NYC Teacher Pension Fund Pledges $1 Billion to Investments in Post-Sandy Reconstruction and Other Critical Infrastructure

New Funding is Progress in Meeting a $10 billion Clinton Global Initiative Commitment to Action to Invest in American Infrastructure

New York – In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the New York City Teachers Retirement System has pledged $1 billion to new investments in infrastructure projects, including improvements to transportation, power, water, communications, and housing in New York City and throughout the tri-state area.

While all projects will be rated on the basis of their return and the fund’s fiduciary standards, potential investments could range from repairing bridges to rebuilding housing destroyed by the hurricane. In addition to repairing and upgrading facilities used by hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers, the infrastructure fund could create thousands of jobs.

This pledge is part of a multi-year Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Commitment to Action made by the AFL-CIO, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and partners at the inaugural CGI America meeting in June 2011. The AFL-CIO, AFT, AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Department, Union Labor Life Insurance Company, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO’s Housing Investment Trust, AFL-CIO Working for America Institute, and other partners committed to encourage both workers’ capital and skilled labor to contribute to large-scale investments in the reconstruction of America's built environment. Working with money managers, asset consultants, pension funds, developers, and federal, state and local governments, the Commitment to Action will finance the construction and repair of quality public infrastructure which will result in at least $10 billion in workers' capital invested in this area within five years. The CGI Commitment also includes a pledge to invest $10 to $20 million in energy efficient retrofits and an effort to train 40,000 new apprentices and 100,000 mid-career construction workers in the skills necessary to work on 21st century infrastructure projects. To date, the commitment has reached more than $2.7 billion of its total goal.

At a press conference this afternoon, President Bill Clinton, Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and point person for the Obama Administration’s long-term Hurricane Sandy recovery effort Shaun Donovan, UFT President Michael Mulgrew, Comptroller for the City of New York John Liu, and AFT President Randi Weingarten announced the $1 billion allocation, which will not only create jobs, but also strengthen infrastructure so New York is better prepared to protect vulnerable populations from the rising sea levels, droughts, and increased frequency of storms that coincide with climate change.

“Together the work will benefit our future not only in terms of more efficient buildings and reducing the threat of climate change, but also in the lives of teachers, construction workers, and in lowering energy costs for people all over America,” said President Clinton. “This is a remarkable commitment. It represents a very significant step forward in meeting the entire AFL-CIO CGI commitment to bring Americans back to work, to bring inefficient buildings up to speed, and in this case, to putting us on the path to a sustainable future for New York City.”

“The critical commitment of the Teachers Retirement System at this early stage is one that I hope will inspire and encourage others,” said Secretary Donovan. “This infusion of private capital is like seed money that will allow us to address not only the recovery from Sandy but also the underlying infrastructure challenges that our communities face.”

UFT President Michael Mulgrew said: “We have been working for months to create an investment strategy for the teacher pension fund that will help meet New York’s pressing needs for repairing and updating our roads and bridges, our water and power systems, and middle-income housing. Hurricane Sandy has brought those needs into keener focus, and I am happy to stand here today and say that the teachers of New York City are taking a leadership role in helping to rebuild our city and state.”

“New Yorkers prove their determination and ingenuity in times of adversity,” said New York City Comptroller John C. Liu. “Sandy hit us hard, but the superstorm will not keep us down. This innovative plan could help us rebuild the City, create jobs, and yield solid returns on our pension funds. Together we can produce great projects that are also sound investments.”

“This investment is another example of America’s educators stepping up to not only educate and care for our children but to also revitalize our communities, create jobs, and strengthen our economy,” said American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten. “New York City Teacher Pension funds have always taken a lead in tough times to rebuild our city, from buying city bonds to avert bankruptcy in the 1970s to investing hundreds of millions in the stock market to bolster the economy after 9/11when economic activity had pretty much stopped in lower Manhattan. This investment continues that tradition in the wake of superstorm Sandy and budget cuts that have stifled investment and is part of a broader effort by labor to invest in America’s future and create jobs. I couldn’t be prouder of my home city, my home local, of the labor movement, and to be doing this with President Clinton and the Clinton Global Initiative.”

“Infrastructure investments are critical to maintaining our economic security, as has been brought into stark relief by Hurricane Sandy,” said Gary LaBarbera, president of the Building and Construction Trades Council of New York. “Today's announcement of a $1 billion investment by the New York City Teachers Retirement System in our infrastructure underscores the leadership role that organized labor, working with the Clinton Global Initiative and our friends in business and government, can play in bringing the level of resources to bear that are needed to collectively meet this challenge and create thousands of jobs.”

Investments in infrastructure have the potential to provide enhanced fixed-income returns, while creating jobs, enhancing our nation's competitiveness, and addressing the threat of climate change and foreign energy dependence. Recent estimates of the number of jobs created directly or indirectly by infrastructure investment vary from 18,000 jobs per $1 billion invested (American Public Transportation Association 2009 study) to 36,000 jobs per $1 billion invested (University of Massachusetts at Amherst 2009 report).

The Teachers Retirement System infrastructure investments could take the form of bonds purchased by the fund from owners of the projects, or in partial ownership of the projects themselves. Recommendations about actual projects or the form of investment in them will be made by investment professionals on the Comptroller’s staff to the trustees of the TRS, who will make the final decision. The Trustees of the New York City Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) are: Chairperson Melvyn Aaronson, United Federation of Teachers; Sandra March and Mona Romain, United Federation of Teachers; John Liu, New York City Comptroller; Kathleen Grimm, New York City Department of Education; Carolyn Wolpert and Frieda Foster, Mayor’s appointees. The New York City Teachers Pension Fund manages assets of approximately $46 billion for approximately 110,000 in-service members and nearly 80,000 retirees.

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Statement by President Bill Clinton on World AIDS Day 2012

New York, NY – Today is a time to remember lives that have been lost, both known and unknown, and to focus attention on the challenges we still face in the global fight against HIV. Today, there are still 7 million individuals who need treatment – and 5 more people contract HIV every minute.

But it is also a time to recognize those from all corners of the world who have been working tirelessly towards an AIDS-free generation. I’ve been proud and humbled, through my Foundation, to be a part of this global effort. 10 years ago, the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative – now the Clinton Health Access Initiative – was established to help bring lifesaving AIDS drugs to people around the world, at a time when less than 70,000 people were receiving treatment in developing countries. It’s a decade later, and UNAIDS has just released a new report that shows we have made remarkable progress in the fight against AIDS. 10 countries have achieved universal access to treatment. More than 8 million people are on treatment around the world. This kind of progress was unthinkable 10 years ago, but the HIV community – patients and communities, civil society, doctors and nurses, NGOs, Ministries of Health, donors and everyone in between – proved what we can accomplish together.

We should be proud of these accomplishments, but we should also recognize that our fight is far from over. On this World AIDS Day, we all need to recommit to the end of AIDS.

To get there, we need to radically reduce new infections. We need to reach universal access in every last high-burden country. We need to ensure that once people are on treatment, they stay on treatment for life. And yes, we’ll need more money to do it all – but we can also do a lot more with the money we have.

So as we begin a new year, I hope we can honor the memory of those we’ve lost by redoubling our efforts in the fight against HIV. Millions more need and deserve care, and it’s up to us – all of us – to ensure they receive it.

Fred,

Over the course of the last several decades in the United States, the landscape of health has vastly changed. Today more Americans are drinking high-calorie beverages instead of water; working more hours and sleeping less; and being less physically active than ever before. These changing lifestyles are not only taking a toll on our health, but driving up health care costs in a way that can't be sustained.

