Photo: Harvey and Marnie Dietrich
Please join the Arizona Jewish Historical Society in honoring Marnie and Harvey Dietrich. Together, this dynamic couple has enriched not only the local Jewish community of Phoenix, but the state of Arizona, the nation and have also had tremendous impact globally through their activism, volunteerism, civic engagement and philanthropy. Proceeds from this gala event support the ongoing restoration of the Cutler-Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center and its museum exhibitions and educational and cultural programs.
Marnie and Harvey Dietrich, longtime Arizona residents, exemplify the best of tikkun olam (repair the world). They have enriched not only the Jewish community of Greater Phoenix, but the state of Arizona, the nation, and the world through their activism, volunteerism, civic engagement and philanthropy.
Harvey Dietrich is Arizona’s Jewish cowboy. He planted his boots in Arizona nearly 60 years ago, working first as a cattle buyer. Harvey and his partners founded Sun Land Beef in Tolleson, which was one of the top ten meatpacking plants in the United States. Harvey sold Sun Land Beef in 1997. For three decades he has operated Cholla Livestock/Diamond A Ranch, Arizona’s largest cattle ranch covering 750,000 acres.
Harvey has supported healthy food initiatives and led the fight to ban artificial drugs and GMO’s in cattle feed. In 2013, he and associates started the “Beef Additive Alert” website that exposes problems in the industry and advocates ethical treatment of animals and integrity in the meatpacking industry.
In 2015, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City honored Harvey with the Chester A. Reynolds Award for lifetime achievements embodying the ideals of individualism, honesty, humility and integrity. Throughout his life, Harvey has promoted ethical business practices, including humane treatment of his livestock, fair treatment of his employees and stewardship of the land. In 2014 Harvey was also honored as the Arizona Pioneer Stockman by the Arizona National Livestock Show.
Marnie Dietrich was born and raised in Davenport, IA. From a very early age, she was identified as the “class artist” and knew she would one day become an interior designer. In high school, she made the local news for her ground-breaking enrollment in an all-male architectural drafting class. Having earned a full scholarship, Marnie graduated with honors from California State University.
After graduating from college, Marnie was employed as a flight attendant by Continental Airlines in the 1970s. Her main assignments were flights ferrying soldiers between the United States and Vietnam. After leaving Continental, Marnie enrolled in UCLA’s Graduate Program in Architecture and Design. She began her career by helping friends design their home and office interiors. During the 1980s, Marnie was a lead residential designer for Canal & Chaffin, a premier design firm in Newport Beach and Los Angeles. She launched her own company in the 1990s.
Harvey and Marnie support a variety of civic and charitable organizations. They are generous supporters of medical institutions, including the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, Honor Health Heart Group, T-Gen Cancer Center and Barrows Neurological Institute. They also support the Jewish National Fund which supports development in Israel. They have traveled to Israel with JNF on two missions. Harvey is on the JNF’s Board of Trustees and Marnie is a member of the Sapphire Society and President’s Club. Harvey and Marnie also support education and the arts, including Hillsdale College, Chapman University, the Arizona Theatre Company, the Phoenix Symphony, the Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival and the Phoenix Art Museum. Marnie is a former member of the ASU Women in Philanthropy and a current member of the Jewish Women’s Conservative Forum. Harvey and Marnie are members of the Arizona Jewish Historical Society, and Harvey serves on its Board of Directors. They also are members of Congregation Beth Israel.
2019 JERRY LEWKOWITZ HERITAGE AWARD
When: Saturday, Nov. 16; Cocktail Reception begins at 6 pm, Dinner, Award Ceremony and Performance at 7:15 pm
Where: Monterra at WestWorld, 16601 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale
Tickets: $200 per person; includes cocktail reception, dinner, award program and live entertainment.
Information: Call 602-241-7870 or visit azjhs.org. People of all faiths welcome!
