Ruiz, Armando, 1957-

Arizona legislative representative.

Though born in New Mexico in 1957, Armando Ruiz was raised in Arizona. He holds a B.A. in Latin American studies and a B.S. in psychology from Loyola Marymount University. In 1981 he became the youngest Mexican-American to be elected to the Arizona House of Representatives. Though Ruiz' primary occupation is real estate development, he is active in a number of community activities such as Wesley Community Center, Memorial Family Health Center and St. Mary's Food Bank. His political interests include education of at-risk students, lessening Arizona's dependence on sales tax, and spearheading the recent effort to defeat Proposition 106 and the English Only Movement.

Armando Ruiz represented District 23 in the Arizona House of Representatives. He was born in Lordsburg, New Mexico in 1957 and raised in Arizona. He is a graduate of the Brophy Preparatory High School and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Loyola Marymount University.

Ruiz was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 1981, the youngest Mexican-American legislator ever elected in the state of Arizona. He served on the following House committees: Judiciary, Rules, Transportation, and Ways and Means.

Ruiz' primary occupation is in real estate development, but he is also involved in a number of community endeavors, including the Wesley Community Center, the Memorial Family Health Center, St. Mary's Food Bank and the Brophy College Prep Board of Regents. His interests in political issues include equitable funding for education of at-risk students and lessening Arizona's dependency on sales tax. Although he is dedicated to several goals, his principle devotion is to educate the young so they will have opportunities to better themselves, yet not forget the teachings of the elderly and the traditions of their culture . When the English Only Movement devised Proposition 106 to make English the only official language of Arizona, Representative Ruiz spearheaded the political campaign to defeat the initiative and established himself as a voice for equality and justice for ethnic and racial minorities in Arizona.