Opening Session Speakers
Greg Stanton
Mayor
City of Phoenix
Since taking office, Mayor Greg Stanton has worked tirelessly to build a modern economy that works for every Phoenix family. By boosting trade with Mexico, investing in the biosciences, and lifting up local small business, Stanton is leading the way to create an innovation-based, export economy built to last.
Stanton is also committed to making our community a welcoming place for military veterans and their families. Under his leadership, Phoenix became the first U.S. city to end chronic homelessness among veterans. And Stanton's H.E.R.O. initiative is emerging as an example for how to match veterans — especially post-9/11 vets — with local employers and good jobs.
The mayor's commitment to building a stronger city for middle class families stems from his own childhood in west Phoenix. His dad, Fred, rode the city bus to his job as a shoe salesman and his mom, Mary Ann, was a devoted educator. Even with modest means, the Stantons made it a priority to help those in need and founded the Christian Needs Network, a group of multi-faith volunteers who collected clothes, food and diapers for members of their community.
Stanton attended Marquette University on the Harry S. Truman Scholarship and earned a law degree from the University of Michigan. Before he was elected mayor in 2011, Stanton served nine years on the City Council and as Arizona's Deputy Attorney General. He and his wife, Nicole, who is a prominent local attorney, are both working parents of two young children.
Kate Gallego
City Councilwoman
District 8
Councilwoman Kate Gallego represents District 8, a diverse area that includes parts of east Phoenix, Downtown, south Phoenix and Laveen. As a member of the Phoenix City Council, Kate has focused her energy on economic development and expanding access to light rail.
Councilwoman Gallego has brought an entrepreneurial spirit and extensive economic development knowledge to her service on the council. Prior to being elected, she worked on strategic planning and economic development for Salt River Project and earned an MBA in Entrepreneurial Management from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the only MBA on the Phoenix City Council.
Councilwoman Gallego is chair of the City Council Neighborhoods, Housing and Development Subcommittee. She also serves on the following subcommittees: Downtown, Aviation and Redevelopment; Public Safety and Veterans; and Transportation and Infrastructure.
She has served the city in several volunteer positions, including as chair of the Environmental Quality Commission, chair of the Solar Energy Subcommittee, vice chair of MyPlanPHX.com, and as a member of the Central City Village Planning Commission. Outside of her city work, she is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Arizona Latino Arts and Culture Center. A strong advocate for volunteers and national service programs such as AmeriCorps, Councilwoman Gallego serves on the Arizona Commission on Service and Volunteerism. She is a member of Valley Leadership Class 28.
Councilwoman Gallego is the first woman to represent District 8 and the only member of the Millennial Generation to serve on the council. The Arizona Republic named her one of 14 individuals poised to change Arizona in 2014. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard University with a degree in Environmental Studies and is a member of Temple Solel. Councilwoman Gallego is married to U.S. Congressman Ruben Gallego.
Ed Zuercher
City Manager
City of Phoenix
Ed Zuercher was appointed City Manager of Phoenix on Feb. 19, 2014. In this role, Zuercher is the chief administrative officer for the city of Phoenix and oversees the largest council-manager form of government in the United States, with 14,500 city employees, including seven employee unions and associations. He encourages city employees to focus on working smarter, saving money aggressively and treating residents kindly in order to maintain residents' high public approval ratings for city services.
Working with the Mayor and City Council, he is responsible for a city budget of $3.5 billion, including airport, water/wastewater, solid waste, convention center and hotel, transit system and general city services. Zuercher’s 20-year career with the city started as a management intern and grew to include assistant to the city manager, Public Transit Department director, deputy city manager, mayor’s chief of staff, and assistant city manager.
He received his Master of Public Administration from the University of Kansas and his B.A. in English/secondary education from Goshen College in Indiana. Prior to his time at the city of Phoenix, he taught high school English and American History. He enjoys life in central Phoenix with his wife and two daughters.
Keynote Speaker
Jason Rowley
President
Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury
Jason Rowley is responsible for managing all business operations of the Suns and Mercury and oversees the organizations’ interests in the management of US Airways Center, the Legends Entertainment District and affiliated entities. Rowley previously served as the team’s chief operating officer and senior vice president and general counsel.
Rowley began his career in 2001 with the law firm of Snell & Wilmer in Phoenix, where his practice included private and public mergers and acquisitions, complex real estate transactions, securities regulation, entity formation, commercial contracts and general business law. While with the firm, he represented the Phoenix Suns’ current ownership group in its acquisition of the club in 2004.
Rowley is involved in a number of charitable and civic organizations, including the Thunderbirds, the nonprofit group that hosts the Waste Management Phoenix Open. He also serves on the boards of Phoenix Suns Charities and Downtown Phoenix Inc. and is a member of Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism Endowment Board. He also served in the U.S. Navy as an intelligence analyst for the Third Fleet.
