For Immediate Release: May 29, 2009
Contact: Clinton Foundation Press Office, 212.348.0360
press@clintonfoundation.org
New York, NY - Today, the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U), in partnership with the Pat Tillman Foundation and the Wal-Mart Foundation, announced the winners of seventy-eight student grants through the CGI U Outstanding Commitment Awards. The Pat Tillman Foundation and the Wal-Mart Foundation have made $400,000 available to exceptional students who have developed innovative, high-impact Commitments to Action aimed at improving communities and lives around the world.
“CGI U offers college students a space to create positive change in local communities or on a global scale,” said Robert Harrison, CEO of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI). “Funding provided by the Pat Tillman Foundation and the Wal-Mart Foundation for the Outstanding Commitment Awards will ensure that these exceptional commitments are able to achieve the impact these extraordinary students have envisioned.”
Winners will receive funding to implement their CGI U Commitments to Action, which are new, specific, and measurable plans to address a current global challenges across the five focus areas of Education, Energy and Climate Change, Global Health, Peace & Human Rights, and Poverty Alleviation. To date, over 1,700 commitments have been made by students, universities, and youth organizations. To learn more, please visit www.cgiu.org
The CGI U Outstanding Commitment Awards were piloted in CGI U’s inaugural year to provide financial support to innovative, student-driven initiatives. This year, both The Pat Tillman Foundation and The Wal-Mart Foundation have committed $200,000 each to fund student projects in CGI U’s five focus areas. The awards recognize students and student organizations from a wide variety of higher education institutions including community colleges, historically black colleges and universities, Ivy League schools, religious schools, tribal colleges, and state schools.
"When given the means every young person has the potential to make a significant impact in their community and our world," says Pat Tillman Foundation Chair Marie Tillman. "Through this partnership, the Pat Tillman Foundation is able to further its mission of supporting young people dedicated to citizen service by using the Tillman Social Action Fund to put resources directly in the hands of students and empower them to take action."
"Wal-Mart is focused on sustainability at every level and the Wal-Mart Foundation is proud to partner with CGI U to reach hundreds of students and university officials who share our commitment to changing the environment for generations to come," said Margaret McKenna, president of the Wal-Mart Foundation.
The seventy-eight student projects being funded are diverse in their scope and approach. Aaron Johnson and his colleagues at Howard University are committing to assist in the demolition and new construction of a theater in an impoverished region in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil. Together with Howard University’s Engineers without Borders chapter, these students will work with the Istituto di Cultural Brasile Italia Europa to employ construction practices that are ecologically sustainable while maintaining the historical and cultural heritage of the community.
Through the Smallholder Farmers Rural Radio, Nnaemeka Chiediebere Ikegwuonu of the University of Pavia, Italy plans to reach 3.5 million poor rural farmers living in isolated communities of Imo State, Nigeria with agricultural information in their native language. The project aims to reduce poverty in rural communities and accelerate economic empowerment of small farmers at the household level. Broadcast information will include techniques in crop production, livestock rearing, soil management, and small irrigation
Finally, Ashifi Gogo, a graduate student at the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth, is turning ordinary cell phones into potentially life-saving devices. Gogo is partnering with cell phone companies and key public health stakeholders in Ghana and Nigeria to create a system where any consumer with access to a cell phone can send a free text message to drug manufacturers to verify that their medication is real and not counterfeit. Gogo’s efforts will target counterfeited malarial medication in particular, which is thought to be responsible for some 200,000 preventable malaria deaths.
To view a full list of all 2009 CGI U Outstanding Commitment Award winners, please visit: http://www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/Document.Doc?id=461.
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About the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) CGI U, a project of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), challenges college students and universities to address global problems with practical, innovative solutions. At CGI U, young people and universities do more than simply discuss the world’s challenges – they take real, concrete steps towards solving them. To date, 1,700 commitments have been made by students, universities, and youth organizations.
About the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Since 2005, CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 100 current and former heads of state, 14 Nobel Peace Prize laureates, hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations, major philanthropists, directors of the most effective nongovernmental organizations, and prominent members of the media. These CGI members have made more than 1,400 commitments valued at $46 billion, which have already improved the lives of 200 million people in 150 countries. Commitments made at the 2008 Annual Meeting are expected to affect almost 160 million people. The CGI community also includes CGI University (CGI U), a forum to engage college students in global citizenship; CGI Asia; and MyCommitment.org, an online portal where anybody can make their own Commitment to Action. CGI will hold its Fifth Annual Meeting September 22-25, 2009, in New York City. For more information, visit www.clintonglobalinitiative.org
About the Pat Tillman FoundationThe Pat Tillman Foundation was created by Pat's family and friends, following his death in April 2004. Following his career as a fan favorite with the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, Pat joined the U.S. Army and was killed during active duty in Eastern Afghanistan. As a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization, the Foundation's goal and mission is to carry forward Pat's legacy of leadership and civic action by supporting future generations of leaders who embody the ideal of citizen service. Through military or civilian service an entire generation of youth has the capacity to improve their communities and their country. The Pat Tillman Foundation provides them with the resources and support in order to make a difference.
About Philanthropy at Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) and The Wal-Mart Foundation are proud to support the charitable causes that are important to customers and associates in their own neighborhoods. Through its philanthropic programs and partnerships, The Wal-Mart Foundation funds initiatives focused on creating opportunities in education, workforce development, economic opportunity, environmental sustainability, and health and wellness. From February 1, 2008 through January 31, 2009, Wal-Mart – and its domestic and international Foundations – gave more than $423 million in cash and in-kind gifts globally. To learn more, visit www.walmartfoundation.org
Friday, May 29, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Clinton Foundation Press Office: 212.348.0360
For Immediate Release April 27, 2009
Two Million People Now Accessing Medicines Under the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative’s Pricing Agreements
The increase reflects an annual calculation of the number of patients benefiting from agreements; the 2008 estimate is based on agreements, in partnership with UNITAID, completed since 2007.
The Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative also is helping to support more than 195,000 children living with HIV with medicines funded by UNITAID, an increase of more than 61,000 since last year.
New York, NY - The Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative (CHAI), a project of the William J. Clinton Foundation, today announced updates that illustrate the progress of its work. As of the beginning of 2009, 2.0 million people are benefiting from medicines purchased under the agreements of CHAI. More than 70 countries have access to prices that CHAI has negotiated for drugs and diagnostics - representing more than 90 percent of people living with HIV globally.
In addition, CHAI’s Pediatric Program, in partnership with UNITAID, an international organization which provides additional funding to support efforts against HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, supports the treatment of more than 195,000 children, more than two-thirds the total number of children on treatment in the world.
“It is an exciting day to witness the progress my Foundation has made to fight HIV/AIDS in the developing world," President Clinton said. "Driving down prices and driving uptake on the ground, CHAI helps make it possible for more adults and children to access life-saving medicines and tests they need."
Under the leadership of President Clinton and at the invitation of national governments, CHAI works to expand access to high-quality HIV/AIDS care and treatment by improving the efficiency of commodity marketplaces and by supporting governments to develop robust national HIV/AIDS programs. Since its inception in 2002, CHAI has mobilized technical and business expertise to help governments make better use of available resources to save more lives. More than 600 people work and volunteer for CHAI in more than 30 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
BACKGROUND
The 2.0 million patients that have gained access to treatment have done so through the collective efforts of governments, donors, manufacturers, and other partners, including CHAI. Each benefiting patient lives in a country which participates in CHAI’s Procurement Consortium and is taking antiretroviral medicines (ARVs) that were purchased below ceiling prices that CHAI has negotiated with partner manufacturers.
CHAI updates the number of people accessing these prices on a yearly basis. In calculating this number, CHAI uses a conservative methodology. CHAI calculates the number of patients benefitting in two ways. First, where complete order data is provided by the country’s national government, CHAI determines which ARVs were purchased from partner suppliers at or below negotiated ceiling prices. CHAI then uses the order quantities for each ARV to calculate the implied number of patients taking each individual drug. CHAI ensures that only unique patients are counted by using the country’s national treatment guidelines to exclude certain single-dose ARVs that are taken in combination with other ARVs by the same patients. Further, to avoid double counting, CHAI only uses order data from the past 12 months.
The second approach to estimating the number of beneficiaries uses government data on the total number of patients on treatment by ARV regimen. CHAI calculates the number of patients who are on regimens which include at least one ARV that is being purchased from partner suppliers and below negotiated ceiling prices. Where full order data is not provided, CHAI gathers information on the latest ARV suppliers and purchase prices for each drug and assumes these same prices and suppliers apply to all orders placed that year.
After both calculations are made, a final beneficiary figure is determined for each country based on which method’s data are more complete and reliable. In cases for which both data sets are deemed equally reliable, the lesser of the two figures is chosen to be more conservative.
CHAI’s Pediatrics Program has worked with national governments to nearly triple the number of children on ARV treatment globally since 2005 — a dramatic improvement over the historically low rates of pediatric coverage.
In 2004, two million children were infected with HIV/AIDS, yet the medicines used to treat children cost four times more than those for adults and were harder to administer, making treatment difficult and expensive. As a result, only one in 40 children in need of treatment was receiving it. CHAI established a Global Pediatric Program in 2005 to improve access for children.
In 2006, CHAI partnered with UNITAID to increase funding available for pediatric treatment to catalyze uptake and reduce prices of needed medicines and tests. This resulted in a 90 percent price reduction for pediatric fixed-dose combinations, the accelerated distribution of an easily dispensable, child-friendly medicine, and the rapid uptake of an improved test to diagnose HIV-positive infants. CHAI also works with the governments of 34 countries to establish and strengthen the systems required to deliver high-quality health care to children by increasing the number of sites able to provide HIV/AIDS care for children; training and mentoring health care workers; and supporting national planning and resource mobilization for pediatric HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment.
About the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative
Since 2002, the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative (CHAI), a project of the William J. Clinton Foundation, has assisted countries in implementing large-scale, integrated care, treatment and prevention programs. CHAI works side-by-side with more than 20 countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America and the Caribbean to build systems that will deliver HIV/AIDS treatment and healthcare by providing governments with technical assistance, leveraging human and financial resources, and facilitating the sharing of best practices across nationwide projects. CHAI also brokers agreements to lower prices of essential medicines and diagnostics, which are now accessible to more than 70 countries, representing more than 90 percent of people living with HIV/AIDS in the developing world. Learn more at www.clintonfoundation.org.
Clinton Foundation New York Office: 55 W125th Street, New York, NY 10027
For Immediate Release April 27, 2009
Two Million People Now Accessing Medicines Under the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative’s Pricing Agreements
The increase reflects an annual calculation of the number of patients benefiting from agreements; the 2008 estimate is based on agreements, in partnership with UNITAID, completed since 2007.
The Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative also is helping to support more than 195,000 children living with HIV with medicines funded by UNITAID, an increase of more than 61,000 since last year.
New York, NY - The Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative (CHAI), a project of the William J. Clinton Foundation, today announced updates that illustrate the progress of its work. As of the beginning of 2009, 2.0 million people are benefiting from medicines purchased under the agreements of CHAI. More than 70 countries have access to prices that CHAI has negotiated for drugs and diagnostics - representing more than 90 percent of people living with HIV globally.
