Photos by Ralph Freso / Slideshow
Todd LaPorte recalled his first significant lesson about servant leadership. It was in 2014, when he had heart attack in 115-degree weather in the parking lot of a Home Depot.
“I learned that I can serve effectively only if I engage in self-care by nurturing my relationship with God, engage in self-care through nutrition, and exercise and engage in self-care through commitment to marriage and fatherhood,” LaPorte said.
As CEO of HonorHealth, one of Arizona's largest employers, he has strengthened his efforts to improve the health and well-being of the community with a spectrum of community services.
His contributions, along with those of CEO Ken Brissa of Phoenix Rescue Mission, John Moore, founder of John Moore Associates, and Maricopa County attorney and Grand Canyon University alumna Rachel Mitchell, were recognized Tuesday morning as they received Colangelo Servant Leadership Awards. The awards celebrate their service to the community and provide a positive impact on the economy through their selflessness, humility and stewardship.
The sixth annual ceremony, held at Havoc House, was organized by the Colangelo College of Business and presented by Freeport-McMoRan.
“When you have a diverse group, it's indicative of the kind of reach that we really do have at GCU, and to recognize people who have made contributions and (exemplify) servant leadership is a great thing,” said Jerry Colangelo, namesake of the university's business college, whose commitment to servant leadership since arriving in the Valley in 1968 embodies his ideals. “The more we can bring attention to individuals who have committed themselves to making their communities a better place in which to live and helping people get to accomplish goals and objectives, we should celebrate that.
“There's no limit to the number of people who might be recognized. It's a selection process, and you wish you could bring attention to everyone, but this is our small part in trying to make the community a better place.”
Todd LaPorte
CEO, HonorHealth
A quote that made an impact on LaPorte was from an article he read in the New York Times from backup quarterback Josh Johnson on how he survived for 18 years in the NFL for 14 teams.
“Be more of an asset than a liability,” LaPorte read.
LaPorte has played a role in several HonorHealth community initiatives, including a food bank, adult and children’s centers, and a Blue Zones project, a communitywide effort to increase longevity and well-being by applying principles learned from the world's longest-lived cultures.
“To be good servant leaders, we must show courage and look to bring value more than we take value,” LaPorte said.
Ken Brissa
CEO, Phoenix Rescue Mission
Business college Dean John Kaites, who represented 14 major league teams in his time as an attorney before coming to GCU, marveled over the work Brissa and Phoenix Rescue Mission provided to communities. He mentioned their work with the Milwaukee Brewers’ spring training facility in Maryvale, where they addressed issues of homelessness, food insecurity and people in need.
“Through the support of so many of you and the grace of God, we rescued 1,363 people off the streets in the Valley last year,” Brissa said. “That’s an increase of more than 23% from 2024.
“… We talk about numbers, but for every single person we touch, every single person we serve, we need to remember there is a group of people around us, people who love us, people who pray that they get that break.”
In his opening remarks, GCU President Brian Mueller spoke about the quality of the award recipients, adding “America is the best country in the world.”
John Moore
Founder, John Moore Associates
Kaites described Moore as a “quiet giant in every way.”
Moore, a former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, blended a career in finance with his faith values. He co-founded the southwest affiliate of the National Christian Foundation and plays a prominent role in Kingdom Advisors. Kaites said Moore also funded a recent trip for 14 students and two advisors to Orlando, Florida, for a Kingdom Advisors conference.
This marked a special moment for Moore, who celebrated his 48th wedding anniversary with his wife, Connie, and emphasized the commitment by him and his entities to serve families and make an impact.
“God owns everything,” Moore said. “Ownership is the first principle. If God owns it, we’re stewards.”
One of Moore’s takeaways was sustainability in running a business.
“Don’t be in the dairy business unless you actually own cows,” Moore said. “Are you reinvesting for human impact? Are you serving your team members well and your customers better?”
The second takeaway is succession.
“There’s no success without succession,” Moore said. “There comes a time when I shouldn’t be in the driver’s seat.”
He turned over the leadership of John Moore Associates, a Scottsdale investment advising firm, to Brian Cochran and spoke of the company’s success under his successor.
“I should have gotten out of the way a lot quicker,” Moore said.
Rachel Mitchell
Maricopa County attorney
Kaites described Mitchell as “one of the finest county attorneys in the nation,” adding that her strength as a prosecutor is that she's determined to make sure justice is served in every case.
Mitchell, who graduated from GCU in 1989 with a degree in justice studies and public administration, leads one of the largest prosecutorial agencies in the country and has worked to restore the trust of local law enforcement agencies since she was appointed county attorney in 2022. She credited fellow prosecutors who were devout Christians in transforming the department in an ethical manner while carrying out justice.
In her more than three decades as a prosecutor, she has become known for her work in prosecuting sex crimes and crimes against children, as well as for her work as sex-crimes investigative counsel during the 2018 Supreme Court confirmation hearing of Brett Kavanaugh.
“This is truly an honor,” Mitchell said. “I’m so appreciative. Grand Canyon University means a lot to me. I almost said ‘college’ because that’s what it was back then.”
GCU News senior writer Mark Gonzales can be reached at [email protected]
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