Mayor Marie Lopez-Rogers, Avondale, Chair
Marie Lopez Rogers was appointed Mayor of Avondale in January 2006 and had served as a Councilmember since January 1996.  She was elected to the position of Mayor in September 2007 for a four year term.  The Mayor has been appointed by Governor Janet Napolitano to several Governor’s Statewide Task Forces and Commissions. She serves on the Arizona Attorney General’s Latino Community Justice Council.  She is a member of the Maricopa Association of Government’s (MAG) Regional Council and its Executive Committee. Mayor Rogers has been instrumental in regional transportation issues and serves as Vice Chair of the MAG Transportation Policy Committee and as a member of the Regional Public Transportation Authority (Valley Metro). She also serves on the  State League of Arizona Cities & Towns Executive Committee.

On a national level, Mayor Rogers was on the Board of Directors for the National League of Cities and now serves on the NLC Advisory Council, is the President of the Hispanic Elected Local Officials, and Past President of Women in Municipal Government. Along with these elected positions, she has served on the Nominations Committee, Human Development Steering Committee, the Equity and Opportunity Panel, and the Council on Youth, Education and Families.

Mayor Rogers is the first Latina Mayor in Avondale and grew up in the migrant farm labor camps around the city. Her background is in social service and has been an active community organizer and assistant to residents seeking services and navigation through the government and educational systems. She has been married 40 years to Ed Rogers, has three sons, adores her six grandchildren, and of course, loves NASCAR racing!
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F. Rockne Arnett, Citizens Transportation Oversight Committee (CTOC)
F. Rockne Arnett is a certified insurance counselor and the President of the East Valley Partnership.  As president, Mr. Arnett leads a non-profit business coalition on issues of regional significance.  As an insurance counselor, he has more than 38 years experience brokering risk and insurance services. His specific areas of expertise are construction and transportation risk and insurance services. Mr. Arnett attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. He is a member of the Arizona Tourism and Sports Authority and of the MAG Regional Council, and is Chair of the Citizens Transportation Oversight Committee. He also served on the MAG Governance Advisory Committee. Mr. Arnett is the past President of the Grand Canyon Council of the Boy Scouts of America and Mesa Rotary Club, and the past Chair of the Arizona Department of Transportation Board.
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Mr. Steve Beard, HDR Engineering Inc.
Steve Beard is Senior Vice President and National Transit Director for HDR Engineering Inc. HDR is a professional services firm with more than 7,000 employee-owners. HDR is a national leader in transportation planning and engineering with more than 140 offices in the US. Prior to joining HDR Steve was managing principal for S. R. Beard & Associates, a local consulting firm with a national transportation plannng practice. His firm was the Program Management Consultant for the light rail line that serves Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa. Steve lives in Tempe and has been active in community and business issues in the Phoenix area for more than 20 years. He has a bachelor’s degree in Aviation Management from Auburn University and a master’s degree in Urban Planning from Florida State University. He is a Deacon in the Catholic Church. Steve, as recognized by his Arizona veteran's license plate, "HELO," served as an Army infantry officer and helicopter gunship pilot in Vietnam.
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Mr. Dave Berry, Swift Transportation
David C. Berry is the Vice President of Phoenix based Swift Transportation, the nation’s largest Truckload Carrier. Mr. Berry is a graduate of the University of Arizona with a bachelor’s degree in finance. He has been a resident of Phoenix for 42 years and is an active member of the transportation industry. He serves as Director of the American Trucking Association (ATA) and Chair of the ATA Tax Policy and Communications committee. Other transportation activities include serving as Director of the Western Highway Institute, Chairman of the Arizona Highways Users Association, Director of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, and member of the Governor’s CANAMEX Trade Corridor Task Force.
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Mr. Jed Billings, FNF Construction
Jed Billings has been CEO of FNF Construction, Inc. for the past 15 years. His firm is currently involved in active transportation projects in Arizona, New Mexico and California. For the past four years, FNF Construction, Inc. has been ranked as the number one heavy highway contractor by the Arizona Business Journal. Mr. Billings holds a bachelor of science degree in construction engineering from Arizona State University.  He served as 2001 Chairman of the Arizona Chapter Associated General Contractors; 1994 Past President & Life Director of Arizona Rock Products Association; Board Member Emeritus of Rubber Pavements Association Asphalt Technical Institute; State Director, ARTBA, March 2001 (3-Year Term); State Director, National Asphalt Pavement Association, February, 1999 (3-Year Term); only Contractor Member, Transportation Research Board; 2003 Chairman, AGC  Transportation Committee; 2001 Chairman, ADOT-AGC Joint Cooperative Committee; Pi Kappa Alpha Alumni (ASU); ASU Alumni Association; and the ASU Del E. Webb Leadership Committee.
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Mayor James Cavanaugh, Goodyear
Mayor Cavanaugh is a former commissioner on Goodyear's Planning and Zoning Commission and a real estate broker business owner of Cavanaugh Realty, with his partner and wife. He is a retired Air Force Colonel, having served 30 years in command, management, and missile operations positions. He possesses a bachelor of science and a master of business administration. In March of 2003, Jim was elected to his first term as Mayor of Goodyear and in March 2005, he became the first four-year term Mayor of the city. He has been invited to participate in two statewide Arizona Town Halls, serves on the National League of Cities' Transportation Infrastructure Committee, the Governor's Military Affairs Advisory Council, the League of Arizona Cities & Towns Executive Committee, the WESTMARC Board Executive Committee, and is currently the MAG Regional Council Immediate Past Chairman.
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Mayor Boyd W. Dunn, Chandler
Mayor Boyd W. Dunn has served as a member of the City Council since 1994 as Councilmember, Vice Mayor and Mayor. He began his first term as Mayor in June 2002, and is now serving his third consecutive term, which began in June 2006. Dunn, a 27-year resident of Chandler, has a Chandler law practice in family law and has served on several boards and commissions, including the East Valley Behavioral Health Association, East Valley Partnership, United Food Bank (Honorary Advisory Board Member) Child Crisis Center Advisory Committee, Chandler Airport Commission, and seven years as a member and Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission. He was a charter member of the Downtown Chandler Community Partnership (DCCP).

