SALC Makes Rare Endorsement of Education Candidates

Leadership Group Strongly Supports Ravi Grivois-Shah for TUSD, Ethan Orr for PCC

TUCSON, AZ (Sept. 21, 2020) — The Southern Arizona Leadership Council (SALC), the area’s foremost CEO, business, and community leader organization, announces the endorsements of Dr. Ravi Grivois-Shah for the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board and Ethan Orr for the Pima Community College Governing Board.

As a nonpartisan public policy organization, SALC does not typically endorse candidates running for office, but its board of directors makes an occasional exception in non-partisan races of significant importance to our community.

“We made this decision because we profoundly believe education is vital to the successful future of this whole community. TUSD is the second largest district in Arizona and we see this non-partisan Governing Board race as critical to our children and our region. Dr. Ravi Grivois-Shah will make a positive impact on TUSD,” said Ted Maxwell, President and CEO of SALC. “And because Pima Community College plays such a pivotal role in creating our region’s workforce and the opportunities for future generations, SALC feels strongly about the importance of a quality Governing Board to provide guidance and direction for the future of the college. Ethan Orr will provide that leadership.”

Steve Lynn, SALC’s P-20 Education Co-Chair, commented on the endorsement, “Dr. Grivois-Shah’s understanding of, and his vision for, TUSD will help create greater opportunities for students to excel. He understands that businesses, and the greater Tucson community, need TUSD to be successful. Tucson’s ability to recruit and retain high quality workers will ensure our region’s future prosperity. Ravi knows TUSD must play a major role in this effort.”

Grivois-Shah believes TUSD’s key issues are to safely educate our children, particularly during the current pandemic; to improve trust in TUSD through financial accountability and transparency; and to reduce disparities inherent throughout our district. His experience as a TUSD parent as well as serving on the TUSD Audit Committee gives him an important perspective on the district’s strengths and needs, particularly on how the district’s budget and financial information can be more readily accessible, comprehensible, and functional for its stakeholders, Maxwell added.

Bruce Dusenberry, co-chair of SALC’s Strategic Initiatives committee, stated, “Ethan Orr has a strong grasp of the importance and role the college plays in both providing opportunity for the citizens of Pima County to improve their quality of life as well as developing the workforce for the future. His vision for PCC will help create greater opportunities to improve the skills and capabilities of our region’s workforce.”

Orr is a native Tucsonan whose life was dramatically changed for the better as a result of his personal experience at Pima Community College, which set him on the path to educational attainment and leadership. Formerly a Representative of LD9 in the state legislature, Orr seeks to help guide the college as it builds upon its current successful trajectory to ensure that it can help meet the current and future workforce needs of our region.

“SALC applauds both Ravi Grivois-Shah and Ethan Orr for their willingness to serve the region’s current and future generations,” Maxwell concluded.

About Southern Arizona Leadership Council
The Southern Arizona Leadership Council was founded in 1997 by senior business and community leaders in the Tucson region. Its goal is to use the collective leadership of its members to engage strategic issues facing the community. The mission of SALC is to improve greater Tucson and the state of Arizona by bringing together resources and leadership to create action to enhance the economic climate and quality of life in our communities. For more information visit salc.org.