Lifetime Achievement: Jon Wootten is the Queen Creek Hometown Hero for May

Jon Wootten may have grown up in Tempe, but Queen Creek has been his home since 1998.

He takes the words “be part of the solution” to heart by being heavily involved with a little rodeo that has blossomed into a Queen Creek institution.

Wootten is a founding member of the Friends of Horseshoe Park board of directors, where he is still president. Friends of Horseshoe Park began and still organizes the Roots N’ Boots Queen Creek rodeo, which just celebrated its 15^th anniversary.

In addition, he served on the Queen Creek Town Council from 2002 to 2010. Wootten also serves as the East Valley representative to the Maricopa County Extension Office advisory board, which is responsible for the 4H program in the county, since 2020.

Not surprisingly, he is a major advocate for preserving the rural and small-town feel of Queen Creek. He works with residents, town staff and elected leaders to “move our town forward in areas that touch on youth and maintain our rural atmosphere, including Horseshoe Park.”

 Name: Jon Wootten

Age: 65

Business Name/Organization: Friends of Horseshoe Park, Roots N’ Boots Queen Creek

Town/neighborhood: Rancho Jardines

When and why I moved here: My wife, two daughters and I moved here from Chandler in 1998 specifically to get out of the city and provide our daughters with a more rural, small-town upbringing.

What I like most about living here: No. 1, Rancho Jardines, our neighbors and our common agricultural lifestyle. We still wave, help each other out and share common outlooks regarding what neighborly means and what living in an agriculturally focused neighborhood means.

No. 2, Queen Creek’s parks and trails and the continual efforts to make those trails and crossings safe for travelers, including horses, and to expand the trail system throughout the town.

What I do: My day job is as a senior system engineer for General Dynamics Missions Systems in Scottsdale. Within Queen Creek I am president of the Friends of Horseshoe Park, which is chartered to support Queen Creek’s Horseshoe Park & Equestrian Centre and foster the town’s rural heritage. Our primary fundraiser is putting on Roots N’ Boots Queen Creek, the town’s annual community event at Horseshoe Park.

Personal background highlights: Three kids and two grandkids all in the Valley and we see them often. My wife and I celebrated our 40^th anniversary April 5 of this year. We are both Valley natives. Vickey grew up in Lehi (now North Mesa) and attended Westwood High School, and I grew up in Tempe and attended McClintock High School.

Professional background highlights: Various parks and rec committees, planning & zoning commissioner, council member 2002-2010. Together with Mayor Wendy Feldman-Kerr and other council members, we planned the Ellsworth Underpass, Ellsworth Loop, Vesta center and Horseshoe Park. These key improvements helped set the stage for the kind of town we have today, as well as beginning the culture of looking for inventive ways to make our town better.

Founding member and only president of Friends of Horseshoe Park. This year was the 15^th anniversary of Roots N’ Boots Queen Creek, and in January Friends of Horseshoe Park crossed the $500,000 mark in total donations to Horseshoe Park.

The East Valley representative to the Maricopa County Extension Office Advisory Board since 2020.

What I like most about what I do: Working with residents, town staff and elected leaders to move our town forward in areas that touch on youth and maintain our rural atmosphere, including Horseshoe Park.  

What does being nominated for this category mean to you? This honor is surprising and very much appreciated, but being included with such people as Mark Schnepf, Steve Sossaman and Paul Gardner really says something. I have worked alongside all three and have seen their vision and accomplishments, so to be included in such company is hard for me to believe.

What does it mean to be a Queen Creek resident? I travel a good deal in my day job, and in the past my wife and I have considered moving, but we have always come back to Queen Creek with its small-town feel (still), its focus on community and maintaining what is left of our rural heritage.

What do you think you bring to the local community that makes it better? Through Friends of Horseshoe Park, I help bring opportunities to our community that would not otherwise be available. Regular events that allow all members of our community to become better acquainted with the agricultural animals That are still resident in our town, including the horses and mules seen on our trails. We also provide volunteer and leadership opportunities for our youth through our youth rodeo committee.

What would you tell people about why it's important to make a difference in Queen Creek?

Everyone has a complaint or area they would like to change. Just complaining does not help anyone, but getting involved can. Even if the specific item of complaint is not remedied, getting a better understanding of the complex trade-offs involved in running our town helps as well. Our leaders need to hear from town residents on topics they are concerned about, and getting involved is how we make our form of government work.

Changes I'd like to see in this area: More trail connectivity. Many more residents taking part in the town’s Citizen Leadership Institute.

Favorite community cause & why: Friends of Horseshoe Park, of course. But there are so many outstanding organizations in our town, again, because caring residents take the time and energy to further causes they see as worthwhile. If I had to choose, I would say the American Legion and the Mary Gloria Foundation are my two more favorites of all my favorites.

My family: Wife Vickey, son, Jason, his wife, Kristi, and grandson, Tristan, who plays football, wrestles and I haven’t beaten in chess for years. Daughters, Jessi and Jamie.  Jamie is married to Tyler and together have granddaughter, Blake. My mother, Ruth, turned 97 this year and still lives in Tempe near my sister, Beth.

My interests and hobbies: Engineering and delivering cutting-edge communication solutions for our military. Riding our mules on the QC trails, all over Arizona and various parts of the Western U.S.

The trait(s) I admire in others: Listening. The ability to engage in constructive conversation, without animosity or personal attacks. Long-term volunteering to a cause or causes that benefits others.

People who inspired me (and how): My parents, who provided a loving and supportive home, and the desire to learn and travel. John Peterson, youth pastor, who taught me to speak quietly and act on your convictions. Bob Johannsen, who taught me to look at things from multiple perspectives and consider the basis for my own perspective on topics.

My guiding philosophy: Laugh at yourself and help others see the humor around them. Humor is a great tool to lessen stress and keep tasks fun. Treat others as you would like to be treated.

My advice to today’s youth: Get involved with your peers and adults. Take on leadership roles or roles of greater responsibility. Be part of the solution, regardless of the size of the topic or task. As I noted above, even if your proposed solution isn’t implemented or chosen, just being involved will help you learn to better communicate your views, in preparation for future interactions with decision makers.     

The Queen Creek Independent is pleased to announce Jon Wootten as the May 2026 Hometown Hero bestowed in the category of Lifetime Achievement. The Queen Creek Independent along with East Valley Institute of Technology and the Queen Creek Olive Mill salute Mr. Wootten as this month's Queen Creek Hometown Heroes Awards recipient.