Danny Knee

Deputy director, Habitat for Humanity Tucson

Age: 36

Community involvement: Tucson Urban League's Young Professionals, program volunteer; Tucson Metropolitan Housing Commission, board member

First paying job: Writing about high school sports for a small community newspaper - I made $15 an article.

Proudest professional accomplishment: Every time I've been part of turning over the keys to a new house to a first-time homeowner

Unique thing no one knows: I want to write a young adult novel that will be on every middle school reading list someday.

A word from the nominator: "Mr. Knee works 60-plus-hour work weeks to provide affordable housing and economic development opportunities to hundreds of our low-income neighbors. These opportunities not only benefit these families, they also benefit local employers and other tax payers in the community, as these low-income families are brought more fully in to our wealth-building market economy and into deeper civic engagement." - Michael McDonald, executive director, Habitat for Humanity Tucson