Mayor Dunn has had a significant leadership role on a regional basis. He has twice been elected President of the Arizona League of Cities and Towns. He serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Greater Phoenix Economic Council and the Valley Metro Light Rail Board. As a member of the Transportation Policy Committee of the Maricopa Association of Governments, he was instrumental in the development of the first Regional Transportation Plan approved by the voters of Maricopa County. He was also named to the Regional Task Force on Quality Workforce Housing – a regional group established to address the issues affecting the affordability and availability of workforce housing.

Mayor Dunn has a Bachelor’s Degree in political science and a Juris Doctorate from Arizona State University and is a life member of the ASU Alumni Association. In September 2004, he was named to the class of 2004-05 Community Fellows program at ASU. He was admitted to the State Bar of Arizona in 1979, is a member of the Christian Legal Society, and is a member of the Arizona Parents Association of the U.S. Naval Academy.

He is married to Nancy, a professor at Maricopa Community Colleges, a Captain in the U.S. Naval Reserve and a Gulf War veteran. They have two sons, Andrew and Kevin.
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Councilman Dick Esser - Town of Cave Creek
Councilman Esser was elected in March 2009 to his third term on the Cave Creek Town Council. He was appointed by the mayor to serve as the MAG Regional Council and has done so for the past five years.

He has lived in Cave Creek for over 20 years with his wife Holly, and has two sons and 10 grandchildren. He has volunteered in many areas for the town since his retirement from the Arizona Department of Transportation. Prior to being elected to the town council, he served as Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission. He is a member of the town's Sewer Oversight Committee and is an active member of the League of Arizona Cities and Towns. He volunteered to assist the Foothills Caring Corps to obtain funding for its transportation program grants. He was also appointed by the mayor to work with Maricopa County Solid Waste Department to help establish the new Cave Creek Recycling Center, which is now up and running.

Councilman Esser's professional background includes over 30 years experience with all aspects of transportation - state, county and local. During this period of time he worked for the Maricopa County Highway Department, the Arizona Department of Transportation and the Attorney General's office. As a senior right-of-way agent with the state, he was responsible for acquiring right-of-way in all 15 counties for various public works projects. As a manager in ADOT's highway development group for many years he administered the federal relocation program and oversaw the relocation of individuals, businesses and non-profit organizations impacted by public works projects. Prior to his retirement he served as a special assistant to the attorney general in the transportation division, coordinating and settling condemnation suits as one of a three-member litigation team. His responsibilities required extensive knowledge of real estate and land appraisals, in addition to state and federal condemnation laws. After his retirement from his career at the state, Councilman Esser also had a consulting firm for a number of years that involved public works projects.
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Shana Ellis, Tempe
Shana Ellis was elected to the Tempe City Council in March 2006. She was raised in Tempe and graduated from Tempe High School and Arizona State University, where she received a Bachelor's Degree in Business/Computer Information Systems and a Master's in Public Administration. Ellis is chair of the Transportation Committee and Technology Sustainability Sub-Committee, and serves on the Housing Committee, Community Sustainability Committee, the Mill and Lake District Committee, Community Ad Hoc Committee on Long-Range Finance Planning, and the Papago Park Master Plan Committee. She has been appointed to the National League of Cities Transportation Infrastructure and Services Policy and Advocacy Committees.