But the good news is this: healthier lifestyle choices today can improve our health tomorrow. And by helping more people access healthy lifestyles, and inspiring more people to make wellness a priority, we can build a healthier future for all.

The Clinton Health Matters Initiative (CHMI) was created to do just that – to help people change the course of their own health while simultaneously changing the systems and places that affect individual health. Over the course of the next few months, we'll be sharing a variety of tools and solutions that are improving health outcomes for people, communities, and businesses across the U.S. – and providing more ways for you to get involved in activating wellness with your friends and neighbors.

Here are some actions you can take to start:
	Test your wellness knowledge with our quiz – and share it with your friends.
	Learn more about the issues by reading a message from Ginny Ehrlich, CHMI's Chief Executive Officer.
	Visit the Clinton Health Matters website to see some solutions that are already working on the ground.

Thank you for supporting our newest initiative, and we look forward to building a healthy future with you.

– The Clinton Foundation

Former Ritz Carlton President Horst Schulze Talks About The New Frontier In Luxury Hotels

             

Most everyone knows Horst Schulze as the man who defined the luxury hotel experience through his long tenure as President of The Ritz Carlton Hotels. After resigning over a decade ago, Shulze took the weekend off and then announced to his family, “I’m going to do it one more time.” That following Monday he began looking for an office.

Horst Schulze

Today Schulze is once again at the helm of a pioneering luxury operation, the West Paces Hotel Group. But this time he insists the dynamics have changed and his hotels are once again re-defining luxury for the industry.  I caught up with him at the recent Taste of the Nation event in Atlanta (where he was an honorary chairman). Warm, effusive and funny, Schulze opened up about everything from who mows his lawn (his wife, sometimes) to the new frontier in luxury: ultraluxury.

Estralla Suite at Capella Pedregal, Cabo San Lucas

I knew I should have been better at Ritz Carlton and taken luxury to another level. The moment you step out of where you were, at that moment you know what you did wrong. It’s hard to see that when you are in it. Knowing what I knew and having to sit there for the rest of my life knowing it would make me crazy. I had to go out and create Capella Hotels.
The luxury market is changing. Luxury is evolving and what was luxury yesterday is not luxury today. It used to be a glass elevator in a hotel lobby. We conducted numerous intensive customer studies and it was clear at the time that the luxury market was changing, evolving into two markets. You will see in the next few years that you will refer to the traditional luxury hotels (Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton) as affordable luxury and the next level is our brand of ultraluxury.
Our Capella Hotels are ultraluxury; the new dimension in luxury. Ultraluxury is defined by the guest. Our studies show they do not want large hotels. They want the infrastructure of a large hotel (spa, restaurant, etc) and they want activity and privacy at the same time. We knew our Capella hotels would have to be small, not host big conventions and specialize in personalized service. You cannot have individual, personal service in a large hotel, it’s not possible. The smaller hotels are where we truly care for our guests and do everything as long as its legal, moral and ethical.
Ultra luxury means no conventions. We talked to individuals who might pay $800 for small suite on club level. They’d hop on the elevator and get pushed into the corner by the guys who are attending the Beer Can Collector’s Convention. Now, our guest says, “I have nothing against conventions, but I don’t like them to control me and my experience.” That development really started 10 years ago, you could see it, but it wasn’t clear, today it’s quite clear.
We are superior to the competition because we hire employees who work in an environment of belonging and purpose. That is my mantra. We foster a climate where the employee can deliver what the customer wants. You cannot deliver what the customer wants by controlling the employee. Employees who are controlled cannot respond caringly, you need superior knowledge and real leadership, not management. Because of this we specifically developed a selection process for leaders; we don’t hire managers.
The finest people in the world work in our hotels and I don’t let just somebody train them when we open a hotel, I train them. I did that in 50 Ritz Carltons and I still do it. I do it because I love it, not because I have to.
I’ll give you an example of our employee dedication. We had a night bellman who went with a guest to the hospital (the guest had appendicitis) and stayed all night there with him. That’s who we are.
I didn’t take Trip Advisor seriously at first, I have to tell you. Two years ago I received a call from a guy who tells me his stay atCapella Pedregal was his greatest hotel experience in the world. He loved it so much he had to tell me in person. I asked him, ‘how did you find out about us?’
He told me he looked under most expensive hotels in Cabo San Lucas and then went on Trip Advisor and noted who had the best comments.  I couldn’t believe he made a decision from Trip Advisor. Now I take it very seriously, we watch it constantly and immediately go to any guest that had a problem.
I think it is immoral to hire people to fulfill functions, a chair has a function. We hire people to join us and be part of us; their job/function is incidental. You hire a human being to be part of dream and part of a vision. We just did employee survey, asking them how much they cared for our company, on a scale of 1 to 5, five being the highest. Ninety-four percent answered with a score of five! This is unheard of, totally incredible, I love this company!

We have another brand, Solis. It will compete directly with the affordable luxury hotels, larger and able to host conventions, etc.
I was born in a small German village in the Mosel and left home at 14 and started as a bus boy. I knew I wanted to be in hotels at the age of 11. My parents finally agreed to let me leave and I’ve lived in hotels ever since. Today I live in a home with my family, but for a long time it was hotels. I know the pain of every employee in my business, because I have done every job.
In my down time I fish and look at flowers with my wife. I have four daughters so that was our life for a long time; they are older now. There is a lot of simplicity to our home; we don’t have a butler or anything else like that.
It takes conscious effort to remain simple when all I do is luxury for a living. I remember my first hotel manager job. My wife and I decided that once a week we would go shopping for groceries and not depend on room service to just send something up. We worked to keep our feet on the ground, not using the maid service every day, etc. It’s very easy, but dangerous, to get used to that kind of life. I never wanted to get to that point of idiocy, where we couldn’t smell our own perfume. I didn’t want that nor did my wife; we have a relatively normal life. I don’t intend to dismiss who I really am.
No one can compete with Capella. Other hotels cannot say I will do everything for you; they cannot do that with 600 rooms it’s impossible.

 

More Than 1,000 Volunteers Unite for ‘Day of Action’ to Help New York City Victims of Hurricane Sandy

The Clinton Foundation and Clinton Global Initiative, with Team Rubicon, NYC Service, and New York Cares, mobilize more than 1,000 participants to join President Clinton and Chelsea Clinton in a day of volunteer service in the Rockaways

New York, NY – On Sunday, November 18, the Clinton Foundation and the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) brought more than 1,000 volunteers to the Rockaways in Queens to participate in “A Day of Action for New York,” an effort to bring relief to one of the areas hardest-hit by Hurricane Sandy. Joining President Bill Clinton and Chelsea Clinton, volunteers spent more than 5,000 hours clearing debris, cleaning out flooded basements, cleaning the beachfront, and distributing disaster relief supplies and coats to aid in the recovery of a community still reeling from Sandy’s devastation.

“The impact of Hurricane Sandy has devastated families and communities along the East Coast, including many right here in New York City,” said Chelsea Clinton. “Yesterday, the Clinton Foundation and the Clinton Global Initiative were able to bring people and organizations together for a Day of Action for New York to aid in recovery efforts. By working with friends, partners, and local community members, we were proud to be able to make a small but meaningful difference in an area hard hit by Sandy.”

The Rockaways, an 11-mile peninsula in Queens facing the Atlantic Ocean, was one of the areas most impacted by the storm. Thousands of residents experienced extensive damage, including loss of power and homes destroyed by floods and fires. Recovery has been slow for the many victims still without heat, power, and running water.