In addition, CHAI’s Pediatric Program, in partnership with UNITAID, an international organization which provides additional funding to support efforts against HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, supports the treatment of more than 195,000 children, more than two-thirds the total number of children on treatment in the world.
“It is an exciting day to witness the progress my Foundation has made to fight HIV/AIDS in the developing world," President Clinton said. "Driving down prices and driving uptake on the ground, CHAI helps make it possible for more adults and children to access life-saving medicines and tests they need."
Under the leadership of President Clinton and at the invitation of national governments, CHAI works to expand access to high-quality HIV/AIDS care and treatment by improving the efficiency of commodity marketplaces and by supporting governments to develop robust national HIV/AIDS programs. Since its inception in 2002, CHAI has mobilized technical and business expertise to help governments make better use of available resources to save more lives. More than 600 people work and volunteer for CHAI in more than 30 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
BACKGROUND
The 2.0 million patients that have gained access to treatment have done so through the collective efforts of governments, donors, manufacturers, and other partners, including CHAI. Each benefiting patient lives in a country which participates in CHAI’s Procurement Consortium and is taking antiretroviral medicines (ARVs) that were purchased below ceiling prices that CHAI has negotiated with partner manufacturers.
CHAI updates the number of people accessing these prices on a yearly basis. In calculating this number, CHAI uses a conservative methodology. CHAI calculates the number of patients benefitting in two ways. First, where complete order data is provided by the country’s national government, CHAI determines which ARVs were purchased from partner suppliers at or below negotiated ceiling prices. CHAI then uses the order quantities for each ARV to calculate the implied number of patients taking each individual drug. CHAI ensures that only unique patients are counted by using the country’s national treatment guidelines to exclude certain single-dose ARVs that are taken in combination with other ARVs by the same patients. Further, to avoid double counting, CHAI only uses order data from the past 12 months.
The second approach to estimating the number of beneficiaries uses government data on the total number of patients on treatment by ARV regimen. CHAI calculates the number of patients who are on regimens which include at least one ARV that is being purchased from partner suppliers and below negotiated ceiling prices. Where full order data is not provided, CHAI gathers information on the latest ARV suppliers and purchase prices for each drug and assumes these same prices and suppliers apply to all orders placed that year.
After both calculations are made, a final beneficiary figure is determined for each country based on which method’s data are more complete and reliable. In cases for which both data sets are deemed equally reliable, the lesser of the two figures is chosen to be more conservative.
CHAI’s Pediatrics Program has worked with national governments to nearly triple the number of children on ARV treatment globally since 2005 — a dramatic improvement over the historically low rates of pediatric coverage.
In 2004, two million children were infected with HIV/AIDS, yet the medicines used to treat children cost four times more than those for adults and were harder to administer, making treatment difficult and expensive. As a result, only one in 40 children in need of treatment was receiving it. CHAI established a Global Pediatric Program in 2005 to improve access for children.
In 2006, CHAI partnered with UNITAID to increase funding available for pediatric treatment to catalyze uptake and reduce prices of needed medicines and tests. This resulted in a 90 percent price reduction for pediatric fixed-dose combinations, the accelerated distribution of an easily dispensable, child-friendly medicine, and the rapid uptake of an improved test to diagnose HIV-positive infants. CHAI also works with the governments of 34 countries to establish and strengthen the systems required to deliver high-quality health care to children by increasing the number of sites able to provide HIV/AIDS care for children; training and mentoring health care workers; and supporting national planning and resource mobilization for pediatric HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment.
About the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative
Since 2002, the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative (CHAI), a project of the William J. Clinton Foundation, has assisted countries in implementing large-scale, integrated care, treatment and prevention programs. CHAI works side-by-side with more than 20 countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America and the Caribbean to build systems that will deliver HIV/AIDS treatment and healthcare by providing governments with technical assistance, leveraging human and financial resources, and facilitating the sharing of best practices across nationwide projects. CHAI also brokers agreements to lower prices of essential medicines and diagnostics, which are now accessible to more than 70 countries, representing more than 90 percent of people living with HIV/AIDS in the developing world. Learn more at www.clintonfoundation.org.
Clinton Foundation New York Office: 55 W125th Street, New York, NY 10027
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Alliance for a Healthier Generation Launches Landmark Healthcare Initiative
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2009
Contacts:
Clinton Foundation: Angel Ureña, aurena@clintonfoundation.org, 212-348-0251
Alliance for a Healthier Generation: Laura Gross, lgross@scottcircle.com, w: 202-265-5383, c: 202-255-2054
American Heart Association: Meredith Isola, meredith.isola@heart.org, w: 202-785-7925, c: 301-535-7241
Alliance for a Healthier Generation Expands Efforts to Combat Childhood Obesity with Launch of Landmark Healthcare Initiative
First Time Insurance Companies and Corporations
Collaborate to Stop this Epidemic
Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, PepsiCo and WellPoint along with American Academy of Pediatrics and American Dietetic Association join with the Alliance to stop epidemic
NEW YORK –Today, The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a joint initiative of the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation, announced the formation of the Alliance Healthcare Initiative, a collaborative effort with national medical associations, leading insurers and employers to offer comprehensive health benefits to children and families for the prevention, assessment, and treatment of childhood obesity.
This effort marks a major step forward in a holistic approach to reduce childhood obesity in the United States. The Alliance Healthcare Initiative will enable healthcare providers to be an active part of the solution to the obesity epidemic by providing children with primary care visits, and visits to registered dietitians as part of their health insurance benefits. Additionally, the Alliance Healthcare Initiative will educate parents about childhood obesity and the expansion of services available to their children as a result of this effort.
