Greater Phoenix Leadership, announced the election of Simer S. Mayo (pictured) as Chair of the Board for a two-year term spanning 2026 to 2028. Exiting as Chair is Ken Van Winkle, Vice Chair of Womble Bond Dickinson, who served in the role from 2024 to 2026.
Ken Van Winkle has been a member of GPL since 2009 and joined the board of directors in 2015. During his tenure, he served as pro bono legal counsel, Co-Chair of the GPL Arts and Culture Task Force, and Vice-Chair before being elected Chair in 2024. GPL thanks Ken for his years of dedicated service and meaningful contributions to the organization and the greater Phoenix community.
“GPL is fortunate to have leaders of this caliber willing to step up and serve,” said Neil Giuliano, President and CEO, GPL. “Simer brings an entrepreneurial spirit, deep community roots, and a genuine passion for the people of Arizona – qualities that will serve GPL and this region well in the years ahead. We are equally indebted to Ken for his steady hand and thoughtful leadership over the past two years, and we look forward to his continued engagement with the organization.”
Simer S. Mayo is Founder and CEO of Valor Global. A GPL member since 2017 and board member since 2019, he has served in several leadership capacities within the organization, including as board Secretary and Treasurer, and has been an active participant in the Membership Committee and Public Policy and Racial Equity Advancement Task Forces. His extensive involvement and long-standing commitment to GPL’s mission make him exceptionally well-positioned to lead the organization.
Jim Pratt is the newly elected Vice-Chair. Joining the board of directors in 2023, Jim is the General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of the Salt River Project and serves as Co-Chair of the GPL Water Task Force.
Gonzalo de la Melena, Jr., and Humphrey Shin were re-elected to their roles as Board Secretary and Treasurer, respectively.
Gonzalo is Founder and CEO of Emerging Domestic Market Ventures and previously served as President & CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He has served on the GPL Board of Directors since 2021.
Humphrey is the Phoenix Market President at FirstBank and has served on the GPL Board of Directors since 2024.