On Sunday, more than 1,000 volunteers, including staff, supporters, and friends of the Clinton Foundation, and CGI members and commitment makers, worked at locations throughout the Rockaways. More than 500 volunteers helped home-owners clear debris with Team Rubicon, a CGI member whose CGI commitment includes engaging veterans and military family members in 1.5 million hours of volunteer service in communities nationwide by July 2013. The remaining volunteers, in coordination with NYC Service and New York Cares, worked at the Key Foods and St. Francis Church distribution sites to hand out emergency supplies and canvass door-to-door to provide crucial information to residents. Volunteers were also dispatched to Rockaway Beach to help with park cleanup efforts and to Peninsula Library to help distribute winter coats.

In addition to the immediate response to Hurricane Sandy, the Clinton Foundation and CGI recognize that most disaster response involves a multi-year effort and will continue to explore the long-term challenges of how to best coordinate efforts, forge partnerships, and strategically respond to the devastating effects of man-made and natural disasters like Hurricane Sandy. Through its ongoing focus on “Resilient Cities,” CGI is looking for new ways to strengthen infrastructure and be better prepared to protect vulnerable populations from the rising sea levels, droughts, and increased frequency of storms that coincide with climate change.

Please visit clintonfoundation.org/main/get-involved/take-action/support-hurricane-sandy-relief-efforts.html to learn of other ways to support disaster relief efforts or commit volunteer hours in your own community.

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                                                       About the Clinton Foundation

Building on a lifetime of public service, President Bill Clinton established the William J. Clinton Foundation with the mission to improve global health, strengthen economies, promote healthier childhoods, and protect the environment by fostering partnerships among governments, businesses, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and private citizens to turn good intentions into measurable results. Since 2001, President Clinton's vision and leadership have resulted in more than 4.5 million people benefiting from lifesaving HIV/AIDS treatment; more than 15,000 U.S. schools building healthier learning environments; and more than 33,000 micro-entrepreneurs, small business owners, and smallholder farmers improving their livelihoods and communities. And President Clinton has redefined the way we think about giving and philanthropy through his Clinton Global Initiative (CGI). To date, CGI members have made nearly 2,300 commitments, which have already improved the lives of more than 400 million people in more than 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will be valued at $73.1 billion. For more information, visit clintonfoundation.org.

                                                      About the Clinton Global Initiative

Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to create and implement innovative solutions to the world's most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 150 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date CGI members have made more than 2,300 commitments, which have improved the lives of over 400 million people in more than 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will be valued at more than $73.1 billion.

CGI also convenes CGI America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions to economic recovery in the United States, and CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their community or around the world. For more information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.

                                                                     About Team Rubicon

Team Rubicon (TR) unites the skills and experience of military veterans with first responders to rapidly deploy emergency response teams into crisis situations. TR offers veterans a chance to continue their service by helping and empowering those afflicted by disasters, and also themselves. For more about Team Rubicon, visit www.teamrubiconusa.org.

                                                                         NYC Service

The NYC Civic Corps is the signature initiative of NYC Service, which was launched by Mayor Bloomberg in April 2009 to meet his State of the City pledge for New York City to lead the nation in answering President Obama's national call to volunteerism. NYC Service is meeting its goals to make New York City the easiest place in the world to volunteer, target volunteer efforts to address the most pressing local challenges, and promote service as a core part of what it means to be a New Yorker. NYC Service aims to drive volunteer resources to six impact areas where New York City's needs are greatest: strengthening communities, helping neighbors in need, improving education, increasing public health, enhancing emergency preparedness and protecting our environment.

Since its inception in April of 2009, NYC Service has engaged over 2 million New Yorkers in a wide range of volunteer activities, from beautifying neighborhood blocks, to providing tax assistance to low-income families, to volunteering to teach free fitness classes at City recreation centers, to coating rooftops with reflective white paint to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. NYC Service oversees 25 new or expanded volunteer initiatives and the comprehensive website, located at www.nyc.gov, has made it easier for New Yorkers to find opportunities to make a difference. More than 560,000 unique visitors to the NYC Service website had access to over 5,700 volunteer opportunities.

New Yorkers can find opportunities to serve their communities by visiting www.nyc.gov or by calling 311.

                                                                     New York Cares

New York Cares is New York City’s largest volunteer organization. Founded 25 years ago, New York Cares runs volunteer programs for 1,200 New York City nonprofits, city agencies, and public schools across the five boroughs. Last year, 54,000 New York Cares volunteers served on hands-on volunteer projects helping 400,000 New Yorkers in need. New York Cares offers a full range of volunteer programs that meet critical social needs, including helping children learn to read, preparing meals for homeless and housebound people, helping low income students get into college, and much more. For more information, visit newyorkcares.org.

Diageo Honors Leading Supply Partners at Second Annual Diageo North America Supplier Awards

Monday, Oct. 22, 2012 - 8:20 am

NORWALK, Conn., Oct. 22, 2012 -- NORWALK, Conn., Oct. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Diageo, the world's leading beverage alcohol company, honored materials, packaging and service delivery partners at its second annual Diageo North America Supplier Awards on October 4. Over 130 guests were in attendance representing more than 35 key suppliers.
David Cutter, President Americas Supply said, "Working with World Class Suppliers is a key element in ensuring Diageo delivers on quality, innovation, service and value to its customers. Diageo North America's Supplier Awards is one way that we can recognize the great contributions of our supply partners."

The awards program was launched to recognize suppliers who delivered outstanding results against all of Diageo North America's Supply and Procurement metrics or achieved breakthrough performance in Diageo's fiscal 2012. Suppliers were recognized in nine award categories including the coveted Supplier of the Year Award.
Each of the unique categories represents the different ways Diageo's suppliers have significantly contributed to its business objectives. Below are the categories and winners for the 2012 Diageo North America Supplier Awards:
                                                      

Supplier of the Year	CCL Labels
Quality Excellence	Grain Processing Corporation
Service Excellence	Pratt Industries
Value Creation	Moosehead Breweries
Collaboration Excellence	Spear Label Company
Innovation Excellence	LiDestri
Breakthrough Performance	Berry Plastics Corporation
Distinguished Honors – Special Projects	Perrier (Fowler) and J. Benton Construction
Emerging Markets Supplier Excellence	Textile USA – Vietnam

About the Diageo North America Supplier Awards

The Supplier of the Year Award category represents suppliers who exemplify brilliant performance, excellence and execution in all areas of quality, service, innovation, breakthrough performance, and value creation, exemplifying the attributes Diageo looks for in its strategic supply partners.

The Quality Excellence Award is given to one of Diageo's suppliers that have demonstrated outstanding performance in quality of materials and service; process capability improvement, utilizing root cause problem solving techniques, schedule adherence performance, and helped us improve our overall equipment effectiveness as a result.

The Service Excellence Award is given to a supplier that has reliably delivered materials to Diageo on time and in full through robust capacity and production planning processes while improving lead times. The suppliers nominated in this category have demonstrated flexibility and responsiveness in the face of a challenging forecasting environment, and offered outstanding levels of partnership and service.

The Value Creation Award is given to the Diageo supplier who has demonstrated a deep commitment to a continuous improvement culture while driving year over year cost reductions and overall value.  Value

The Collaboration Excellence Award is given to a supplier who has demonstrated a deep commitment to resolving material or service issues in collaboration with our conversion site teams utilizing robust root cause problem solving methods. Suppliers recognized in this category have also helped Diageo to meet its social responsibility goals on safety, environmental and sustainability.

The Innovation Excellence Award is given to the supplier who has demonstrated brilliant execution of new Diageo product offerings. By working in partnership with Diageo, this supplier has shown breakthrough performance and speed to market despite demanding timelines.

The Breakthrough Performance Award is given to a supplier who has faced challenging performance goals and demonstrated tremendous improvements in both service and quality, enabling improved success for Diageo.