“Nearly one in three children in the U.S. is overweight or obese – we are confronting a public health crisis,” said President Bill Clinton, founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation, who co-leads the Alliance with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and American Heart Association President, Tim Gardner. “If we teach people at an early age that eating healthy and moving more is important, an entire generation of Americans will live healthier and longer lives. I am grateful that our collaborators in the Alliance Healthcare Initiative understand that combating the childhood obesity epidemic is going to take a comprehensive approach to care. I hope that other employers and insurers follow the lead of these organizations. ”
This is the first time a group of organizations has worked together to ensure children get the insurance coverage they need to fight obesity and the first time outcomes will be monitored to ensure the benefits are being used. Through this program, doctors will be reimbursed for bringing children back for follow-up visits and for working with them on the adoption of healthy behaviors. Registered dietitians will also be
Alliance Healthcare Initiative 2/4
reimbursed for providing in depth nutrition counseling over multiple visits to those children that are
referred by their doctors. By working together, doctors and registered dietitians will help children and their families adopt healthier lifestyle habits to improve their health and weight. Participating companies will have access to materials and resources developed by the Alliance to inform parents about childhood obesity prevention and treatment.
“The Alliance Healthcare Initiative represents a landmark agreement in the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity," said Timothy J. Gardner, M.D., FAHA, president of the American Heart Association, and medical director, The Center for Heart and Vascular Health at Christiana Care Health System (DE). " This program will allow children and their families for the first time to have access to these preventive medical services in most regions of the country. Looking forward, the Initiative represents a tremendous opportunity to bring the best science behind what is effective in the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity to those who are overweight, and therefore, in the greatest need. We know that effective prevention and reversal of obesity in childhood will lead to longer and healthier lives.”
Several health insurance organizations are part of this ground-breaking effort, including Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and WellPoint. Major corporations including, Houston Independent School District, Owens Corning and Paychex are participating as customers of Aetna. PepsiCo has also joined with the Alliance to offer these benefits. And, the William J. Clinton Foundation and American Heart Association will also offer these benefits to their employees. In addition, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Dietetic Association will collaborate with these organizations to help clinicians provide education, improve care coordination, offer resources to eligible families, and help with recruitment of medical professionals.
During the first year of this program, nearly one million children will have access to this benefit option. The long-term goal of the Alliance Healthcare Initiative is that within the first three years, 25 percent of all overweight children (approximately 6.2 million) will have access to this benefit.
The Alliance Healthcare Initiative will enable families to work in collaboration with their primary care physicians, registered dietitians and other healthcare professionals to achieve lifelong health. By helping children to work with their primary care physicians, insurers can facilitate the introduction of benefits designed to keep future healthcare costs low and improve the overall health and well being of children and families.
About the Alliance for a Healthier Generation
The William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association joined forces in May of 2005 to create a healthier generation by addressing one of the nation’s leading public health threats – childhood obesity. The goal of the Alliance is to reduce the nationwide prevalence of childhood obesity by 2015, and to empower kids nationwide to make healthy lifestyle choices. The Alliance works to positively affect the places that can make a difference to a child’s health: homes, schools, restaurants, doctor’s offices, and communities. For more information please visit www.HealthierGeneration.org.
Alliance Healthcare Initiative 3/4
Aetna
Aetna is one of the nation’s leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 36.5 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities and health care management services for Medicaid plans. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, see www.aetna.com.
American Academy of Pediatrics
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org.
American Dietetic Association
The American Dietetic Association is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA is committed to improving the nation’s health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy. Visit the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA)
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts was founded more than 70 years ago by a group of community-minded business leaders. Today, headquartered in Boston, BCBSMA provides coverage to more than 3 million members, 2.5 million in Massachusetts. BCBSMA believes in rewarding doctors and hospitals for delivering safe and effective care, and in empowering patients to take more responsibility, become educated health care consumers and become stronger partners with their doctors. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC)
BCBSNC is a leader in delivering innovative health care products, services and information to more than 3.7 million members, including approximately 900,000 served on behalf of other Blue Plans. For 75 years, the company has served its customers by offering health insurance at a competitive price and has served the people of North Carolina through support of community organizations, programs and events that promote good health. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Access BCBSNC online at www.bcbsnc.com.
PepsiCo
PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) is one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies, with 2008 annual revenues of more than $43 billion. The company operates in approximately 200 countries, and employs approximately 198,000 people worldwide. Its principal businesses include: Frito-Lay snacks, Pepsi-Cola beverages, Gatorade sports drinks, Tropicana juices and Quaker foods. PepsiCo’s commitment to sustainable growth, defined as Performance with Purpose, is focused on sustaining shareholder value while still consistently giving back to communities the company serves. A major priority of this value
Alliance Healthcare Initiative 4/4
framework, in addition to responsible environmental and talent management activity, is PepsiCo’s commitment to playing a responsible role in health and wellness – by educating people about how to adopt a healthy, active lifestyle and by offering a range of nutritious as well as delicious products. PepsiCo is listed on the Dow Jones World and North America Sustainability Index. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.
WellPoint, Inc.
WellPoint is committed to improving the lives and health of the people and communities we serve by simplifying the connection between health, care and value. Our goal is to help shape the impact each health care decision has on individuals, the health care system at-large, and our communities. WellPoint’s more than 42,000 associates work every day to help create the best health care value for our customers. Through collaborations with providers and with innovative programs, WellPoint’s affiliated health plans reward healthy lifestyles and quality, safe and effective care. As the nation’s largest health benefits company, with more than 35 million members in its affiliated health plans, WellPoint is at the center of the health care system. This position provides us with the relationships and insights needed to help create affordable and actionable solutions that improve health care.
