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Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation Announces Dr. Ioanna Morfessis to be honored at 12th Annual Heroes of Education Event

News January 10, 2017
Guests at Heroes 2017 KickOff Event

Dr. Ioanna Morfessis, President of IO.INC, has been named as the 2017 honoree of the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation (MCCF) Heroes of Education award.  This award, celebrating its 12th year, is given to a champion of public education in Arizona and recognizes the personal and professional commitment to support Maricopa Community College students and educational opportunities. Morfessis has been an outstanding advocate for education by providing leadership and support for numerous initiatives at the Maricopa Community Colleges.

Morfessis has devoted 30 years to helping business, institutions and communities create and execute change and growth strategies. Regarded as one of the nation’s top economic development visionaries, she founded and led three best-of-class economic development organizations in the U.S., including the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. Her work contributed to 300 successful business locations and expansions that generated 250,000 direct new jobs and over $30 billion in private capital investment.  She also has been internationally recognized for her innovative work in life sciences and technology-based developments and programs, and for her ability to forge enduring and effective private-public alliances between business, government and education.

“We are proud to honor Ioanna,” said Christina Schultz, President and CEO of the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation.  “Ioanna is an ally and an inspiration to all those who believe in the power of education which makes her the ideal recipient of the Heroes of Education distinction.”

The announcement was made at a special reception on Tuesday, November 15 at the Camby Hotel in Central Phoenix. In addition to Schultz, the event program included Maricopa Community Colleges Chancellor Dr. Maria Harper-Marinick and Foundation Board Vice-Chair Ashley Kasarjian of Snell & Wilmer, as well as leaders from the Helios Foundation, Vince Roig, Founding Chairman of the Board, and Paul Luna, President and CEO, who are both co-chairs of the Heroes of Education Recognition Dinner next spring.

“This is an incredibly humbling honor for me, and I am deeply thankful to be included among the Heroes who have gone before me” Morfessis remarked.  “In our region and state, there is no educational resource more precious and more impactful than the Maricopa Community Colleges for helping individuals obtain the education and training they need to participate in the workforce and realize a better quality of life for themselves and their families” she said.

The Heroes of Education Recognition Dinner honoring Morfessis will be held April 26, 2017, at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel.  Since 2006, this event has raised over $1.5 million in scholarship funds.  More than 500 community and business leaders are expected to attend.

For more information about the Heroes of Education event, contact Mary O’Connor at 480.731.8403. For information about the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation, contact Christina Schultz at 480.731.8098.