The Distinguished Honors – Special Projects award is given to the supplier who has delivered a significant and critical project on time and on budget with exceptional leadership and delivered creative ideas that deliver value to Diageo.

The Emerging Markets Supplier Excellence Award is given to a Supplier who is located in an Emerging Market and has demonstrated superior quality, service, responsiveness, value and outstanding corporate citizenship in their communities.

About Diageo

Diageo (Dee-AH-Gee-O) is the world's leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, beer and wine. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, JεB, Windsor, Buchanan's and Bushmills whiskies, Smirnoff, Ciroc and Ketel One vodkas, Baileys, Captain Morgan, Jose Cuervo, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is a global company, with its products sold in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at Diageo.com. For our global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit DRINKiQ.com.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.   

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/10/22/4929414/diageo-honors-leading-supply-partners.html#storylink=cpy

Wine Spectator Announces:

The New World Wine Experience - October 18 - 20 Los Angeles

Registration for the weekend includes the Thursday and Friday evening Grand Tastings, the Friday and Saturday daytime sit-down conducted tastings, seminars, and luncheons, and the Saturday evening black-tie Grand Award Banquet.
• $1875 per person. CLICK HERE to order tickets

DAY ONE
Thursday, October 18, 2012

EVENING
6:30 pm*–10:00 pm • Grand Tastings
The New World Wine Experience begins with the Grand Tastings. This is the first of two nights to taste wine from more than 200 prestigious New World wineries from California, Oregon, Washington, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, Chile and beyond, that have been selected for excellence by Wine Spectator's board of editors. Each winery has been asked to pour one great vintage throughout the two nights of tastings—a wine rated 90 points or higher by Wine Spectator. This is a rare opportunity to meet the owners and winemakers who will be pouringtheir wines. These walk-around events are considered among the most educational and enjoyable features of any Wine Experience. Click here for a list of participating producers
*6:30 pm - 7:30 pm is reserved for Complete Package registrants and other people in their party for whom they have purchased tickets.7:30 pm is the admission time for people who are not coming to the entire weekend and have purchased Grand Tasting tickets only.

DAY TWO
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2012

MORNING
Part I 9:00 am–9:15 am
"Welcome and Preview of the New World Wine Experience," Marvin R. Shanken, editor & publisher, Wine Spectator.

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Part II 9:15 am–9:45 am • Krug Champagne Tasting
A rare opportunity to taste four exceptional vintages of Krug Champagne, hosted by Olivier Krug, director of this legendary Champagne house. The Champagnes are:

1. Krug Brut Champagne 2000
2. Krug Brut Champagne Grande Cuvée NV
3. Krug Brut Rosé Champagne NV
4. Krug Brut Champagne Collection 1989

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Part III 9:45 am–10:00 am • Wine Star No. 1: Penfolds Grange
Throughout the weekend there will be individual presentations of benchmark wines from some of the world's greatest wine producers, each a celebrity in the world of wine. The first wine star presenting a wine is Peter Gago, winemaker.

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Part IV 10:00 am–10:40 am • Biodynamic Wines Tasting
An exploration of this controversial philosophy through four great wines from around the world, presented by their producers. The wines are:

1. Araujo Syrah Napa Valley Eisele Vineyard 2009
2. Bodega Noemía de Patagonia Río Negro Valley 2009
3. Château Pontet-Canet Pauillac 2009
4. Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Alsace Turckheim Clos Jebsal Sélection des Grains Nobles 2001

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Part V 10:40 am–10:55 am • Wine Star No. 2: Château d'Yquem
Presenting the second wine is Pierre Lurton, CEO and managing director.

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Part VI 10:55 am–11:20 am • Subtle Australia
Who knew the Aussies could be subtle? You will, as Matt Kramer, columnist, Wine Spectator, shows you the kinder, gentler side of great Aussie reds and whites, with not a Shiraz in sight.

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Part VII 11:20 am–12:00 pm • New Perspectives on California Rhône Reds
A tasting of ground breaking wines from four women who have added their own unique qualities to this rising-star category. The winemakers are:

• Anne-Marie Failla, Failla Wines
• Annie Favia, Favia Wines
• Jordan Fiorentini, Epoch Estates
• Helen Keplinger, Keplinger Wines

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LUNCHEON 12:00 pm–1:30 pm
A gourmet lunch sponsored by the Washington State Wine Commission. In this informal tasting venue, you'll have the opportunity to taste a variety of top-scoring wines from Washington State and determine your own food-and-wine pairings. You'll enjoy a special menu designed to highlight these wines.

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AFTERNOON
Part VIII 1:30 pm–1:45 pm • Wine Star No. 3: Maison Louis Jadot
Pierre-Henry Gagey, president, will present the third wine in the wine star series.

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Part IX 1:45 pm–3:00 pm • Wine Spectator's Top 10 Tasting
A tasting of the 2011 Top 10 wines as selected by the Wine Spectator board of editors and published in the December 31, Top 100 issue—an annual highlight. Each winery owner or winemaker will comment on his wine. The wines are:

1. Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2009
2. Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Kathryn Hall 2008
3. Domaine Huët Vouvray Moelleux Clos du Bourg Première Trie 2009
4. Campogiovanni Brunello di Montalcino 2006
5. Dehlinger Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2008
6. Baer Ursa Columbia Valley 2008
7. Quinta do Vallado Touriga Nacional Douro 2008
8. Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra 2006
9. Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage La Guiraude 2009
10. Château de St.-Cosme Gigondas Valbelle 2009

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EVENING
6:30 pm*–10:00 pm • Grand Tastings
A second opportunity to taste the wines and meet the owners and winemakers from more than 200 specially selected wineries all of whom have been asked to pour a wine rated 90 points or higher by Wine Spectator. Click here for a list of participating wineries.
*6:30 pm - 7:30 pm is reserved for Complete Package registrants and other people in their party for whom they have purchased tickets. 7:30 pm is the admission time for people who are not coming to the entire weekend and have purchased Grand Tasting tickets only.

DAY THREE
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2012

MORNING
Part I 9:30 am–9:55 am
The first public showing of the video judged to be the 2012 winner of Wine Spectator's video contest.

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Part II 9:55 am–10:15 am • Wine Star No. 4: Château Margaux
The fourth celebrity wine star presenting a special wine is Corinne Mentzelopoulos, owner.

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Part III 10:15 am–10:50 am • Blind Tasting
Test your tasting skills along with a surprise expert panel as we taste four wines blind.

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Part IV 10:50 am–11:10 am • Wine Star No. 5: Sine Qua Non
Manfred Krankl, owner and winemaker, is the fifth star on the program, presenting one of his top wines.

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Part V 11:10 am–12:00 pm • Food and Wine Tasting
Back by popular demand, the Wine Experience is again the stage for our "Four Chefs"— starring José Andrés (Bazaar, Los Angeles), Emeril Lagasse (Emeril's, New Orleans), Wolfgang Puck (Spago, Los Angeles) and Charlie Trotter (formerly Charlie Trotter's, Chicago). These extraordinary culinary artists will once again each prepare an exciting dish which will pair with another chef's wine selection. Thomas Matthews, executive editor, Wine Spectator, will choose the second wine for each dish. You decide who made the best choice.

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LUNCHEON 12:00 pm–1:30 pm
Napa Valley Vinters have selected a variety of interesting, high-scoring wines for this gourmet luncheon. You will have the opportunity to taste and compare these wines in an informal setting with a California cuisine themed menu.

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Afternoon
Part VI 1:30 pm–3:00 pm • The Best of Italy Tasting
A tasting of top wines from the country's major wine regions—great vintages presented by the owner or winemaker.