As an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, WellPoint serves members as the Blue Cross licensee for California; the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area), Nevada, New Hampshire, New York (as the Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee in 10 New York City metropolitan and surrounding counties and as the Blue Cross or Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee in selected upstate counties only), Ohio, Virginia (excluding the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.), Wisconsin; and through UniCare. Additional information about WellPoint is available at www.wellpoint.com.
Contacts:
Clinton Foundation: Angel Ureña, aurena@clintonfoundation.org, 212-348-0251
Alliance for a Healthier Generation: Laura Gross, lgross@scottcircle.com, w: 202-265-5383, c: 202-255-2054
American Heart Association: Meredith Isola, meredith.isola@heart.org, w: 202-785-7925, c: 301-535-7241
Alliance for a Healthier Generation Expands Efforts to Combat Childhood Obesity with Launch of Landmark Healthcare Initiative
First Time Insurance Companies and Corporations
Collaborate to Stop this Epidemic
Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, PepsiCo and WellPoint along with American Academy of Pediatrics and American Dietetic Association join with the Alliance to stop epidemic
NEW YORK –Today, The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a joint initiative of the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation, announced the formation of the Alliance Healthcare Initiative, a collaborative effort with national medical associations, leading insurers and employers to offer comprehensive health benefits to children and families for the prevention, assessment, and treatment of childhood obesity.
This effort marks a major step forward in a holistic approach to reduce childhood obesity in the United States. The Alliance Healthcare Initiative will enable healthcare providers to be an active part of the solution to the obesity epidemic by providing children with primary care visits, and visits to registered dietitians as part of their health insurance benefits. Additionally, the Alliance Healthcare Initiative will educate parents about childhood obesity and the expansion of services available to their children as a result of this effort.
“Nearly one in three children in the U.S. is overweight or obese – we are confronting a public health crisis,” said President Bill Clinton, founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation, who co-leads the Alliance with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and American Heart Association President, Tim Gardner. “If we teach people at an early age that eating healthy and moving more is important, an entire generation of Americans will live healthier and longer lives. I am grateful that our collaborators in the Alliance Healthcare Initiative understand that combating the childhood obesity epidemic is going to take a comprehensive approach to care. I hope that other employers and insurers follow the lead of these organizations. ”
This is the first time a group of organizations has worked together to ensure children get the insurance coverage they need to fight obesity and the first time outcomes will be monitored to ensure the benefits are being used. Through this program, doctors will be reimbursed for bringing children back for follow-up visits and for working with them on the adoption of healthy behaviors. Registered dietitians will also be
Alliance Healthcare Initiative 2/4
reimbursed for providing in depth nutrition counseling over multiple visits to those children that are
referred by their doctors. By working together, doctors and registered dietitians will help children and their families adopt healthier lifestyle habits to improve their health and weight. Participating companies will have access to materials and resources developed by the Alliance to inform parents about childhood obesity prevention and treatment.
“The Alliance Healthcare Initiative represents a landmark agreement in the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity," said Timothy J. Gardner, M.D., FAHA, president of the American Heart Association, and medical director, The Center for Heart and Vascular Health at Christiana Care Health System (DE). " This program will allow children and their families for the first time to have access to these preventive medical services in most regions of the country. Looking forward, the Initiative represents a tremendous opportunity to bring the best science behind what is effective in the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity to those who are overweight, and therefore, in the greatest need. We know that effective prevention and reversal of obesity in childhood will lead to longer and healthier lives.”
Several health insurance organizations are part of this ground-breaking effort, including Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and WellPoint. Major corporations including, Houston Independent School District, Owens Corning and Paychex are participating as customers of Aetna. PepsiCo has also joined with the Alliance to offer these benefits. And, the William J. Clinton Foundation and American Heart Association will also offer these benefits to their employees. In addition, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Dietetic Association will collaborate with these organizations to help clinicians provide education, improve care coordination, offer resources to eligible families, and help with recruitment of medical professionals.
During the first year of this program, nearly one million children will have access to this benefit option. The long-term goal of the Alliance Healthcare Initiative is that within the first three years, 25 percent of all overweight children (approximately 6.2 million) will have access to this benefit.
The Alliance Healthcare Initiative will enable families to work in collaboration with their primary care physicians, registered dietitians and other healthcare professionals to achieve lifelong health. By helping children to work with their primary care physicians, insurers can facilitate the introduction of benefits designed to keep future healthcare costs low and improve the overall health and well being of children and families.
About the Alliance for a Healthier Generation
The William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association joined forces in May of 2005 to create a healthier generation by addressing one of the nation’s leading public health threats – childhood obesity. The goal of the Alliance is to reduce the nationwide prevalence of childhood obesity by 2015, and to empower kids nationwide to make healthy lifestyle choices. The Alliance works to positively affect the places that can make a difference to a child’s health: homes, schools, restaurants, doctor’s offices, and communities. For more information please visit www.HealthierGeneration.org.
Alliance Healthcare Initiative 3/4
Aetna
Aetna is one of the nation’s leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 36.5 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities and health care management services for Medicaid plans. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, see www.aetna.com.
American Academy of Pediatrics
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org.
American Dietetic Association
The American Dietetic Association is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA is committed to improving the nation’s health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy. Visit the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA)
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts was founded more than 70 years ago by a group of community-minded business leaders. Today, headquartered in Boston, BCBSMA provides coverage to more than 3 million members, 2.5 million in Massachusetts. BCBSMA believes in rewarding doctors and hospitals for delivering safe and effective care, and in empowering patients to take more responsibility, become educated health care consumers and become stronger partners with their doctors. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC)
BCBSNC is a leader in delivering innovative health care products, services and information to more than 3.7 million members, including approximately 900,000 served on behalf of other Blue Plans. For 75 years, the company has served its customers by offering health insurance at a competitive price and has served the people of North Carolina through support of community organizations, programs and events that promote good health. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Access BCBSNC online at www.bcbsnc.com.
