Peoria resident Kristofer Kautz has devoted countless hours to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, Valle de Sol and several other community organizations.
That’s in addition to the more than 20 hours he volunteers each month with Dress for Success Phoenix as a member of its board of directors.
He first got involved with Dress for Success in 2016, motivated by its mission of empowering women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and the development tools needed to thrive in work and in life. He has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the organization, supported marketing efforts and secured sponsorships for events.
His work with the organization helped serve an additional 5,000 women, bringing the total number of women served by Dress for Success to 17,000.
For his volunteer work across the board, he has been one of six Salt River Project employees honored with the 2021 SRP Presidents’ Volunteer Spirit Award for exemplary dedication to his community and the nonprofits he supports.
“SRP has a long-cultivated culture of volunteerism. It’s a legacy that was born when the not-for-profit utility was founded 119 years ago,” SRP President David Rousseau said. “Our employees’ commitment to and passion for giving back to the community remains strong and it’s not easy to volunteer amid work and demands at home. We honored Kristofer Kautz who has routinely answered the call to serve others.”
SRP presented a check for $2,500 to Dress For Success.
Kautz said it is now more important than ever to try and make a difference in your community.
“Right now you may be in a position to assist and give back, whether that be monetarily or a gift of your time, because we never know when the shoe will be on the other foot and you may need assistance from someone or an agency,” he said.
Learn more about Kautz and why he loves calling Peoria home.
What I like most about living in Peoria.
We are just northwest of the major hub and have easy access to entertainment opportunities such as Arizona Broadway Theatre, great restaurants and affordable housing.
When I was looking for a home a few years ago I did my homework and found that I could get more house for less and started to look around the West Valley and came to call Peoria home. We have parks everywhere, great walking paths, and during the winter especially I can still take a bike ride, walk my four dachshunds around my neighborhood, and enjoy our beautiful weather before we hit with those triple digit temperatures
What does it mean to be a Peoria resident?
It means you are part of a great community. Everyone is friendly, kind courteous and it makes you feel welcomed. Peoria is a fun place to live and there is no place like it and I believe there is something here for everyone.
What do you think you bring to the local community that makes it better?
I think that I bring diversity as well as a giving and positive attitude. Being Hispanic, I love the fact that Peoria is made up of all races, and to me that is so important, especially in the world we live in today. I was always taught that we are to respect the custodian all the way up to the CEO because we should treat others as we want to be treated, and you never know who you may be working for one day.
The trait(s) I admire in others.
The traits I admire in others are kindness, fairness, compassion, understanding, honesty ,leadership and loyalty.
People who inspired me (and how).
People who inspired me were my mother and my 4th grade teacher Mrs. Grant.
My mom inspired me to always be willing to help others, whether that be taking them a plate of food when they were ill, doing yard work for someone who is unable, or volunteering my time to help someone in need.
She always said, “I may not have much, but time and effort I have plenty of.”
My 4th grade teacher Mrs. Grant was a tough teacher but she always told us, “What you learn now will serve you well later in life,” and I never understood that until I got older.
She expected a lot out of her students, but she inspired me to work hard for what I wanted and to succeed in education, and to keep reaching for the stars. Thanks to her, I went for and received my Master’s Degree.
My guiding philosophy.
“Family is the most important thing in the world.” — Princess Diana
I believe the best gift God can ever bestow on you is family. Sometimes that is blood relatives, but I also have some amazing friends who I call “FRAMILY.”
You can have everything on Earth, but without family/framily — people who love you, guide you, believe in you and support you — this world would be empty and meaningless. Family members will always be there for you. When you are down they will be there to uplift you and remind you to never give up.
My advice to today’s youth.
Take the time to think before reacting.
If you take the time to think through something before reacting you could come to a better solution than what first pops into your mind. Avoid making a critical mistake that could affect you now or later in life.
Name a couple future goals.
One of my future goals is to work for a nonprofit and be able to give back full-time, and continue volunteering my time to help others. I want to continue making an impact in the community and keep giving back and encourage others to do the same. We are only on this Earth for a very short time, and it is up to us to make the most of the time we are here.
Philip Haldiman can be reached at phaldiman@iniusa.org, or on Twitter @philiphaldiman.
Meet Philip Haldiman is an award-winning journalist who most recently took first place for investigative reporting in 2023 from Arizona Newspapers Association. He joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2015, covering Sun City West his first year. Since 2016, he has covered the city of Peoria. Prior to coming to INI, he was a reporter with The Arizona Republic for seven years, covering numerous cities throughout the Valley. Before that, he was a freelance writer.
Community: Haldiman spearheads the Peoria Independent Hometown Heroes Awards program, honoring local individuals and businesses that give back to the community. He has hosted local candidate forums over the years and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. Haldiman also served as a member of the Journalism Program Community Advisory Board at Glendale Community College. Outside journalism, Haldiman served as a member of the city of Peoria Complete Count Committee for the Census, 2019-2020. Lastly, he has served as a member of his HOA governing board since 2021.
Education: Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications and a BA in Theater.
Random Fact: Haldiman is a fourth-generation Arizonan as well as wrote and produced an autobiographical comic book about his time spent in Hollywood and his life as a cult film star.
Hobbies: He enjoys hiking Arizona’s mountainous landscapes and is currently working on a play for the stage.
Peoria,
Arizona,
Kristofer Kautz,
Ronald McDonald House Charities,
Valle de Sol,
community organizations,
Salt River Project,
2021 SRP Presidents’ Volunteer Spirit Award,
community,
nonprofits
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