1. Antinori Toscana Tignanello 2008
2. Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Greppo Riserva 2006
3. Castello di Ama Chianti Classico Vigneto Bellavista 2007
4. Ferrari Brut Trento Giulio Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore 2001
5. Falletto di Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto 2007
6. Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Conteisa 2008
7. Jermann Venezia-Giulia Vintage Tunina 2009
8. Masi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Mazzano 2003
9. Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia 2008
10. Tenuta San Guido Bolgheri-Sassicaia Sassicaia 2008

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EVENING
GRAND AWARD Banquet
The Grand Award Banquet, the crowning event of the weekend, is a lavish black-tie evening with special wines, great food and star entertainment. It is the culmination of a weekend filled with new wine experiences and new wine friends.

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ENTERTAINMENT
Midtown Men, our entertainment, is an exciting group that will fill the room with sound and energy. They are the four stars from the original cast of Jersey Boys—J. Robert Spencer, Christian Hoff, Michael Longoria and Daniel Reichard. Backed by a sensational band, they are an exhilarating act that will have you singing and dancing to songs from the show as well as other groups' styles

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6:30 pm Champagne Reception

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7:30 pm The Annual Grand Award Banquet

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HIGHLIGHTING THE EVENING
Wine Spectator will present the 2012 Distinguished Service Award to Nicolás Catena, Bodega Catena Zapata, Mendoza, Argentina. He is a man who has helped Argentina raise wine quality and earn recognition on the world stage, bringing it fully into the New World of wine. In recognition of his accomplishments, he will be honored.
Wine Spectator will recognize the 2012 Grand Award winning restaurants, so honored for having the greatest wine lists in the world.
Wine Spectator will present the award to the producer of the No. 1 wine from its Top 100 as announced in the December 31, 2011 issue — Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2009.

Tickets for the Banquet may be purchased only by Complete Package registrants for their guests, and by members of the wine industry.

$1875 per person. CLICK HERE to order tickets

Important Notice: The New World Wine Experience is sponsored by the Wine Spectator Scholarship Foundation, which underwrites scholarships and grants to students pursuing careers in the wine industry. Attendance is tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.

Event sponsor reserves the right to refuse admission to any applicant. Must be 21 or older to enter.

Cancellation Policy: COMPLETE PACKAGE-A full refund is available until July 1, 2012. After that date, until September 15, there is a $500 per person cancellation fee. After September 15 there are no refunds. GRAND TASTING AND BANQUET TICKETS—Fully refundable until October 8. After that date, there are no refunds for any tickets. Registrations and tickets may be transferred to another person at any time.

For questions, e-mail: events@mshanken.com

William Grant & Sons in Los Angeles

The Balvenie hosted over 400 Scotch aficionados tonight for an evening of incredible whiskeys, hors d'œuvres, Champagne, mini-desserts, great coversation and lots of fun.

Brand Ambassador Loren Cousin pictured here with 2 fun NewYorkers

and Andrew Weir, U.S. Brand Manager The Balvenie.

 

The officers of the Los Angeles Scotch Club meet monthly.   

Tonight they were really loving their 15 year old Scotch.

 

Swedish Super-Model and her German filmmaker boyfriend, Patrick.

 CBB Editor Fred Karger along with Lorne Cousin.  Incredible evening Lorne!

 

 

Revelers Cody and Nick lapping up the Single Malt in the VIP Lounge.

Lorne Cousin welcoming all the guests to the Smogg Shopp, the Über Cool

event space where tonight's tasting and party took place.

 

 

President Clinton Hosts President Barack Obama, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, and Governor Mitt Romney on Closing Day of 2012 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting

Eighth CGI Annual Meeting Closes with over 150 new commitments made valued at more than $2 billion, expected to impact nearly 22 million people. Members have now made nearly 2,300 commitments, which will improve the lives of over 400 million people in more than 180 countries

First CGI Latin America established. CGI University, CGI America dates announced.

New York, NY – Today, President Barack Obama, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney joined President Clinton and other international leaders on the final day of the eighth Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting. Over three days, an array of heads of state, CEOs, non-profit leaders, and other global luminaries made over 150 new commitments, expected to impact nearly 22 million lives. To close the meeting, President Clinton and Chelsea Clinton announced plans for CGI University, CGI America, and the first CGI Latin America Meeting in 2013.

“I am convinced that cooperation, not conflict, will define this century,” said President Clinton. “From the capitols of the world to the most remote villages, people everywhere understand that there are universal challenges which face us all and are beyond the power of any individual to solve alone. As the eighth CGI Annual Meeting draws to a close, I celebrate our members who have committed to working together to meet these challenges head on. Their creative and focused actions will help to bring about a stable, sustainable world in which all people have a chance to thrive.”

The day’s theme, “Designing Our Systems,” emphasized that our interconnected world requires intentional systems of governance, community welfare, and commerce in order to create economic growth and provide for the social good. In the day’s sessions, CGI members examined tools and approaches used to design systems that enable sustainable prosperity and opportunity for all. Clinton Foundation and CGI board member Chelsea Clinton moderated a session called “The Case for Optimism in the 21^st Century.”

Following President Clinton’s conversation with President Morsi, Chelsea joined President Clinton to announce details for CGI University 2013. Washington University in St. Louis will serve as next year’s site for the gathering that brings students, youth organizations, topic experts, and celebrities together to explore innovative solutions to pressing global challenges. The meeting will take place April 5-7, 2013 and convene more than 1,000 students representing approximately 300 colleges and universities around the world.

President Clinton revealed that CGI will hold CGI Latin America in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil next year in December. It marks the Clinton Global Initiative’s first overseas meeting since convening CGI Asia in Hong Kong in 2008. President Clinton also announced that CGI America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions to economic recovery in the United States, will return to Chicago in June 2013.

Last night, President Clinton also honored this year’s recipients of the Clinton Global Citizen Award, Carlos Slim Helú, founder of Fundación Carlos Slim; Luis A. Moreno, president of Inter-American Development Bank; Denis O’Brien, chairman and founder of Digicel Group; Pepe Julian Onziema, programme director and advocacy officer of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG); The Right Reverend Christopher Senyonjo, executive director of St. Paul’s Reconciliation and Equality Centre; and Katie Stagliano, founder and chief executive gardener of Katie’s Krops.

Featured speakers on the closing day of the Annual Meeting included Barack Obama, 44^th President of the United States of America, Bill Clinton, 42^nd President of the United States of America and founding chairman of the Clinton Global Initiative, Felipe Calderón, President of Mexico, Mohamed Morsi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Tony Blair, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Mitt Romney, former Governor of Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Akinwumi Adesina, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Her Highness Princess Ameerah Al-Taweel, Vice Chairwoman and Secretary General, Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundations, Timothy F. Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Finance Minister, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, Founder and Chairperson of BRAC, Walter A. Bell, Chairman of the Board, Swiss Re America Holding Corporation, Deepak Chopra, Founder, The Chopra Foundation and Founder and Chairman of the Board of The Chopra Center for Wellbeing, Wesley Clark, Chairman and CEO of Wesley K. Clark & Associates, Chelsea Clinton, Board Member of the William J. Clinton Foundation and the Clinton Global Initiative, Piers Morgan, host of CNN’s Piers Morgan Tonight, Art Naqvi, Founder and Group Chief Executive of Abraaj Holdings, Clarence Otis, Jr., Chairman and CEO of Darden Restaurants, Inc., Bill Parish, President of Mosaic, Judith Rodin, President of the Rockefeller Foundation, Charlie Rose, Executive Editor and Anchor of Charlie Rose, Irene B. Rosenfeld, Chairman and CEO, Kraft Foods Incorporated, Richard Stengel, Managing Editor of TIME Magazine, Luis A. Ubiñaa, President, The Ford Foundation, and will.i.am, Founder, i.am.angel Foundation.