PepsiCo
PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) is one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies, with 2008 annual revenues of more than $43 billion. The company operates in approximately 200 countries, and employs approximately 198,000 people worldwide. Its principal businesses include: Frito-Lay snacks, Pepsi-Cola beverages, Gatorade sports drinks, Tropicana juices and Quaker foods. PepsiCo’s commitment to sustainable growth, defined as Performance with Purpose, is focused on sustaining shareholder value while still consistently giving back to communities the company serves. A major priority of this value
Alliance Healthcare Initiative 4/4
framework, in addition to responsible environmental and talent management activity, is PepsiCo’s commitment to playing a responsible role in health and wellness – by educating people about how to adopt a healthy, active lifestyle and by offering a range of nutritious as well as delicious products. PepsiCo is listed on the Dow Jones World and North America Sustainability Index. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.
WellPoint, Inc.
WellPoint is committed to improving the lives and health of the people and communities we serve by simplifying the connection between health, care and value. Our goal is to help shape the impact each health care decision has on individuals, the health care system at-large, and our communities. WellPoint’s more than 42,000 associates work every day to help create the best health care value for our customers. Through collaborations with providers and with innovative programs, WellPoint’s affiliated health plans reward healthy lifestyles and quality, safe and effective care. As the nation’s largest health benefits company, with more than 35 million members in its affiliated health plans, WellPoint is at the center of the health care system. This position provides us with the relationships and insights needed to help create affordable and actionable solutions that improve health care.
As an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, WellPoint serves members as the Blue Cross licensee for California; the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area), Nevada, New Hampshire, New York (as the Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee in 10 New York City metropolitan and surrounding counties and as the Blue Cross or Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee in selected upstate counties only), Ohio, Virginia (excluding the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.), Wisconsin; and through UniCare. Additional information about WellPoint is available at www.wellpoint.com.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Clinton Global Initiative Travels to Austin, TX
January 28, 2009
Contact: press@clintonglobalinitiative.org
Former President Clinton to Host Second Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) Meeting to be held at The University of Texas at Austin, February 13-15, 2009
President Clinton will bring together over 1,000 students, nearly 100 college and university presidents, NGOs, national youth organizations, athletes, and celebrity-activists including NFL All-Star Nnamdi Asomugha, Drew Barrymore, Matthew McConaughey, Natalie Portman, Luke Russert and Morgan Spurlock
New York, NY -- Former President Bill Clinton will host the second Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) Meeting February 13-15, 2009 at The University of Texas at Austin. CGI U builds on the successful model of the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting, which celebrates its fifth anniversary this year, to engage college students and administrators to make commitments to address global issues with practical, innovative solutions.
CGI U, under sponsorship of Student Government at The University of Texas at Austin, will convene nearly 1,000 college students, approximately 100 university presidents, as well as leading non-profit organizations, social entrepreneurs, and youth leaders. Other attendees will include NFL All-Star Nnamdi Asomugha, Drew Barrymore, Matthew McConaughey, Natalie Portman, Luke Russert, and Morgan Spurlock.
Participants will discuss how student activists can make a difference around the world and each student and university in attendance is asked to make their own Commitment to Action. Over the three day meeting, attendees will participate in forums and working sessions to brainstorm ways to make a difference. On the final day, CGI U Meeting attendees will collaborate with The University of Texas at Austin students to take part in a wide range of community service activities at the Rosewood Park and Recreation Center in East Austin.
All CGI U Meeting attendees make a Commitment to Action – a comprehensive, formal plan of action to address a specific problem on their campus, in their community, or in another state or abroad. While a commitment is a requirement for participation at the meeting, any college student or university can make a commitment throughout the year at www.cgiu.org. Since the inaugural meeting in March 2008 at Tulane University, nearly 1,600 commitments have been made by students and universities worldwide.
What: Second Clinton Global Initiative University Meeting
Who: Former President Clinton, President William Powers Jr. of The University of Texas at Austin, Student Government President Keshav Rajagopalan of The University of Texas at Austin, over 1,000 college students, nearly 100 college and university presidents, and leaders from government, academia, and non-governmental organizations, including university administrators, social entrepreneurs, youth leaders, and prominent philanthropists.
Where: Events will be held at various locations including the following:
The University of Texas at Austin:
The Alumni Center: 2110 San Jacinto Boulevard, Austin, TX 78712
Gregory Gymnasium: 2101 Speedway, Austin, TX 78712
Austin Convention Center: 500 E. Cesar Chavez St., Austin, TX 78701
Rosewood Park and Recreational Center: 1182 North Pleasant Valley Road, Austin, TX 78702
About the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)
Established in 2005 by former President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Since 2005, CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 100 current and former heads of state, 14 Nobel Peace Prize laureates, hundreds of leading global CEOs, heads of foundations and major philanthropists, directors of the most effective non-governmental organizations, and prominent members of the media. These CGI members have made more than 1,300 commitments valued at $46 billion, which have already impacted more than 200 million lives in 150 countries. Commitments made at the 2008 Annual Meeting are expected to affect almost 160 million people. CGI will hold its Fifth Anniversary Meeting from September 22-25, 2009 in New York City.
Anybody can make their own Commitment to Action at MyCommitment.org.
For more information please visit www.clintonglobalinitiative.org.
