Safford, AZ – The City of Safford is proud to announce that Vice Mayor Arnold Lopez, an Army veteran and retired Army National Guard member, and Michael “Mick” Ruiz, Administrative Events Liaison and retired United States Navy Command Master Chief, have been selected as 2025 Veteran Servant Leader Award recipients by U.S. Representative Juan Ciscomani. This distinguished recognition honors veterans whose post-military service demonstrates exceptional leadership, volunteerism, and a lasting commitment to their communities.
Both honorees will be recognized at the Veteran Servant Leader Award Ceremony on Thursday, November 13, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at La Paloma Country Club in Tucson. The event brings together community leaders and veterans from across Southern Arizona to celebrate those who continue to serve long after their military service.
Representative Ciscomani’s Veteran Servant Leader Award program highlights veterans whose civic engagement and community impact reflect the highest standards of public service. Honorees must have received an honorable discharge and demonstrated exceptional dedication to their local communities through service and leadership.
Vice Mayor Arnold Lopez, an Army veteran, began his service shortly after the Vietnam War and continued through the events of September 11, 2001. Over the course of 26 years of credited service, he served in both the United States Army and the Arizona Army National Guard. His assignments included the 142nd Signal Battalion, 2nd Armored Division at Fort Hood, Texas, and Detachment 1 of the 258th Combat Support Engineers with the Arizona Army National Guard. Throughout his distinguished career, Vice Mayor Lopez demonstrated an unwavering commitment to duty, leadership, and service to others. He reflects fondly on the many memories of his time in and out of the United States, noting that the most rewarding experiences were those involving humanitarian service and providing assistance to others. His lifelong dedication to helping people continues today through his public service as Vice Mayor of the City of Safford and his active involvement in the Gila Valley community.
Michael “Mick” Ruiz, Administrative Events Liaison for the City of Safford, is a native of Graham and Greenlee County who dedicated 30 years of honorable service to the United States Navy. Throughout his career, Ruiz held numerous leadership positions, including Command Master Chief of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command, representing over 11,000 sailors. His military service included multiple deployments in support of Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom. After retiring from the Navy, Ruiz returned home to continue his lifelong commitment to service. He served as CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of the Gila Valley, where he provided guidance to over 1,000 local youth, and has been an active volunteer with the Lions Club for over a decade. Ruiz also serves on the Gila Valley Veterans Services Board, supporting local veterans and their families, and plays an instrumental role in planning and coordinating Safford’s major community events, including the Fourth of July and Veterans Day parades. His devotion to service, both in and out of uniform, exemplifies the true meaning of being a servant leader and continues to strengthen the community he calls home.
“Vice Mayor Lopez and Mick Ruiz exemplify what it means to put service first,” said Eric Bejarano, Assistant City Manager for the City of Safford. “Their leadership and commitment to the citizens of the Gila Valley make our community stronger every day. We are proud to see both recognized for their dedication to service.”
The City of Safford congratulates Vice Mayor Lopez and Mick Ruiz on this well-deserved recognition and thanks them for their continued dedication to the residents of Safford and the greater Gila Valley.
For more information about the Veteran Servant Leader Award or to learn about future nomination opportunities, contact Nancy Heiser at nancy.heiser@mail.house.gov.
Previous Graham County Veteran Service Leader Award recipients:
- 2024 — Eric Bejarano, Safford assistant city manager and Marine Corps veteran
- 2025 — Ed Lopez, Southern Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce regional director and Army veteran
- 2025 — John Rhodes, former Graham County Republican Committee chairman and Army veteran
- 2025 — Mick Ruiz, administrative events liaison for the City of Safford and Navy veteran
- 2025 — Arnold Lopez, Safford vice mayor and Army veteran