The 2012 CGI Annual Meeting is sponsored by Abraaj Capital, American Federation of Teachers, Ambassador Gianna Angelopoulos, APCO Worldwide, Barclays, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Booz Allen Hamilton, Cisco, CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets, Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, Delos Living, Deutsche Bank, Diageo PLC, The Dow Chemical Company, Duke Energy Corporation, ExxonMobil, The Ford Foundation, Varkey GEMS Foundation, The Goldman Sachs Group Inc, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing, Hewlett Packard Company, Inter-American Development Bank, InterEnergy, Jive Software, Knoll Inc, Laureate International Universities, Microsoft Corporation, NRG Energy Inc, Procter & Gamble, The Rockefeller Foundation, Shangri-La Industries, Standard Chartered Bank, Starkey Hearing Foundation, Swiss Reinsurance Company, Tom Golisano, Toyota Motors Corporation, United Postcode Lotteries, The Victor Pinchuk Foundation, and Western Union Financial Services Inc.

The full program, webcast schedule, and list of all CGI Annual Meeting commitments are available here: clintonglobalinitiative.org/2012.

The following new commitments were announced in Plenary Sessions today:

NGO 2.0 Shaping the Next Generation of Social Entrepreneurs
Commitment by: Hult International Business School
In 2012, the Hult Prize committed to help launch a new wave of student social entrepreneurs in response to a challenge made by President Clinton and building on the successes of past Hult competitions. This will be achieved by creating a start-up accelerator for social entrepreneurship designed to fund, mentor, advise and launch new social businesses. Through the continuation of its established global competition, Hult will bring together more than one thousand college and university students from over 130 countries, totaling more than 300 different colleges and universities. Working in five-person teams this spring, these students will compete at one of five global locations and online for the opportunity to spend the summer at the Hult Accelerator -- a world-class center for innovation in Boston -- and secure US$1 million in seed funding to start their businesses. Out of the hundreds of teams who will attend the regional stage of the competition, the best six teams will be selected to work at the Accelerator. Each of the six winning teams will then pitch their idea at CGI's Annual Meeting in September 2013, where President Clinton, along with CGI Meeting attendees will select and award the winning team with a $1 million prize.

Rwanda Human Resources for Health Program
Commitment by: Rwanda Ministry of Health
In 2012, the Government of Rwanda, partnering with the US government, the Global Fund, and leading health sciences universities committed $152,000,000 to create the Human Resources for Health (HRH) Program to build the health education infrastructure and workforce necessary for a high quality, sustainable healthcare system. Partnering with 7 leading medical schools, 5 nursing and midwifery schools, and 1 health management school, the program will send more than 100 faculty members to Rwanda annually to assist medical, nursing, and public health schools and teaching hospitals and to mentor educators and students.

20 x 20: To Serve 20 Million People by 2020
Commitment by: STARS Foundation
In 2012, STARS Foundation committed $70,000,000 to impact the lives of 20 million people by 2020. This commitment will expand the Impact Awards program, which provides $100,000 grants in unrestricted funding to local NGOs, into 100 countries. A new awards category for NGOs improving access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) will be added, with grants to be awarded to organizations that together serve 10 million people. STARS will also launch “STARS Projects,” a new operational unit that will deliver new products and solutions for ‘base of the pyramid’ markets serving an additional 10 million people.

Post Harvest Project: Reducing Waste for Food Security
Commitment by: nanoICE
In 2012, nanoICE committed $8,945,000 to launch the Post Harvest Project (PHP). This commitment will install new cold chain systems at the Port of Tema and Lake Volta that will dramatically reduce fish waste and fish shrinkage, providing more protein for Ghanaians and more income for fishers. The commitment will also install a manufacturing plant at the Port of Tema with a transportation station at Lake Volta to make organic fertilizer from fish waste to provide an environmentally safe, locally made fertilizer for 134,000 hectares.

mHealth From the Ground Up in Rural Liberia
Commitment by: Tiyatien Health
In 2012, Tiyatien Health and Medic Mobile committed $1,000,000 to build a model for community-based, mobile-enabled maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) services in the Konobo district of Grand Gedeh, which has no mobile network and only one health facility. Through this commitment, Tiyatien Health will equip a pilot cadre of frontline health workers to deliver primary health care to all villages in the district for the first time.

Agri-Fin Mobile: Increasing Small-holder Income Through Mobile
Commitment by: Mercy Corps and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
In 2012, Mercy Corps and SDC committed $3,800,000 to develop new business models that offer mobile agricultural and financial services to small-holder farmers in Indonesia, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The Agri-Fin Mobile program will offer farmers access to mobile-based agricultural and financial services, including farm and crop management tools, financing, micro-insurance, and access to markets for their products, to increase their income.

In Women’s Hands: Empowering the Next Generation of African Female Leaders
Commitment by: the MPULE Institute
In 2012, The MPULE Institute committed $280,000 to develop the Network of Women Investing in Africa (NEW Africa) Leadership Program. By training and empowering women to excel in leadership roles in Ethiopia, Ghana and South Africa, NEW Africa will increase young African women’s representation and participation in the global development agenda, increase investment in social services and labor-saving technologies that are most beneficial to women, and unlock new opportunities in sectors proven to lift women and their families from poverty.

Brighter Futures: Ending Child Marriage in Turkey and Abroad
Commitment by: Sabanci Foundation
In 2012 and 2013, the Sabanci Foundation committed $400,000 to financially support, and help design, a meeting to take place in Istanbul in February 2013 and organized by Girls not Brides, where participants will design advocacy and communication strategies to end child marriage. Using these strategies, the Turkish National Platform to End Child Marriage will educate 200 parliamentarians and policy makers and 500 families, religious leaders, teachers, and officials in Turkey about the negative impacts of child marriage.

Next Generation Technology for Frontline Health Workers
Commitment by: IntraHealth International
IntraHealth commits $500,000 to design a scalable e/mLearning Program in Kenya, building on initial success in its partnership with the Kenyan Medical Training College network. IntraHealth will design a scalable eLearning model that will first be applied in two training institutions, where more than 80 frontline health workers will be equipped with new a/mLearning skills. Once the model is designed and tested, IntraHealth will make it available to frontline health workers across Kenya.

A Budding Interest: Organic Farming
Commitment by: The PRASAD Project
In 2012, the PRASAD Project committed to addressing regional issues of environmental degradation, economic disempowerment, illiteracy, and food insecurity in the Tansa Valley of India by supporting local farmers and their families address these issues through the establishment and expansion of several programs, including the adoption of organic farming techniques. To address land degradation and soil erosion problems, the PRASAD Project will provide training in organic farming and horticulture to local farmers. They will aid in the implementation of an integrated watershed program for better, more sustainable water resource use and will implement soil conservation and tree planting programs. To address regional economic issues, the PRASAD Project will help farmers and their families access markets for their food and other agricultural outputs. The PRASAD Project, in conjunction with these activities, commits to providing a series of trainings to community residents which include literacy, vocational, environmental education, social health awareness, and sanitation and solid waste management programs. To support the long term impact and sustainability of these programs and initiatives, the PRASAD Project will conduct these trainings with the support of a number of Self-Help Groups (SHGs). Adopting a multifaceted approach recognizes that these issues are interrelated and inextricably linked.