Contact: press@clintonglobalinitiative.org
Former President Clinton to Host Second Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) Meeting to be held at The University of Texas at Austin, February 13-15, 2009
President Clinton will bring together over 1,000 students, nearly 100 college and university presidents, NGOs, national youth organizations, athletes, and celebrity-activists including NFL All-Star Nnamdi Asomugha, Drew Barrymore, Matthew McConaughey, Natalie Portman, Luke Russert and Morgan Spurlock
New York, NY -- Former President Bill Clinton will host the second Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) Meeting February 13-15, 2009 at The University of Texas at Austin. CGI U builds on the successful model of the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting, which celebrates its fifth anniversary this year, to engage college students and administrators to make commitments to address global issues with practical, innovative solutions.
CGI U, under sponsorship of Student Government at The University of Texas at Austin, will convene nearly 1,000 college students, approximately 100 university presidents, as well as leading non-profit organizations, social entrepreneurs, and youth leaders. Other attendees will include NFL All-Star Nnamdi Asomugha, Drew Barrymore, Matthew McConaughey, Natalie Portman, Luke Russert, and Morgan Spurlock.
Participants will discuss how student activists can make a difference around the world and each student and university in attendance is asked to make their own Commitment to Action. Over the three day meeting, attendees will participate in forums and working sessions to brainstorm ways to make a difference. On the final day, CGI U Meeting attendees will collaborate with The University of Texas at Austin students to take part in a wide range of community service activities at the Rosewood Park and Recreation Center in East Austin.
All CGI U Meeting attendees make a Commitment to Action – a comprehensive, formal plan of action to address a specific problem on their campus, in their community, or in another state or abroad. While a commitment is a requirement for participation at the meeting, any college student or university can make a commitment throughout the year at www.cgiu.org. Since the inaugural meeting in March 2008 at Tulane University, nearly 1,600 commitments have been made by students and universities worldwide.
What: Second Clinton Global Initiative University Meeting
Who: Former President Clinton, President William Powers Jr. of The University of Texas at Austin, Student Government President Keshav Rajagopalan of The University of Texas at Austin, over 1,000 college students, nearly 100 college and university presidents, and leaders from government, academia, and non-governmental organizations, including university administrators, social entrepreneurs, youth leaders, and prominent philanthropists.
Where: Events will be held at various locations including the following:
The University of Texas at Austin:
The Alumni Center: 2110 San Jacinto Boulevard, Austin, TX 78712
Gregory Gymnasium: 2101 Speedway, Austin, TX 78712
Austin Convention Center: 500 E. Cesar Chavez St., Austin, TX 78701
Rosewood Park and Recreational Center: 1182 North Pleasant Valley Road, Austin, TX 78702
About the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)
Established in 2005 by former President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Since 2005, CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 100 current and former heads of state, 14 Nobel Peace Prize laureates, hundreds of leading global CEOs, heads of foundations and major philanthropists, directors of the most effective non-governmental organizations, and prominent members of the media. These CGI members have made more than 1,300 commitments valued at $46 billion, which have already impacted more than 200 million lives in 150 countries. Commitments made at the 2008 Annual Meeting are expected to affect almost 160 million people. CGI will hold its Fifth Anniversary Meeting from September 22-25, 2009 in New York City.
Anybody can make their own Commitment to Action at MyCommitment.org.
For more information please visit www.clintonglobalinitiative.org.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Obama Stresses Community Service
President-elect Barack Obama's inaugural committee today announced a new community service initiative and website.
The "Renew America Together" initiative, asking all Americans to make an ongoing commitment to serve their communities -- will launch on the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday on Jan. 19, the day before Obama's inauguration. Obama and his family, along with Vice President-elect Joe Biden and his, will take part in activities in the Washington area.
"At this moment of great purpose and great promise, President-elect Obama is calling on all Americans to make an ongoing commitment to serve their communities and their country. We're not just asking the American people for one day of service. We are asking you to make an ongoing commitment of your time - an hour, a weekend, whatever you can spare. Because that's how we're going to rebuild this country and meet our great challenges - together," retired General Colin Powell said in a statement.
The inaugural committee unveiled USAservice.org, a new tool to help Americans find ways to serve in their own community.It says nearly 5,000 volunteer events already have been established by nonprofits and grassroots groups across the country.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Champagne: A quick-and-dirty buying guide
Since there are few questions more frequently asked than what my favorite Champagnes are, it's a worthwhile time to revisit some guideposts.
Champagne seems to bring out the sort of brand loyalty -- and hence fear of change -- you find only in jeans and cars. Don't take my Levis, my Acura or my Bollinger, dammit. So with that in mind, here's a quick-and-dirty guide to the labels I look for. You may not find some of your familiar names here, but at least a few of these should appear on any good wine store's shelves.
If you're wondering why some very popular names aren't here, the answer is simple: I drink enough Champagne to be a complete tightwad about it, and many (but not all) big-name houses make wines that are too simple and too sweet for the money. If you're paying the premium to drink real Champagne, it should be a complex and compelling treat.
OK, first to the negociants: I'm unabashedly a fan of the British taste in Champagne: lots of flavors of toast, pastry, nuts and Sherry, typically from exposing the wines to a bit more oxygen and using more of the aged reserve wines in the blend -- hence why, in raised-nose company, I'd call it an oxidative style. The epitome of this style is beloved Bollinger, with Pol Roger doing admirable duty too. Less extreme, and to my taste often a bit more elegant for it, is the smaller Gosset, one of Champagne's most storied houses. If you're stepping up a bit, the lavish and leesy profile of Ruinart speaks to a certain opulence. These are all somewhat big wines, meant for heartier food and certainly ample in structure to last through a meal.
