Annual Meeting Day
Secretary Gates officially became the 9th Chairman of EF the next morning at the Annual Meeting of the Board of Trustees, then met with Fellows from the 2018 Global Program and the 2017 USA and Zhi-Xing Programs in a wide-ranging seminar at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel attended by more than 200 guests, including young leaders from the Philadelphia Military Academy.
That evening, Secretary Gates presided over the 2018 Annual Awards Dinner at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, hosted by President Gail Harrity, an Eisenhower Fellow. Gail and Philadelphia Mayor James Kenney greeted guests at a pre-dinner cocktail reception punctuated by a musical performance from a group of Mummers, Philadelphia’s distinctive street performers whose annual New Year’s Day celebration is a local ritual.
More than 315 invited guests heard USA Fellow Candice Smith and Global Fellow Vlad Voiculescu eloquently describe their fellowship experiences. President George de Lama updated the EF global family on recent developments and announced several new initiatives, including a pilot Saudi Arabia Program this fall and tentative plans for a second All-Ireland Program in Spring 2019. He also announced the establishment of the Hap and Marcia Wagner Eisenhower Fellowship for a named Fellow from the Bay Area in perpetuity to honor the Wagners’ extraordinary, longtime support for EF.
Distinguished Fellow Award and Eisenhower Medal
Secretary Gates presented the 2018 Distinguished Fellow Award to Minister Mari Pangestu of Indonesia and the Eisenhower Medal of Leadership and Service to EF Trustees David and Susan Eisenhower for their distinguished professional careers and their longtime work to advance the legacy of their grandfather, our namesake, President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The evening was punctuated by a standing ovation from all the assembled guests when master of ceremonies and veteran NPR and ABC News correspondent Deborah Amos individually named and thanked all the members of the EF staff for their exceptional work in organizing the historic two days of events.