Valley Leadership Names 69th Man and Woman of the Year
Valley Leadership announced Neil Giuliano and Sharon Harper as the organization’s 69th Man & Woman at the Year. Giuliano and Harper will be honored for the contributions and commitment to the community at their Annual Man & Woman of the Year awards luncheon in March.
“On behalf of Valley Leadership and its Board of Directors, we are truly honored to celebrate the impact these two leaders have had on Arizona for decades,” said president and CEO, David Brown.
Giuliano currently serves as the president and CEO of Greater Phoenix Leadership. He previously served as the mayor of Tempe for 10 years — as the youngest person to ever be elected mayor in Tempe and as the first directly elected openly gay mayor in the country. From 2010 to 2015, Giuliano served as the CEO of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. He is also the author of “The Campaign Within: A Mayor’s Private Journey to Public Leadership.”
“Giuliano’s work to date is a true point of pride for our state,” said Sue Glawe, Vice President of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona and friend of Giuliano. “His innovative leadership style and approach is an invaluable resource as we chart the future of our community together.”
Harper is the president, CEO and co-founder of Plaza Companies and was recently named chairman of Arizona Governor Doug Ducey’s 2018 campaign. She currently serves as immediate past chairman of Greater Phoenix Leadership, serves on the executive board of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, and was appointed to the Trustees of ASU, a board of leaders that serve as advisors to university president Michael M. Crow.
She is also a trustee for the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, and was appointed to the executive board of Governor Ducey’s Arizona Zanjeros. She and her husband are co-chairman of the ASU’s President’s Club for 2017-2019 and have been recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award by Phoenix Theatre.
“Sharon’s deep commitment to our state is unmatched,” said Bill Post, former Chairman and CEO of Pinnacle West Capital Corporation and long-time friend and colleague of Harper. “Her commitment and impact shape our community now and will be felt for generations to come.”