Essential Capital Fund
Commitment by: Deutsche Bank Americas
In 2012, Deutsche Bank committed to structuring an innovative seven-year investment fund - the "Essential Capital Fund" - that provides crucial catalytic funds to socially responsible investment funds and enterprises that support the microfinance and social enterprise sectors. The Fund represents a pioneering effort in the impact investing field because it provides risk mitigation mechanisms for others investors. Specifically, by deferring a portion of its management fee, generating a savings reserve via a step coupon mechanism for investor returns and offering a 10 percent guarantee, the Fund promises to unlock significant capital currently reluctant to engage in unproven sectors. Slated to reach $50 million in portfolio size by 2015 and designed in collaboration with leading social impact stakeholders, the Essential Capital Fund will invest in 1) "first loss" positions of debt funds, 2) guarantees on loan syndications, 3) loans to impact investments and 4) other innovative opportunities.

United Water 'Solution': Investing in America's Water
Commitment by: United Water
In 2012, United Water committed to partner with institutional investors to form entities that will provide Nassau County, New York and the City of Bayonne, New Jersey with private capital to pay down accumulated debt and initiate capital investment in their municipal water systems. Through this five year commitment, United Water will take over operations and repairs of these water systems in exchange for resident-paid water usage fees. The municipalities, while clearing millions of dollars of accumulated debt, will maintain ownership and regulatory oversight of these systems. This unique partnership and innovative financial solution will promote job creation, create a cleaner environment, and ensure that ownership and stewardship of the water system never leaves public hands.

Establishment of the Shared Value Initiative
Commitment by: FSG Advisors
In 2012, FSG committed to establish the Shared Value Initiative (SVI), a multi-stakeholder organization that will serve as a global knowledge and learning hub for companies and other stakeholders on the shared value concept, with key corporate co-founders. The SVI will capitalize on the current momentum around shared value by driving adoption amongst companies and by improving implementation at companies that have already engaged in shared value strategies. The SVI will engage in four major activities - deepen and document knowledge, create toolkits for implementation, build communities of practice via physical and virtual engagement opportunities, and steward the concept of shared value. Within the first two years, the founding partners aim to establish the SVI by developing an interactive communications platform, developing shared value content and events, and conducting outreach to a wide-range of stakeholders by identifying and developing outreach plans for stakeholders critical to shared value adoption and implementation.

Building a Global Movement to Redefine Success in Business
Commitment By: B Lab
In 2012, B Lab committed to extend the B Corp movement globally and grow the community of B Corps by 250 businesses, with a goal of reaching 20 countries on 6 continents by December 2013. Organizations that register as B Corps are purpose-driven to create a more inclusive and sustainable economy, with legal underpinnings that allow them to produce value for society as well as shareholders. B Lab will build on the momentum of the B Corp movement in the US and begin its global campaign first in South America, partnering with its first international partner Sistema B to build a founding class of 100 B Corps in the region by the end of 2013. This global initiative will include policy work to create a new corporate form and policy incentives, extensive use of B Lab's standards and technology platform, and partnerships with organizations that have regional presence and expertise.

The following progress reports were announced in Plenary Sessions today:

General Mills/PEPFAR/USAID Partnership for Food Security
Commitment by: General Mills, Inc.
In 2009, General Mills, in partnership with the Office of United States Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID), committed to link its technical and business expertise with small and medium-sized (SME) mills and food processors in sub-Saharan Africa, with the goal of improving those companies' ability to produce high-quality, nutritious, and safe food at affordable prices. This partnership will utilize the expertise of 1,200 experts in General Mills' research and development arm to investigate the challenges to locally sourcing supplemental and therapeutic foods for the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Ultimately, General Mills, in close partnership with the USAID Agriculture Bureau, aims to engage multiple Fortune 500 food companies in the provision of technical assistance to up to 200 SMEs in 15 countries.

Pollinator Habitat Improvement
Commitment by: Grief, Inc.
In 2009, Grief, Inc. committed to improving pollinator habitats using various silvicultural activities. Grief expects these treatments to increase pollinator populations and, ultimately, improve wildlife habitat for game and non-game species, songbirds and migratory birds. By improving wildlife habitat, timberland owners will justify increases in hunting lease revenues. Increasing pollinator populations will allow for greater yield on agricultural lands.

Girls Not Brides: Partnership to End Child Marriage
Commitment by: The Elders, The Ford Foundation, NoVo Foundation, and Nike Foundation
In 2011, the Elders, the Ford Foundation, the Nike Foundation, and the NoVo Foundation committed to jointly establish 'Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage' (Girls not Brides). Girls not Brides is a member-driven partnership with a global focus. They also committed to raise $3 million to ensure the functioning of the partnership, the creation of a secretariat, and to seed activities to end child marriage in priority countries. In addition, they committed to establish a network of donors to support programs to end child marriage worldwide.

Developing MFI Social Performance Scorecard & Ratings
Commitment by: The Moody's Foundation
In 2010, Moody's, one of the world's leading sources for credit ratings, research, and risk analysis, committed to develop a scorecard and standardized rating for assessing the social performance of microfinance institutions (MFIs). The social performance rating will consider items such as client protection principles, client service, social impact measurement, and governance. As part of this process, Moody's will work with investors and MFIs to develop an understanding how social performance is assessed, create customized social performance tools, and publish research on how the industry assesses social performance. Moody's will work with a consortium of partners including The Social Performance Task Force, Grameen Bank, Women's World Banking, Blue Orchard, The MIX Market, Deutsche Bank, and ImpAct to design and develop the scorecards.

Western Union’s Our World, Our Family Program
Commitment By: Western Union Foundation
In 2008, Western Union Foundation made a commitment to initiate the Western Union's Our World, Our Family® program, a five-year, $50 million initiative designed to equip migrants and the communities they leave behind with the skills, knowledge, and resources essential to alleviating poverty. Worldwide, there are an estimated 500 million migrants working outside of their home countries, who sent home an estimated $369 billion in remittances in 2007. Western Union and its partners seek to leverage the talents, experience, and resources of migrants and other stakeholders to build capacity and extend access to capital and financial services to communities outside the financial mainstream. Since its inception, this program has achieved key milestones including developing a global partnership with Mercy Corps, launching an employee volunteerism program, introducing Western Union Global Giving Circles to support educational initiatives in India, and collaborating with the Economic Intelligence Unit to develop research and convene leading experts around the issue of migration.

Medical Supply Chain Transformation Project
Commitment By: The Coca-Cola Company
In 2010, the Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) committed to share its route-to-market expertise to support the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (The Global Fund)'s ability to get vital drugs, medicines, and medical supplies to the people who need them most. It will do this initially through a pilot project wherein 10 months of direct support will be provided to the Medical Stores Department in Tanzania. There is potential for additional phases of work. The objective will be to test this innovation in public private partnering to build a model that encourages others to add their expertise. The company hopes to create a scalable, sustainable and replicable model that can be rolled out to other countries facing similar challenges related to the supply chains of critical medicines. It is envisaged that partnerships with multiple organizations from the public sector, private sector and civil society could be encouraged in future replications of this work.

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About the Clinton Global Initiative
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to create and implement innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 150 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date CGI members have made nearly 2,300 commitments, which have already improved the lives of more than 400 million people in more than 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will be valued at $73.1 billion.

CGI also convenes CGI America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions to economic recovery in the United States, and CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their community or around the world. For more information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.

