Mary Rose Wilcox - Supervisor, Dist. 5

MaryRose Wilcox (D)
Maricopa County District 5 Supervisor

Mary Rose Garrido Wilcox was born in Superior, Arizona, and is a fourth generation Arizona native from a pioneer Mexican-American family. Mary Rose is serving her third four-year term on the Board of Supervisors in Maricopa County—named “best run county” by Governing Magazine and Syracuse University. She previously served on the Phoenix City Council for nine years. Mary Rose was honored as being the first Hispanic woman ever to serve on the Phoenix City Council and the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.

Mary Rose has devoted her career to public service. She has created numerous programs to strengthen families and communities, including leading the County’s efforts to create a homeless campus to centralize services for the homeless in downtown Phoenix. Along with her husband, Earl Wilcox, she coordinates a tremendously popular annual Late Night Basketball tournament designed to keep kids off the streets. Since the Diamondbacks inaugural season, Mary Rose has been coordinating the “Diamondbacks Inner City Baseball Jam,” allowing 600 youth who live in the shadow the Bank One Ballpark the opportunity to attend a game & meet professional players.

Some of the highlights of Mary Rose’s career include revitalizing downtown Phoenix through both county work and efforts as a member of the City Council. Mary Rose cast the deciding vote in favor of funding for the America West Arena and Bank One Ballpark. She was one of the originating members of the “fight back movement” for neighborhoods and the founder of the City of Phoenix “Kool Kids” program allowing children to swim for free in several Phoenix public pools.

Mary Rose has been involved in numerous boards and commissions, including her membership on the boards of the Phoenix Economic Growth Corporation, Phoenix Symphony Program, Friendly House, Downtown Phoenix Partnership and the Arizona Hispanic Corporation (founding member 1983 and executive director 1988-89). She also serves on the Maricopa Association of Governments' (MAG) Air Quality Policy Committee, MAG Human Services Coordinating Committee and Ryan White Planning Council.

Mary Rose is very involved with the local and national Hispanic community and has served as a past or current member of such organizations as MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense & Education Fund) and NCLR (National Council of La Raza). She also served five years as the Chair of the NALEO (National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials) Educational Fund.

Honors and recognition include: America’s Charities Appreciation Award for Commitment to “Choice” in Giving (2003), Maricopa County Continuum of Care Regional Committee on Homelessness “Community Leader of the Year” (2001), Maricopa Integrated Health System Dedication Award (1999), Maricopa County Democrats Service Award (1999), Downtown Phoenix Partnership Board of Directors Service Award (1997], Guadalupe Family Health Center Award of Appreciation (1996) and Mesa United Way Leadership and Service Award (1994).

She and her husband, Earl, a former state legislator and justice of the peace, reside in downtown Phoenix and continue to stay involved in the community. For more than a decade, the Wilcoxes have been working to revitalize downtown’s Grant Park neighborhood. Three years ago, they opened El Portal, an authentic Mexican restaurant. They also recently dedicated the Grant Park Boxing Club so neighborhood kids can box for free. For Mary Rose and Earl, their greatest source of pride is their daughter and five grandsons.

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