Ellis' leadership experience includes serving on the Board of Directors of Tempe Leadership (President in 2004), the Tempe Human Relations Commission (Chair in 2000), Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council (Chair in 2001-2002), the Valley Metro/RPTA Board (Treasurer) and the Kiwanis Club of Tempe (President in 2002). Along with serving as an alternate to the Metro Rail Board, Ellis is also a Tempe Community Council board member and a member of the Community and Economic Development Policy/Advocacy Committee of the National League of Cities.

She also has volunteered for numerous organizations including Tempe Boys & Girls Club, Tempe Rio Salado Little League, Tempe St. Luke's Hospital, Tempe Cares, Tempe Diablos, Tempe Sister Cities, Childsplay, Broadmor Elementary School. Waggoner Elementary School, Marcos de Niza High School and Kyrene Middle School.

Shana most recently was the recipient of the Brian Mickelsen Housing Hero Award in the category of elected official.

Ellis is married and has two children. She retired from Tempe Community Council in 2006, after a 20-year tenure, where she worked with hundreds of non-profit organizations and community groups.
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Mr. Victor Flores, Arizona Department of Transportation
Victor is a member of the Arizona State Transportation Board, having been appointed to a six-year term by Governor Napolitano in 2008.

In addition to serving on the MAG Transportation Policy Committee, Victor also serves as a representative of the MAG Regional Council, representing the Arizona Department of Transportation on transportation issues.

A second generation Arizonan, Victor was born in the former town of Ray and raised in the mining community of Winkelman. He graduated from Hayden High School and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Engineering from Arizona State University in 1976.

Victor’s professional career began as a design engineer at the same ASARCO copper smelting plant where his father, Joaquin, worked for more than 35 years. While construction and engineering have been integral to his professional life, Victor ventured into other areas as well. In the past, he was a partner in a small commercial contracting firm; he also owned and operated a retail bakery in the Town of Guadalupe.

Mr. Flores is currently employed as Director of Executive Projects & Support with APS. Responsibilities include governmental related duties plus direct links to non-profit communities, ethnic market entities and minority communities. In short, development and implementation of strategies, processes and special projects related to APS Community Development department and the effect on external stakeholders.

Victor has always maintained a strong desire to participate in civic matters. He was an elected member of the Hayden-Winkelman School District Governing Board; served as President of the Guadalupe Chamber of Commerce; the Arizona Housing Finance Authority; served as a member of the City of Phoenix Private Industry Council and the Industrial Development Authority; the boards of Valle del Sol, the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the ASU Alumni Association.

Victor is a graduate of Valley Leadership, Class XXIII. In addition to the Transportation board, he is currently on the board of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, Children’s Action Alliance, Vision Quest 20/20, Valley of the Sun United Way, President of the Arizona-Mexico Commission board of directors and a member of the Homeland Security Advisory Committee Southwest Border Task Force.

Victor resides in Phoenix with Lisa his wife and almost 6 year old daughter Elena.
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Mr. Mark Killian, The Killian Companies/Sunny Mesa, Inc.
Mark graduated from ASU in 1981 with a degree in business administration. He is a partner/vice president of The Killian Company/Sunny Mesa, Inc. He makes his home in Mesa.
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Mayor W.J. "Jim" Lane, Scottsdale
Mayor W. J. "Jim" Lane began his first term on the Scottsdale City Council in June 2004, and was elected Mayor in November 2008.

Mayor Lane served on the 2002 Scottsdale Fire & EMS Advisory Committee, which was convened to evaluate and make recommendations to the city regarding the desired level of fire and emergency medical services relative to cost. He now represents the City Council as a member of the National League of Cities Public Safety and Crime Prevention Steering Committee.

His community service also includes six years on the Scottsdale Paradise Valley YMCA Board of Management. He chaired the 1999 Kids Campaign annual fund raising effort.

He came to Scottsdale from New Jersey in 1973 to take a position with KPMG (Peat Marwick), an international CPA firm. He worked as an active CPA for twenty years with five of those years in public accounting as a financial statement Auditor.

