Valley Leadership Names 72nd Man & Woman of the Year
Dr. Warren H. Stewart, Sr. and Kimber Lanning will be Valley Leadership’s 72nd Man & Woman of the Year. The pair were selected because of their commitment to Arizona and track record of impact in the community, particularly on the state’s most pressing issues.
“Kimber and Warren have spent decades working to strengthen Arizona, and we’re honored to recognize their long-standing commitment to our community,” said VL CEO Dave Brown.
Lanning, the founder of Local First Arizona, has championed small business and economic development and the local arts community. During the pandemic, she led the Local First team in its support of small businesses through rent assistance, launched new programming to support Arizona’s Black entrepreneurs and launched Feed Phoenix, hiring farms and restaurants to create meals for families impacted by COVID-19 – improving food security and keeping local farms and restaurants in business.
Stewart, the senior pastor of the First Institutional Baptist Church in Phoenix, has led efforts in Arizona to support social justice and civil rights. He led Victory First, successfully advocating to establish Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a state holiday in 1992, and he continues to advocate for racial justice in Arizona. He founded FIBCO Family Services, providing housing, food and clothing to those in need and welcoming African immigrants and refugees.
Lanning and Stewart will receive the honor in November. Click here to learn more.
