Former Tucson Hispanic Chamber Of Commerce CEO Brings Decades Of Business, Leadership Experience To Commission
PHOENIX — Governor Doug Ducey today announced the appointment of former Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce CEO Lea Marquez Peterson to the Arizona Corporation Commission, a seat vacated by outgoing commissioner Andy Tobin.
“I want to thank Lea Marquez Peterson for answering this call to public service,” said Governor Ducey. “Lea brings a unique and important voice to Arizona’s Corporation Commission. Lea is extensively involved in the Southern Arizona community, having led the largest Latino business organization in Arizona, and brings decades of leadership experience that has earned her bipartisan accolades. As an entrepreneur, she knows firsthand the challenges businesses face navigating a complex government bureaucracy, and will bring a fresh perspective on the commission. I’m grateful for her willingness to serve.”
“I’m honored to receive Governor Ducey’s appointment to serve on the Corporation Commission,” said Lea Marquez Peterson. “With a booming economy, more businesses and people are coming to Arizona. This is creating more opportunities for our citizens throughout the state than ever before. I look forward to drawing on my experience in the business community as a voice for all Arizonans.”
Background
Lea Marquez Peterson brings decades of service and entrepreneurial experience to the Corporation Commission. From 2009 to 2018, Marquez Peterson served as the CEO of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, one of the top ten largest Hispanic Chambers in the nation. Her tenure saw the chamber grow from 300 member businesses to over 1,800, making it the largest Latino business organization in Arizona. Prior to that, Marquez Peterson served as Executive Director for Greater Tucson Leadership and as an entrepreneur in Southern Arizona.
In 2017, Marquez Peterson was recognized with a Top Latino Leader Award by the National Latino Leadership Conference. Prior to that, she was appointed by the Obama administration to the National Woman’s Business Council (NWBC) a group that advises the President, Congress and the Small Business Administration on challenges facing women-owned businesses. In addition to being a Flinn Brown Fellow, Marquez Peterson has been honored for her service and involvement in the community by the University of Arizona Eller College with a 2014 Extraordinary Woman in Business award and by the University of Arizona Alumni Association with the 2012 Distinguished Citizen Award, and was recognized as a Tucson Small Business Leader of the Year.
Marquez Peterson currently chairs the board of St Mary’s Hospital, and serves on the board of the United States Hispanic Chamber and the University of Arizona Foundation. She formerly served as the Chairwoman of the Southern Arizona Business Roundtable, the Past Chair of the Tucson Business Alliance, the Founder and Past Chair of the Pima County Small Business Commission, the Chairwoman of the University of Arizona Hispanic Advisory Council and is a Past President of the Tucson chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners.
Marquez Peterson received her undergraduate degrees in Marketing and Entrepreneurship from the University of Arizona, and her Masters in Business Administration from Pepperdine University. She and her husband live in Tucson with their two children.
