The prestigious Mesa Citizen of the Year award recognizes and honors exceptional volunteers who have demonstrated significant long-term commitment and accomplishment through a broad-range of volunteerism enhancing the community by their service and excellence of leadership.
The Mesa Citizen of the Year Award was founded in 1935 by Charles and Florence Mitten, the owners of the Mesa Tribune.
Man and Woman of the Year
woman of the year, 2025
Marcie Hutchinson
Marcie Hutchinson
Marcie Hutchinson has resided in Mesa since 1979. She had a distinguished career in public education beginning as a high school teacher in upstate New York and followed by 28 years as a high school social studies teacher in the Mesa Public School system. She was named the Red Mountain High School Teacher of the Year in 1997 and was recognized with Flinn Foundation Distinction in Education awards in 1987 and 2002. Following her retirement from the Mesa Public Schools in 2012, Marcie worked as an instructor for the Arizona State University History Department Mesa where she taught teaching “methods” to hundreds of students. She was also the Directors of K-12 initiatives for ASU’s School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious studies for 7 years Marcie has s been a very committed volunteer for a number of education support organizations beginning with the Mesa Education Association in the early 1980’s and continuing in recent years with statewide Save our Schools Network organization where she serves on the Executive Committee
Marcie has been an active volunteer with several grassroots Citizens Committees that have been formed over the years to support and promote the Mesa Public School district bond and override election issues. Ultimately, she chose to run for election to the Mesa Public School Governing Board and was elected in 2022 and 2024. She served as Governing Board President for 2 years during her tenure. Governing Board positions in Mesa are unpaid and require hundreds of hours of volunteer time spent formal Board meetings and community meetings. She helped the district navigate the selection to two Superintendents and the tumultuous times of the pandemic. Marcie is the type of leader who promotes participation in discussions and decisions by all who are interested. She has worked with citizens who have a wide variety of perspectives and is anxious to have input from those who will be most impacted by Board decisions. As several of her fellow governing Board members are quick to note, she and the Board made hundreds of decisions during her tenure, and she never shirked her responsibility to make the best decision for the thousands of students and employees in the district. She has been a positive voice for public education at the local and state level, she has a keen sense of what will work best for parents, students and district staff. Marcie also volunteers in community literacy programs and is active member of the City of Mesa Education and Workforce Development Roundtable Committee. She also is a long -time member of the Board of the Mesa Public Schools Foundation and served on the Idea Museum Foundation Board for three years. More recently she joined the Board of the Mesa Community Action Network. Finally, during her tenure at ASU, Marcie was asked to serve on the Melikian Center Board and was instrumental in the establishment of the Arizona Council for History Education. She was recognized by the Council with a lifetime achievement award in 2017.
Marcie has been married for over 46 long years to the former Mesa City Manager, Mike Hutchinson. They have two daughters: Erin and MaryBeth and two grandchildren.
man of the year, 2025
Ron Williams
Ron Williams
Ron Williams has devoted his life to service, building lasting roots in Mesa, Arizona. Born in Memphis, Tennessee and raised by a strong single mother, Ron joined the U.S. Air Force at 17, serving during the Cold War and Desert Storm era. His final assignment brought him to Williams Air Force Base in Mesa, where he completed 14½ years of honorable service before his discharge in 1992.
In 1993, Ron met and married his wife, Holly, and together they made Mesa their home. Over the past 30 years, they’ve raised their family in the community, with their children attending local public schools and Holly serving as a longtime Mesa Public Schools administrator—leaving a lasting impact in education and leadership.
Leveraging his military background in procurement and contracting, Ron led three statewide business development agencies, helping Arizona companies secure billions in contracts. In 2009, he founded Contacts to Contracts, LLC, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business connecting businesses to opportunity. His entrepreneurial ventures also include past restaurant ownership and current retail partnerships at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
Ron Williams is a respected entrepreneur and civic leader whose lifelong service has earned both state and national honors. In 2022, he was inducted and memorialized into the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame and his life story is archived in the Library of Congress in our Nation’s Capital, through the Imprints of Honor project. His leadership in statewide initiatives—spanning entrepreneurship, and small business growth, has earned wide acclaim, reflecting his lasting impact on Arizona’s economic landscape.
Ron’s vast commitment to Mesa encompasses numerous key roles, including:
Chair, City of Mesa General Plan Advisory Committee
Chair, City of Mesa Human Relations Advisory Board
Chair, Mesa For All Foundation Board
Vice Chair, Mesa Police Foundation Board
Secretary, Visit Mesa Board
Chair, Child Crisis Center (Now Child Crisis Arizona)
Secretary, Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame Society Board
Ron’s dedication to Mesa extends far beyond boardrooms. He helped lead efforts like the honorary street renaming and the Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade and Celebration. As a six-year member of the Human Relations Advisory Board and Chair of the General Plan Advisory Committee, he played a key role in shaping Mesa’s 2050 vision. Known for bringing people together, Ron is celebrated for his integrity, compassion, and ability to unite diverse voices around shared values and respect. His service has been widely recognized by Mesa, Arizona and National organizations. These awards include: The Visit Mesa “Mike Whalen Spirit of Community Service Award”; The Arizona MLK “Lifetime Achievement Award “, by the Phoenix Human Relations Commission; and “Most Influential Business Leader” by the Business Journal. As one of his nominators put it: “I’ve witnessed Ron’s integrity, compassion, and unwavering commitment to our community. He lives the Golden Rule—treating everyone with respect and kindness—and serves as a true role model for what community leadership should look like.”
Ron’s service to Mesa continues today through his work on the Executive Committee of Visit Mesa where he leads efforts to make Mesa and the East Valley a welcoming place for all. He is a champion for families, veterans, youth and small businesses.
Student Community Service Awards
Student awards, 2025
Four outstanding seniors from Mesa Public Schools have received Student Community Service Awards from the Mesa Citizen of the Year Association.
Reporting via Mesa Public Schools
April 23, 2025
(Right to left) Alexis Grondin, Red Mountain High; Jermalie Jean-Louis; Regina Herrera Marquez, Mountain View High; and Sadie Christie, Red Mountain High.
Four outstanding seniors from Mesa Public Schools have received Student Community Service Awards from the Mesa Citizen of the Year Association.
Regina Herrera Marquez and Jermalie Jean-Louis of Mountain View High School, along with Sadie Christie and Alexis Grondin of Red Mountain High School, were each awarded a $2,500 scholarship in recognition of their exceptional dedication to community service.
To qualify, students must complete a minimum of 150 service hours during high school and demonstrate a strong commitment to ongoing community involvement. The Mesa Citizen of the Year Association underscores the significance of honoring the impactful volunteer efforts of Mesa Public Schools students, who actively contribute to city programs, nonprofits, and other vital community initiatives.