Mayor Lane has owned and operated businesses in construction, mining, computer technology, telecommunications and regional aviation. He currently owns the financial consulting company of Chatham Hill Group LLC. Mayor Lane is also an Adjunct Professor of Business and Accounting at Scottsdale Community College.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia.

He and his wife Joanne have three adult children (Bill, Scott & Nancy) along with two grandchildren (Megan & Aislinn).
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Mayor John W. Lewis, Gilbert
Mayor John Lewis was elected as Mayor in May 2009. Prior community involvement included serving as Co-Chairman of the Town’s Diversity Task Force, Organizer of Community Interfaith activities, and Founder of Gilbert’s first “Constitution Week.”

He has 28 years of private sector business experience including 18 years with Apollo Group (parent company to the University of Phoenix), 9 years with Ernst & Young (International Accounting Firm), and one year in a staff position with U.S. Senator Jake Garn. Assignments have included information technology management, leadership development, and management consulting.

Mayor Lewis earned an MBA from the University of Houston and a Bachelor of Science (Finance) from Brigham Young University. He has been married to LaCinda for 29 years and together they have eight children and four grandchildren. The Lewis Family has lived in Gilbert for 25 years.
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Mayor Jackie Meck, Buckeye
Jackie Meck was recently elected to a four-year term as Buckeye Mayor.  A Buckeye native, Meck has served previously as Town Mayor from 1973 to 1975 and as a member of the Town Council from 1968 to 1975 and from 2002 to 2006.

The retired general manager of the Buckeye Water Conservation and Drainage District, Meck has also served on the Board of Directors of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council and WESTMARC, is a past president of the Buckeye Valley Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Gila River’s El Rio Restoration Project Executive Committee.

Meck is a past chairman of the town’s Pioneer Days Celebration, and is a member of the Buckeye Elks and Lions Clubs, the Buckeye Valley Museum, the West Valley Fine Arts, the Phoenix Art Museum and Heard Museum.

Meck and his wife of 47 years, Verlyne, have three grown children and four grandchildren.
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Councilwoman Peggy Neely, Phoenix
Councilwoman Peggy Neely proudly represents the City of Phoenix, District 2, which encompasses most of north and northeast Phoenix and covers more than 110 square miles. Peggy was first elected to represent District 2 on the City Council in the fall of 2001 and was reelected for a second term in September 2005. Peggy currently serves on the Phoenix City Council Downtown & Aviation Subcommittee, the Seniors, Families & Youth Subcommittee and she chairs the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee.

Peggy is a real estate broker with more than 10 years experiencepreviously. She has extensive experience in real estate, including serving on the board of directors for both the Arizona Association of Realtors and the Phoenix Association of Realtors. She also is a past president of the Women’s Council of Realtors Phoenix Chapter.

Peggy has long been active in the community, having served as chair of the Paradise Valley Village Planning Committee and the Phoenix Water and Sewer Rate Advisory Committee. She is currently Chair of the Maricopa Association of Governments Regional Council and serves on the Phoenix Women’s Sports Association Board and the Greater Phoenix Convention Center & Visitors Bureau Board of Directors.

Peggy has been very involved in the education community as well. She is a current member of the Paradise Valley Community College President’s Roundtable and is a past president and current member of the Paradise Valley School District United Parent Council.

Peggy is married to her husband Brian Neely and is the mother of two daughters Gloria and Mackenzie.
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Mr. David C. Scholl
A 37-year resident of Phoenix, David Scholl was associated with Westcor for 24 years as a senior vice president of development.

Scholl is active in many aspects of the shopping center development industry. He is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and Urban Land Institute (ULI). Scholl serves on the steering committee of the Arizona District Council of ULI, a member of the Arizona ICSC Government Affairs Committee, and serves on the Board of Valley Partnership.

He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Arizona and master’s degree from Arizona State University. After graduating from the UofA, Scholl worked one year with Coldwell Banker in Phoenix as a broker-trainee. In 1984, he joined Westcor in the arena of income property acquisition.

Scholl and his wife, Cindy, have three children. His leisure activities include golf, skiing, biking and volunteering for his church and the University of Arizona Foundation. He serves on the board of Summit Adventure, a Christian mountaineering group.
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Mayor Elaine Scruggs, Glendale
Mayor Elaine Scruggs, City of Glendale, is an active participant in regional and statewide issues. She served as Chair of the MAG Regional Council from 1996 to 1998. During that time, she led the effort to re-prioritize $500 million of transportation funds to accelerate freeways and put unfunded freeway segments back on the Regional Freeway Plan. Also as Chair of MAG, Mayor Scruggs led the effort to re-engineer the MAG policy-making process.

