Honoree: Helios Education Foundation
The Helios Education Foundation is dedicated to creating opportunities for individuals in Arizona and Florida to achieve a post secondary education. The Foundation’s work is driven by four fundamental beliefs in Community, Investment, Equity, and Partnership. Helios invests in programs and initiatives across the full education continuum – from early grade success through post secondary education. In Arizona, where Latino students comprise the largest percentage of the K-12 public school population, the Foundation is implementing its Arizona Latino Student Success Initiative focused on preparing all students - especially students in high poverty, under-served Latino communities - for success. Through Helios’ Florida Regional Student Success Initiative, the Foundation is helping under-served, minority, first-generation students from the state's large population centers of Miami, Orlando and Tampa achieve a post secondary education. Since 2006, the Foundation has invested more than $200 million in education programs and initiatives in both states.
Click HERE to learn more about Helios.
EMERITUS INDUCTEE - VINCE ROIG
As Founding Chairman of the Board of Helios Education Foundation, Vince Roig provides leadership by setting the organizational tone, and overseeing governance and related activities with a focus on mission, direction, priorities and evaluation. His leadership and lifelong commitment to education has helped Helios Education Foundation emerge as one of the largest foundations focused solely on education in both Arizona and Florida.
Prior to founding Helios Education Foundation, Mr. Roig was the Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Southwest Student Services Corporation and its affiliates for over 20 years. Southwest was a full service provider of student loan products and services to students, families and schools, with a primary focus in Arizona and Florida.
In addition to his leadership to Helios, Mr. Roig is currently Chairman of the Board of College Success Arizona and serves on the Boards of Stand for Children National, Take Stock in Children, Valley of the Sun United Way and is a member of Greater Phoenix Leadership. He has previously served on the boards of the Phoenix Aviation Advisory Board, the Phoenix Art Museum, Stand for Children Arizona Advisory Committee, served on Teach For America's National Board and is a past Chair of Life Teen, International. He was named the 2014 Hero of Education by the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation, a 2014 Most Admired Leader by the Phoenix Business Journal, the 2013 Afterschool Champion by the Arizona Center for Afterschool Excellence and is a past recipient of the Raul Yzaguirre Community Leadership Award from Valle del Sol.