Fashion-forward, charitable and all-around inspirational. Take a look at the Valley’s most distinguished people...

 

Most Fashionable in the Valley Over 30: Men
Micah Johnson
Founder and executive of Media Stars, Micah Johnson, has been in the television industry—either working in front of or behind the camera—his whole life. Johnson believes fashion is about confidence and that is his No. 1 accessory; he can make a deal in an Armani suit or in Hinano board shorts if he has the right attitude.

Most Fashionable in the Valley Over 30: Women
Alison Johnson
After losing her father to cancer, Alison Johnson decided to quit her career in the fashion industry and went on to work for the American Cancer Society. She is now making a difference in people’s lives everyday as the organization’s Director of Distinguished Events while looking fabulous in anything with sparkles.

 

Most Fashionable in the Valley Under 30: Men
William Smith
William Smith is known for his love of house music and DJ-ing skills. He plays at the hippest joints in Arizona and works as a talent coordinator for Steve LeVine Entertainment. Smith developed his fashion sense from his father who urged him to always wear what he wanted with confidence. This gives him the ability to pull off many different looks including his favorite accessory: the bowtie.

Most Fashionable in the Valley Under 30: Women
McKenna Wesley
The long-legged blonde McKenna Wesley has always had a passion for fashion. In fact, Wesley has been modeling since she was 6 weeks old. Her most cherished item in her wardrobe is the perfect little Dolce & Gabbana black dress.

Most Influential Women in the Valley
Kari Yatkowski            
Kari Yatkowski has made an impact on the community as the founder and CEO of Corporate Citizen as well as the founder and president of Haven Charitable Foundation, a nonprofit which focuses on building a synergy of resources, time, leadership and passion to create opportunities for people to reach their full potential. In her spare time, the animal lover enjoys planning events to entertain friends and spending time with her three beautiful sons.

Most Influential Man in the Valley-2011 Winner
Bob Parsons
Although Bob Parson had the opportunity to retire and devote his time to golfing or motorcycle racing, he decided to start and run the largest domain-name registrar in the world, GoDaddy.com, in 1997. Since then, he has also made a tremendous difference in the community with his charity work and in creating laws to protect children on the Internet.

Marketing Guru
Steve LeVine
Steve LeVine’s ability to cooperate with all kinds of people makes it easy for him to be a distinguished and successful marketing executive. As the owner of Steve LeVine Entertainment, he knows how to throw an off-the-wall party and understands how to execute the job flawlessly.

 

 

Most Influential in Valley Food
Eddie Matney-2011 Winner
Eddie Matney, owner and chef of Eddie’s House, has been a master of his delicious domain since he was 15 years old and firmly believes that kosher salt and his chef’s knife are the two most important items in his kitchen. When he is not feeding his blue-tongue skink or African spur turtles (his family has more than 15 exotic animals, actually), he enjoys fly-fishing and basketball.

Most Influential in Valley Education
Father Reese
Father Edward A. Reese, S.J., joined Brophy College Preparatory Academy as its president in December 1996. Father Reese grew up in Southern California but made his way to Arizona to become not only president of Brophy but also chaplain for the Phoenix Police Department, a board member of Boys Hope Girls Hope of Phoenix and Phoenix Community Alliance and a trustee at Gonzaga University.

Favorite Couple in the Valley
Bob and Renee Parsons
Bob and Renee Parsons (he is the CEO and founder of GoDaddy.com) met on a blind date and have been married for more than two years. The duo knows how to put each other first to keep their relationship strong. As long as the lovebirds are together, they can have fun doing absolutely nothing at all.

 Most Influential in Nonprofit
Debbie Gaby
The co-founder and president of Sleep America, Debbie Gaby is not only in charge of the largest mattress retailer in Arizona but also donates hundreds of new mattresses to charitable organizations throughout the state each year. She also hosts the Celebrity Catwalk Fashion Show for charitable donations, and all her products are recyclable so everyone can do their part to help the community.

 Most Influential in Valley Politics
Sherriff Joe Arpaio
“America’s Toughest Sherriff,” Joe Arpaio, has been with Maricopa Country since 1993. Even with the debate surrounding Arizona’s SB1070 illegal immigration act and Tent City, he doesn't seem to show signs of quitting. He is a tough advocator of the law and is known throughout the country for his controversial politics and infamous pink boxer shorts.

Best Twitter Picture: Men
@John_R_Scott
John R. Scott has lived in Arizona most of his life and loves to Tweet. When he is not on Twitter discussing politics, his news feed is bursting with sports commentary, carrying a snarky tone that people love to hate and gaining him more than 1,000 followers.

 

Best Twitter Picture: Women
@bbellecouture
Thanks to her 550 Twitter followers, Alexis Mendez takes home the Best Twitter Picture prize. The adorable toddler featured in Mendez’s photo, Savannah Hage, is flaunting the hottest fashion trends of B.Belle Couture, a luxurious baby clothing and accessory line Mendez founded in 2010.

Best Arizona Foothills Magazine Cover Model
August Issue: Eden Viza