCOR Water – Luke 303 Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility
The Luke 303 wastewater district is facilitating growth in the West Valley. Including a new $95 million wastewater treatment facility, the district will serve 7,500 acres of new home and businesses, and will recharge and reuse 8 million gallons of treated effluent daily. EPCOR leveraged its capital resources and planning capabilities, as well as its relationships with state, Maricopa County, local landowners, Luke Air Force Base and City of Glendale regulators to make the project come to fruition.
“By developing Luke 303, we’re opening an entire area of growth for the West Valley,” said Troy Day, EPCOR vice president of operations. “We’re proud to partner with Maricopa County and the City of Glendale in their vision for the future and we’re excited to be a part of what’s next in this important corridor.”
EPCOR worked with local and state governments for the necessary approvals while also gaining consensus among private landowners to establish a new wastewater district. The team successfully managed the development of infrastructure, connections and a treatment and a treatment facility. EPCOR brought capital resources, planning capabilities, relationships with state, county and city regulators and negotiating power to work with area landowners and deliver a positive outcome.
A private leader needed to emerge in this unincorporated area with the willingness to make a new wastewater district in Maricopa County a reality. EPCOR ‘s team took the project from concept to reality, successfully navigating a complex series of approval requirements across multiple agencies, working closely with the landowners to meet their needs and ensure that EPCOR was in a position to proceed and, ultimately celebrating the start of construction in December 2015 on a $95 million facility.
In addition to driving the economic development of the West Valley, the Luke 303 Wastewater District will serve as a critical part of the West Valley environmental efforts. The groundwater table has been dropping at a rate of 1 to 4 feet per year in the West Valley, which means reclaimed water is becoming more and more important. Through wise planning and partnerships, the district plays a crucial role in ensuring a sustainable water supply and accommodating growth.
Economic Engine Honorable Mentions
- City of Surprise AZ TechCelerator
- West-MEC Southwest Campus Phase 1
Quality of Life Enhancement Winner: City of Surprise Resource Center
The Surprise Resource Center opened in December 2015 to strengthen the community by supporting and serving its people. It began with one program; in partnership with Maricopa County and El Mirage, Surprise launched a Community Action program (CAP) to assist with utility and mortgages/rent payments. CAP has since served 616 unduplicated families, totaling $370,455 in assistance. Today, the center has partnerships that offer a range of service from employment assistance to food resources.
The center is a one-stop-shop for social services, connecting the community to: utility, rental, mortgage assistance; workforce development; enrollment support for health insurance and child care; food/nutrition resources such as WIC; and support for domestic violence Victims. The center also offers a range of veteran services. About 12 percent of the city’s population is comprised of veterans; now, employment assistance from Veterans Affairs, DES and the city’s new Veteran Job Club can be assessed from one spot.
The Surprise Resource Center would not be possible without more than 13 strategic partnerships – ranging from community-based organizations to government agencies. Through collaboration, the center can provide basic, life-sustaining resources, services and programs, in one location and without carrying the full burden of financial support and staffing for these programs. Centralization creates accessibility for families who may not have the time, transportation or money to visit multiple sites.
The center is home to a pilot program for working families. Through the Strengthening Working Families Pilot Project, families receive a multifaceted support system as they work to enhance their quality of life. Federal programs are bundled to provide child care through Head Start; workforce development through federal job-training grants; rent/utility assistance through the CAP. Parents can train for a job without the worry of finding child care or being short on rent.
Quality of life Enhancement – Honorable Mention
- Fighter Country Partnership
Excellence in Innovation Winner: Sun Health at Home
Sun Health at home is a new continuing care at home program for West Valley residents (55+) who want to live independently in their own homes as they age. In exchange for an entrance fee and monthly fee, members are comprehensively covered for wellness and long-term care needs if and when they need them. It was launched in January and already has 16 members with several others in the wings. That’s 16 seniors who are continuing to live in their West alley homes and contribute to the economy.
Sun Health at Home is the first continuing care (CCAH) program in the Southwestern United States, and one of 30 similar programs in the U.S. A 2010 AARP survey found that 88 percent of people 65+ said they wanted to stay in their own homes for as long as possible. The CCAH model addresses that desire, providing members with many benefits, including a personal wellness coordinator who is their main contact when they have a question or need assistance with any medical or nonmedical needs.
When Sun Health officials decided to create Sun Health at Home, they realized there were no state regulations in place for the necessary “Life Care” contract. Over the next two years, officials worked with the Arizona Department of Insurance, which already regulates continuing care requirement centers (CCRC) to amend an existing state statute. Officials worked with local legislators to develop and write legislation, introduce it as a house bill and get it passed.
Sun Health at Home is part of Sun Health, a nonprofit that has served the health care needs of West Valley residents for more than 50 years, first as a hospital-based system and now as a provider of senior living and health and wellness services, as well as a philanthropic supporter of local health care programs and services. Sun Health at Home provides a new option for people planning their future, not just in terms of their long-term care needs but also ensuring they have a good quality of life while protecting their hard-earned assets.
Excellence in Innovation Honorable Mention
- City of Goodyear Community Health Park
