Sharon Harper 2025 Arizona Historymaker featured speaker

 Sharon Harper, chairman, CEO and co-founder of Plaza Companies, and 2025 Arizona Historymaker will be the featured speaker at the next edition of The Vault, Scottsdale Community Bank’s speaker series featuring conversations with business leaders from across Arizona.

The event will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, at SkySong, The ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center. Attendance is complimentary for Vault members, according to a press release.

Her honors include the Phoenix Business Journal’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Most Admired Leader and the Trail of Leadership Award from Scouting America’s Grand Canyon Council. In 2025, Ms. Harper and her husband, Ollie Harper, were recognized as Arizona Historymakers by the Arizona Historical League. Listen to her tell her story at https://historicalleague.org/.../sharon-harper-oliver.../

Ms. Harper has spent decades involved in Arizona real estate development and economic development initiatives. Through Plaza Companies, she has overseen a portfolio that includes urban redevelopment projects, medical and health care properties, senior living communities and bioscience facilities. The company has participated in the development of nearly 13 million square feet of real estate across Arizona.

Staff Reports | Happenings & Events from Arizona Digital Free Press. Full story at

https://arizonadigitalfreepress.com/sharon-harper-to.../

Throwback thursday: Tucson in the 1930s

 I'll have a sarsaparilla, please! Throwback Thursday: Tucson in the 1930s.

The beautiful tiled soda fountain at Fred Fleishman & Co., Druggists, in the 1930s.

From the archives of Arizona Historical Society.

Special Award NHDAZ from Weiss Family

 There are many special awards winners from the 2026 National History Day AZ State Competition.

Sponsored by organizations, institutions, or individuals, each special award includes a monetary prize.

Congratulations to all special awards winners!

Here are two awards: Weiss Family Historic Places & Spaces Award - $100 to Owen Yin, Adrish Gande, and $100 to Tanae Lupe.

FYI- Special awards do not have anything to do with advancing to nationals.

Weiss Family Award goes to Tanae Lupe for her Senior Individual Exhibit
"Thanks to J.D.K. Atkinson, My Language is Dying."

Weiss Family presents award to Owen Yin (Adrish Grande not present) for Junior Group Website "Built on Speed and Soil: How McDonalds transformed the Fast Food Industry."

October Historical League meeting had lots of business and lots of smiles

 Smiling faces at the October Historical League meeting as we have a lovely lunch, listen to guest speaker Sarah Biggerstaff discuss the new Eddie Basha exhibit at Chandler Museum and have our business meeting.

Thanks to Katie Tovar for the great photos taken during the meeting at Arizona Heritage Center at Papago Park.

AHS Education team travels to Canyon View Elementary School in Catalina Foothills

 AHS Education Team is like the Eveready bunny . . . They continue to travel the state, sharing ways to teach students and teachers about the importance of primary sources.

Dr. Kristen Rex writes, "Many thanks to Canyon View Elementary in the Catalina Foothills School District for allowing us to come teach about hands on learning using primary sources😎

Lyndsey, Emily and Abby did an amazing job!"

Happy National Teacher's Day

 Happy National Teacher's Day . . . especially those educating National History Day Arizona students!

NHDAZ student Tanae Lupe from Dischii'Bikoh Community School in Cibecue, AZ.

 Congrats to Tanae Lupe from Dischii'Bikoh Community School in Cibecue, AZ. She discusses the topic of her Senior Individual Exhibit - "Thanks to J.D.C Atkinson, My Language Is Dying" during the National History Day contest.

Students can also qualify for NHDAZ Special Awards. Each special

award includes a monetary prize often going to help with expenses of their project. Tanae won three!

1. The winner of the Arizona Story of Arizona Historymaker sponsored by the Historical League - $150.

2. Best Entry for an Arizona Family History or Ethnic History sponsored by the Arizona Genealogical Advisory Board - $100

3. Weiss Family Historic Places & Spaces Award - $100

The Historical League is happy to be a sponsor of NHDAZ.