Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs Recipient of Prestigious YWCA Tribute to Women 2001 Award

Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs received the prestigious YWCA Tribute to Women 2001 Award in recognition for her outstanding leadership qualities and for touching the lives of many through her public service work. She is the only woman to hold the mayoral position since Glendale was incorporated in 1910.

“Being selected to receive this particular award is a tremendous honor for me,” Scruggs says. “Perhaps one of the reasons I’ve been so focused on empowering citizens is because I, myself, came into both private sector and public sector positions as an outsider. I can remember the difficulties I experienced, and I want to do all that I can to eliminate some of the barriers I had to overcome.”

An advocate for women and minorities seeking public sector leadership roles, Scruggs created Glendale University for citizens to learn how their city government functions and how they can participate.

Her work with the elderly resulted in Scruggs receiving the Legislator of the Year Award from the Arizona Association of Homes and Housing for the Aging.

During her term as mayor, which began in 1993, Scruggs has helped establish permanent funding for the YWCA Meals on Wheels, a home-delivered food program for the elderly, expanded the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Commission and was instrumental in getting Glendale designated as the first Kids at Hope city in the nation.

Scruggs was one of 11 women leaders to be recognized by the YWCA for inspiring others to continue the tradition of women’s leadership and commitment in Arizona.