She Chairs the Regional Aviation System Policy Committee and was Vice Chair of the MAG Transportation Subcommittee. She previously served as President of the League of Arizona Cities and Towns and was appointed by Governor Jane Hull to serve on the Arizona Municipal Tax Code Commission. Mayor Scruggs serves on both the Arizona Military Airport Preservation Committee and the Governor’s Military Facilities Task Force.

She helps to foster the positive development of youth by actively participating in committees, and fosters leadership through programs at Glendale University. Mayor Scruggs’ business career included highly specialized management assignments within the communications industry. In 1998, she was honored as one of the Top 100 Arizona Women.
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Mayor Scott Smith, Mesa, Vice Chair
Occupation:
Business, Financial and Legal Consultant

Professional Experience:
ExecuShare, Ltd. – Financial and Business Consultants, 1986-Present
K. Hovnanian Homes, Regional President, 2003-2007
Great Western Homes, President, 1994-2003
University of Phoenix, Accounting and Finance Instructor, 1988-1993
NWL&O, Manager, 1985

Community Organizations:
Mesa United Way, Board of Directors and Campaign Chairman
East Valley Partnership, Board of Directors
Esperanza, Inc., Board of Directors
Southwest Shakespeare Company, Board of Directors
Superstition Vistas Steering Committee, Member
Mesa Community Foundation, President
Mesa Building Board of Appeals, Member
Mesa Leadership Training and Development, Class of 1984

Education:
Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Brigham Young University, 1980
Master of Business Administration , Arizona State University, 1985
Juris Doctor, Arizona State University College of Law, 1996
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Mayor Lyn Truitt, Surprise
Lyn and his wife, Donna, moved to Surprise in 1997. They have two children and three grandchildren. Donna has worked at the Dysart Unified School District since 2000 and daughter-in-law, Nicole, is a music teacher in the District.

Lyn has been a self-employed businessman for the past 30 years. As national training consultant for a contract delivery systems company, he trained entrepreneurs in small business ownership, management and operations. Lyn is currently owner/broker of L.E. Truitt & Associates Real Estate Consulting and a Certified International Property Specialist.

Over the years, Lyn coached a youth soccer team to two City of Phoenix titles, obtained three scuba diving certifications and served as Crew Chief on a hot air balloon team.  He traveled to England as part of a Christian outreach opportunity and considers himself a life-long learner, taking classes ranging from Greek to photography.

Lyn is a graduate of Leadership West, Class IX and his commitment to effective and ethical leadership is demonstrated through participation in neighborhood and community initiatives, support for quality education, a willingness to volunteer and dedication to our City and residents.

Participation in neighborhood and community initiatives includes leadership on the Coyote Lakes HOA and work on various community initiatives.  He was presented the Arizona Golden Rule Award for volunteerism by Secretary of State, Jan Brewer. Lyn is active with the Salvation Army Board, organizes an annual drive for St. Mary’s Westside Food Bank, and serves on the Board of West Valley Art Museum.

His support for quality education includes service on committees that worked to pass school bond issues, membership on the Dysart Tax Credit Committee, Chair of the Dysart Wall of Unity Committee and the Community Advisory Team Board.

Lyn’s passion for our community is evidenced by successful campaigns to reduce the restaurant tax in Surprise, improve Bell Road and preserve areas around Luke Auxiliary Field 1.  He served as Surprise Planning & Zoning Committee Chair.
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Supervisor Max W. Wilson, Maricopa County
Max W. Wilson was elected to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in 2002 and was reelected 2004. He was elected Chairman of the Board for 2005.

Mr. Wilson and his wife Judith of 43 years, have 4 daughters and eight grandchildren.

Max served four years in the United States Air Force and settled in Maricopa County in 1964. After working at Luke AFB, he established a successful Real Estate career and founded Design Master Homes.

Max is a member of the Arizona Board of Realtors, the Wickenburg, Northwest and Southwest Valley Chambers of Commerce and as a member of the Board for Westmarc. He also serves on the Fighter County Partnership Board and the Arizona Homeland Security Advisory Committee.

He has recently served on:

• Litchfield Park City Council (Vice-Mayor)
• State Military Airport Preservation Committee
• Sun Health/La Loma Board of Directors

Within Maricopa County, he serves on:

• Greater Phoenix Economic Council Board of Directors
• Maricopa Association of Governments' (MAG) Transportation Policy Committee
• Flood Control District
• Stadium District
• Library District