Education Forward Arizona Announces Annual Benefit Event
Jeff Guldner of APS named Luminary Award honoree
On Wednesday, Oct. 30, Education Forward Arizona will hold its annual “An InspirED Evening” fundraising event and education celebration at the J.W. Marriott Camelback Inn.
This year’s event will bring together individuals and organizations from all over Arizona to celebrate collaboration and innovation in education, from early learning through postsecondary attainment. It is chaired by Chris Camacho, President of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council; Stacy Derstine, Vice President of External Affairs at APS; and Gonzalo De La Melena, CEO of Emerging Airport Ventures.
Jeff Guldner, CEO of Pinnacle West Capital Corporation and Arizona Public Service Company (APS), will be honored as the 2024 InspirED Luminary Award recipient. This prestigious accolade celebrates a pioneer whose educational endeavors and contributions act as a guiding light, motivating others to further the cause of education in Arizona.
“Education Forward Arizona is so thrilled to honor Jeff this year,” shared Rich Nickel, Education Forward Arizona President and CEO. “He’s leading the charge to ensure APS is actively engaged in education and in helping to grow Arizona’s future workforce. His dedication to education and community makes him a true champion for Arizona’s growth and success.”
Previous Luminary award honorees include Benito Almanza, Arizona president for Bank of America; and Tracy Bame, President of the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation and Director of Social Responsibility at Freeport-McMoRan.
“It is truly an honor to be recognized with Education Forward Arizona’s Luminary Award,” Guldner said. “I believe we have a responsibility to provide educational opportunities for every Arizonan, and I believe we owe it to the future of Arizona to build our state’s economy in a healthy and sustainable way. These two beliefs go hand in hand – one cannot happen without the other. The benefits of increased access and affordability of postsecondary education and training transcend the individual – families, communities and our state truly do have everything to gain. It’s up to us to make the investment now.”
As the leader of the state’s largest energy provider, Guldner is helping transition to a clean energy future for Arizona while providing reliable, affordable power for homes and businesses across the state. He oversees Palo Verde Generating Station and APS’s 6,000 employees who serve approximately 1.4 million customers in 11 of Arizona’s 15 counties. Guldner is heavily involved in numerous community efforts, both personally and through APS, and as such is in a unique position to champion education outcomes in Arizona; he’s leading an effort to support scholarships and mentoring, partnering with Education Forward Arizona to develop a future-ready workforce.
Guldner will be honored at Education Forward Arizona’s annual “An InspirED Evening” celebration. All event proceeds will benefit Education Forward Arizona and its mission to advocate for and act on education improvements that advance the quality of life for all Arizonans. To attend the event contact Mary Hurtado at mhurtado@educationforwardarizona.org. For sponsor information, visit AnInspirEDEvening.org.