Getting to Know: Councilman Will Dunn

May 17, 2008

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This is the second in a series of video interviews with the candidates running for two seats in the General Election on Tuesday.

Will Dunn is a businessman, a landowner and an incumbant candidate up for election to the Maricopa City Council on Tuesday.

He is also a cowboy and a family man.

“My son ropes in high school rodeos, and we do have some horses we rodeo with,” said Dunn, who grew up on a cattle ranch in Kearny where he attended and graduated from Ray High School.

While there, Dunn participated in sports, student council, the National Honor Society and, like his 17-year-old son Buster, the rodeo.

Dunn has been married to his wife Cindy for more than 20 years. Together, they have an adopted daughter named Leoysha, who is 20 and attends beauty school in Chandler. They also have a 9-year-old daughter named Katelyn Delaney, who prefers to go by “K.D.”, and a 6-year-old son named Shane.

A visit to the Dunn home, located in Old Town Maricopa, would reveal other family members might include peacocks and a great dane named Hercules.

A stop by one of two shopping centers he owns and operates, The Stage Stop and Stage Stop Marketplace, also reveal a strong affinity for nature.

“I have a petting zoo in my store because I think all kids should have a chance to hang out with animals,” he said.

It was that love of animals that, in a round about way, led him to the love of his life.

While studying at the University of Arizona, Dunn said he unexpectedly received a phone call meant for a previous resident of the house in which he was living. The man, whom Dunn said turned out to be a former mayor of Coolidge, said he had horses he needed to have exercised, and he was hoping that someone in the house might be able to help.

“Dude, I grew up on a ranch,” Dunn said he responded, landing a position that led to a career as a professional polo player.

It was during one of the competions that he met Cindy, who had grown up in Wyoming but was then going to school in Texas.

An injured wrist eventully put an end to what Dunn described as an exciting, yet brief, career chasing balls from atop a saddle.

Dunn’s colorful background also includes having served as a lay youth pastor for Teen Challenge in Phoenix.

Teen Challenge is a faith-based program that focuses on helping teens make good choices and to get out of or stay out of gangs and say no to drugs.

“We served 600 kids a week in the children’s program,” he said. “I became one of the local experts.”

Dunn also has a non-profit organization, the Action Alliance Network, designed to serve those in crisis, whether responding with supplies in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina or assisting in with the everyday struggles of running an orphanage in Mexico.

Dunn said his family has long been known as the place where those in need have turned when they were hungry or down on their luck.

“Before there was a food kitchen, people would stop by Stage Stop to get something to eat,” he said.

When the Dunns aren’t working hard at home, they often head to their second home, a beach house in Rocky Point, Mexico. Dunn and Buster scuba dive while the rest of the family plays on the beach.

On the three-and-a-half hour drive there, Dunn said while he is most likely to listening to news, National Public Radio, or jazz, his children often prefer to tune in to country music.

“I’m not opposed to some good Van Halen once in a while to bring back the high school days,” he said, adding that he’s also a parrot head with a penchant for Jimmy Buffet.

His true passion, however, is to lead others to Christ.

In 1987, Dunn said a spirit came over him that changed his life.

“Me and Jesus hooked up,” he said. “My life was dramatically and drastically changed. My goal is to help kids find a life that has meaning.”

Dunn explained that he does not believe in pushing his beliefs on those who are not interested. He simply desires to share them with those whose hearts are open and wish to know Christ.

“My heart’s goal is to give kids an opportunity,” he said. “Unfortunately, that doesn’t pay the bills, and I have four kids who are a priority right now, so I have to work very hard.”

Maricopa’s strong network of religious leaders from various churches and congregations is one of the reasons Dunn said he feels such an affinity with the community at large.

“Maricopa definitely has a strong community of faith,” he said. “The pastors are all friends, and really all get along.”

Below: Councilman Will Dunn speaks.