NOVEMBER 2017 16 | FRONTDOORSMEDIA .COM Phoenix Theatre Applause! Gala 2017 Photo: Andrea Tyler Evans

NOVEMBER 2017 FRONTDOORSMEDIA .COM | 17 both Greater Phoenix Leadership and the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, and has been extremely influential with some of the Valley’s most established philanthropic organizations. “One of most prestigious and rewarding and grateful opportunities for me was when I was invited to be a Trustee for the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust,” Sharon said. “To have a leader like Virginia and her focus in community, and now be one of eight trustees that are carrying on that tradition, that has been very meaningful. “And being involved with higher education has been tremendous for us, both for Creighton University and for ASU,” she said. “We’re very proud to be co-chairmen of ASU’s President’s Club, and of course Plaza Companies’ partners with the university in the development of SkySong. And, it has been rewarding being a non- Jesuit chairman of the Board of Trustees for Brophy College Preparatory.” “Being at the intersection of philanthropy, government, business, education – that’s really our story,” Sharon said. Sharon said that their philanthropic work has been driven by a vision for Arizona and how it will be a home for future generations. “I want it to be a community that is well known for great education, from pre- Kindergarten to higher education,” she said. “A place that our children grow up with the talent and skills for the new economy, and they stay here because we’ve laid a platform for companies to want to be here. I want us to have a pipeline of talent, to care about arts and culture, to be involved in human services that bring other people in the community up, to emphasize education, and to ensure we have great leadership and a great lifestyle.” All of the hard work over 46 years in the Valley and 48 years of marriage has rewarded Sharon and Ollie Harper in ways both personal and professional. “There’s something within me that says at end of day, I hope I did something right today,” Ollie said. “Just that conscience of being part of who I am, and doing something that’s good for others and good of the community. I always ask myself, ‘Am I doing what’s right? Could I be doing more?’ It’s just part of who I am.” COVER STORY CONTINUED COVER STORY CONTINUED Dr. Harper practicing medicine in Kenyan mud hut.