McGorray, Stolmaker take top honors at Marana Rotary Heritage Awards dinner

 The Rotary Club of Marana kicked-off this year’s annual Founders’ Day Festival by awarding its Man, Woman, Educator and Student of the Year Award.
The award ceremony was held at Heritage Highlands on Thursday night.
This is the first year the Rotary Club of Marana presented the awards. Marana Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Ed Stolmaker was named Man of the Year and Marana Town Council member Carol McGorray was named Woman of the Year.
Marana High School teacher Lori Vargo was named Educator of the Year and Catherine Rigby, a Marana High School senior, was named Student of the Year. People throughout the community nominated those that they thought deserved to be recognized.
The nominees for Woman of the Year were: Julee Baxley, Jeri Cheatum, Rebecca Lee, McGorray, and Jan Truitt.
The nominees for Man of the Year were: Clay Parsons, Dan Post, Stolmaker , Dr. Emil Tompkins, and Clarence Vatne.
The nominees for Educator of the Year were: Dr. Eric Abrams, Brian Paradis , Jen Reiser, Diane Swan, and Vargo.
The Town of Marana also presented its Branding Iron Award and the Ora Mae Harn Crystal Legacy Award.
The Branding Iron Awards were presented to Barbara Johnson, General Manager of Public Services for the Town of Marana, and Sargent Aerospace and Defense. The Branding Iron Award is given to an individual or organization that has left a lasting mark on the community through professional excellence.
The Ora Mae Harn Crystal Legacy Award was presented to John Officer. The Ora Mae Harn Crystal Legacy Award is given to an individual who has exhibited caring and passion for the community through service and volunteerism.

Pictured: Marana Town Council member Carol McGorray congratulates Marana Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Ed Stolmaker for being awarded the Rotary Club of Marana’s Man of the Year for 2011. McGorray was named Woman of the Year a few minutes later in the evening.