President Clinton to Honor Six Recipients at the Sixth Annual Clinton Global Citizen Awards

Ugandan LGBT rights activists, business and philanthropy leaders, and 14-year old social entrepreneur to be recognized for outstanding contributions

Seal, Joshua Bennett, Angelique Kidjo, and K’NAAN to perform, with special appearances by Haiti Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe, Lt. Governor of California Gavin Newsom, Matt Damon, Rosario Dawson, Donna Karan, Eva Longoria, Bebe Neuwirth, and June Sarpong

NEW YORK – Tonight, President Bill Clinton will honor recipients at the sixth annual Clinton Global Citizen Awards in New York City in a ceremony featuring performances by recording artists and appearances by heads of state and celebrity philanthropists. The Clinton Global Citizen Awards recognizes individuals from various sectors who demonstrate visionary leadership in addressing global challenges. Carlos Slim Helú, founder of Fundación Carlos Slim; Luis A. Moreno, president of Inter-American Development Bank; Denis O’Brien, chairman and founder of Digicel Group; Pepe Julian Onziema, programme director and advocacy officer of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG); The Right Reverend Christopher Senyonjo, executive director of St. Paul’s Reconciliation and Equality Centre; and Katie Stagliano, founder and chief executive gardener of Katie’s Krops, will accept awards this year.

“The work being done by this year’s honorees is nothing short of extraordinary,” said President Clinton. “Tonight I’m proud to honor two Ugandans who risk their lives to secure basic human dignities many of us take for granted, three leaders whose contributions have positively impacted communities across the Caribbean and Latin America, and a social entrepreneur on pace to take my job before she turns 16. These are some truly amazing folks. They embody the spirit of CGI and inspire us all to be more responsible citizens of the world.”

President Clinton will host the ceremony to be held from 8 p.m.-10 p.m. and air on Hulu.com in October. Actress Bebe Neuwirth will emcee the show that features performances from Grammy Award-winning singer Seal, slam poet Joshua Bennett, Grammy Award–winning Beninoise recording artist Angélique Kidjo, and Somali-Canadian rapper K’NAAN. Haiti Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe, Lt. Governor of California Gavin Newsom, Matt Damon, Rosario Dawson, Donna Karan, Eva Longoria, and June Sarpong will also make appearances in honor of the recipients.

The honorees were nominated by a collection of CGI members and global leaders and selected for their visionary leadership, demonstrated impact, and sustainable and scalable work in solving global issues. Recipients were chosen from government, civil society, the private sector, and the philanthropic community.

The Clinton Global Citizen Awards will be held on the second night of the 2012 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting, which convenes more than 50 current and former heads of state and hundreds of business and civil society leaders to come up with innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.

The 2012 Clinton Global Citizen Award recipients are:

Leadership in Civil Society

The Right Reverend Christopher Senyonjo (Joint Honoree), executive director, St. Paul’s Reconciliation and Equality Centre
Kampala, Uganda
The Right Reverend Christopher Senyonjo is perhaps best known for his courageous advocacy on behalf of LGBTQ persons in Uganda. Bishop Senyonjo received his Master of Divinity in 1966 and his Master of Sacred Theology in 1967 from Union Theological Seminary in New York. From 1974 until 1998, Bishop Senyonjo was the Diocesan Bishop of West Buganda. He completed a Doctor of Ministry at Hartford Theological Seminary, which was key to his understanding of marriage and human sexuality. Following his retirement, Bishop Senyonjo began counseling services for LGBTQ people. In 2010, he founded St. Paul’s Reconciliation and Equality Centre in Kampala with support from the St. Paul’s Foundation for International Reconciliation in the United States. He has been recognized by the California State Assembly for his leadership on LGBTQ issues and was named one of Huffington Post’s Ten Most Influential Religious Leaders for 2010. Additionally, he was recently named a Grand Marshall of the San Francisco Pride Parade for his advocacy.

Pepe Julian Onziema (Joint Honoree), programme director and advocacy officer, Sexual Minorities Uganda
Kampala, Uganda
Pepe Julian Onziema is a 31-year old Ugandan transgender person. A Pan-African Human Rights Defender currently working as the programme director and advocacy officer at Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), Onziema is the spokesperson for both SMUG and the Ugandan LGBT movement, plus the LGBTI focal person on the Steering Committee of the Pan African Human Rights Defenders Network. In these capacities he has mobilized, coordinated, led, organized, and moderated actions to promote and protect the liberties of LGBTI persons in Uganda, regionally at the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and internationally at the United Nations Human Rights Council. He has been arrested, threatened, named, and shamed in local media for his work.

Katie Stagliano, founder and chief executive gardener, Katie’s Krops
Summerville, South Carolina, United States
Katie Stagliano is the 14-year-old founder and chief executive gardener of Katie’s Krops, a nonprofit organization that starts and maintains vegetable gardens and donates the harvest to help feed people in need, while also inspiring and helping others to do the same. Stagliano’s dream to end hunger one vegetable garden at a time began when she grew a 40-pound cabbage in third grade. She donated the cabbage to a soup kitchen, where it fed 275 people. Katie’s Krops currently maintains 51 kid-run vegetable gardens in 21 states, which are producing thousands of pounds of healthy food for families in need. Utilizing her harvest, Stagliano also runs a soup kitchen to provide healthy meals to those in need. She sits on the Youth Advisory Board for the Alliance for a Healthier Generation and is a Global Teen Leader for the We are Family Foundation.

Leadership in Philanthropy

Carlos Slim Helú, founder, Fundación Carlos Slim
Mexico
Carlos Slim Helú founded Grupo Carso in 1965. In 1982, in the middle of Mexico’s debt crisis, Slim Helú decided to invest heavily and actively. He made diverse investments and acquisitions in different sectors, including industry, construction, consumer products, hospitality, mining, and retail and financial services. In 1990, Grupo Carso acquired five percent of Telmex in partnership with SBC and France Telecom, and in 2001, Slim Helú spun off Telmex’s cell phone unit to create America Movil. He continues to be active in business, although his primary focus is on education, health, and employment in Mexico and Latin America. Slim Helú’s foundations have been instrumental in growing the human, cultural, and economic capital of Mexico, and he has personally supported more than 165,000 young people in attending university, paid for numerous surgeries, and provided equipment for rural schools. Last year, he opened the Soumaya Museum, which has been visited by more than one million people.

Leadership in the Corporate Sector

Denis O’Brien, chairman and founder, Digicel Group
Ireland
Denis O’Brien is chairman of the privately-owned Digicel Group, one of the fastest growing mobile operators in the world. O’Brien founded Digicel in 2001, when the company launched a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) cellular phone service in the Caribbean. Digicel has extended its operations to 31 markets, with over 12.8 million subscribers in the Caribbean, Central America, and Pacific regions. O’Brien is one of Ireland’s leading entrepreneurs, with extensive investments across several sectors, including international telecoms, radio, media, property, aircraft leasing, golf, and other leisure interests. In 2010, O’Brien was named goodwill ambassador for the city of Port-au-Prince in Haiti by the mayor in recognition of his efforts to rebuild Haiti and attract foreign direct investment in the aftermath of the earthquake that year. Digicel is the single largest private investor in Haiti.

Leadership in Public Service

Luis A. Moreno, president, Inter-American Development Bank
Colombia
Luis Alberto Moreno assumed the presidency of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) on October 1, 2005. As president of the Bank, Moreno also serves as chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Inter-American Investment Corporation and chairman of the Donors’ Committee of the Multilateral Investment Fund. Previous to joining the IDB, Moreno served as Colombia’s ambassador to the United States for seven years. Moreno was also executive producer of the “TV Hoy” news program, which received the King of Spain Prize for journalistic excellence. He received the Orden de Boyacá en el Grado de Gran Cruz — the highest distinction given by the Colombian state — from the President of Colombia on August 2, 2002. Moreno obtained bachelor’s degrees in business administration and economics from Florida Atlantic University in 1975, and a Master of Business Administration from Thunderbird School of Global Management in 1977.