About The Award

Mesa’s Ross Farnsworth spent several decades as chairman and CEO of various Farnsworth Companies developing land and real estate projects, driven by his desire to help people and the community he loved.

October 22, 2004

Joan LaRose remembers the first crack in her corporate armor. An auditor working for Motorola, LaRose was in Chicago giving a presentation when her husband’s father died. Because Tom LaRose was home with the couple’s two young children, he couldn’t pick up and fly to Louisiana to meet his family obligation.

Everyone can tell a story. But, some people can captivate an entire audience with their tales.

Nathaniel Nichols, 4, was using his whole body to tell a tale of sorts to let his mother know what he wanted Friday while at the Mesa Storytelling Festival.

October 23, 2004

Nancy Wolter is happily married, but that’s not stopping Mesa’s cultural development officer from looking for her own Joe Millionaire. Since September 2001, Wolter has been looking for a few good men (and women) to donate large sums to the Mesa Arts Center scheduled to open in fall 2004.