Now let's dial back the nuts and Sherry a bit -- if you prefer your bubbles not to resemble a tapas bar, that is -- to a more fruit-driven, precise style. There are many Heidsiecks in the realm, all with solid quality. I waver between two -- Charles Heidsieck and Heidsieck Monopole (the first owned by spirits firm Remy Cointreau, which also owns Piper-Heidsieck, the latter by Champagne firm Vranken, which also owns the very solid Pommery label, notable for its eloquent Cuvee Louise and its single-serve Pop) -- Charles a bit more flashy, though with gorgeous expression in vintage wines like its 1995 Blanc des Millenaires, Monopole somewhat stoic but so very fresh in its blue and yellow package. Both great. Along those lines, keep an eye out for the recently reinvigorated Ayala, now owned by none other than Bollinger, especially its laser-precise Zero Dosage. Ayala gets extra points for putting disgorgement dates on the bottle, which may bust the impression of all-bottlings-created-equal, but allows those of us forking over the cash to make more reasoned buying decisions. Also notably restrained in its style is Taittinger, which has won it its share of fans over time.
For just a bit more flash (but just a bit), the nonvintage wines of Louis Roederer continue to deliver in their subtle, nuanced style with just a hint of yeasty wildness lurking. Of course the vintage wines and, ahem, Cristal follow in that somewhat timeless mold. (If only the nonvintage was disgorgement-dated.) Henriot follows a similar path, though with somewhat more focus on Chardonnay. In that style, but with a bit more overt fruit to its nonvintage bottling thanks to about one-third Pinot Meunier, is Deutz. The nonvintage can benefit from a couple years of proper aging, and vintage Deutz -- especially the Blanc de Blancs and the top-end Cuvee William Deutz -- have tremendous cellar potential. Not that you needed that for New Year's.
To me, Jacquesson falls nicely in that on-the-road-to-opulent category too, though almost as a bridge to the grower realm; the Chiquet brothers' commitment to specific vintage expressions is really a treat. And as I've noted before, the Philipponnat label finds just the right balance between lean red-fruit precision and toasty opulence that, when I encounter the Royale Reserve nowadays, makes me always think of a poor man's Krug, to say nothing of Philipponnat's extraordinarily age-worthy Clos des Goisses. There is, of course, Krug, for those with the means. And Salon takes the opulence even further without losing precision, though at nearly $300 a bottle, it had better outperform.
Now to those indispensible grower folks. There is no shortage of love for the heavy hitters of the category, Egly-Ouriet (imported straight through Berkeley) and Pierre Peters (a superstar in Terry Theise's portfolio, along with Pierre Gimmonet). Certainly I have no quibble there, though I don't get to taste either as much as I'd like. Given their relative scarcity on shelves, you may have about the same luck. If you find a bottle of Egly's Vignes de Vrigny, all from Pinot Meunier, it's a unique wine worth experiencing, showing an austere side of that usually fruity grape.
But there are so many others. Aside from Leclerc Briant, our house Champagne is usually the NV Blanc de Blancs from Franck Bonville, in magnum when we can. (Both are imported through K&L, and available locally, when in stock.) The Larmandier-Bernier label is exceptional, including its Terre de Vertus bottling, undosed and a stoic expression of terroir from that Cote des Blancs village. Two other growers imported locally (through Martine's Wines) are Diebolt-Vallois and Gonet-Medeville, both consistently excellent and worthy of cellar time (especially the Diebolt, which can be a bit subdued when young.) The same is true of Agrapart, the Avize-based Chardonnay specialist.
Gaston Chiquet (cousins of the owners of Jacquesson) is on my hot list with a bullet. Chiquet took a while to leave an impression, but repeated encounters with its vintage Special Club effort (a series of top cuvees made by a close-knit group of growers) keeps convincing me to buy more and tuck them away. The 1998 was as fresh and focused (especially for that vintage) as the 1999 is opulent and monumental. Along those lines, another name encountered in our recent recommendations, but equally notable for their consistently good Cuvee Ste Anne, is Chartogne-Taillet, like Chiquet a player in the Theise book. (Those of us fortunate enough to keep tasting the full range of the Theise-imported wines get to play favorites. The Aubry and Jean Milan are also fantastic, if less my thing. Aubry's Campanae Veteres Vites, from now-obscure other Champagne varieties like Arbanne, is always fascinating, if primarily an intellectual thrill.)
Of course, there's Vilmart, the powerful, typically oak-aged Champagnes from Rilly-la-Montagne. I was a late convert to Vilmart's style, but the rounded texture it can show when young is lost like baby fat as precision and complexity take over. I'll pretty much buy Vilmart whenever I see it, if only because of its rarity and depth. (This is how some people feel about the utterly cultish Jacques Selosse, but we don't see much Selosse in these parts.) One of Vilmart's lesser known stars is its nonvintage rosé, the Cuvee Rubis, our New Year's Eve Champagne from last year. The nonvintage Rubis brings a fruitier edge and intensity to the subtle house style, like strawberries through a fiber optic cable.
And that brings us to the smile-inducing topic of Rosé Champagne. The big discovery this year was Mandois, a small house in Pierry that takes a similar oak-minded approach as Vilmart, though with sometimes different results. Its Brut Rosé Grande Reserve is an extraordinary wine, made from a blend of white Champagne, saignée pink wine and red wine. The irresistible earth notes of Pinot come shining through. Other excellent, if lesser known names in Rosé include Louis de Sacy, and of course the utterly beloved Billecart-Salmon, though I find Billecart's pink wine too soft-edged, even though I adore the regular Brut and the vintage wines. (To ponder imponderables: Would Billecart's rosé have caught on so well if the name didn't include "Salmon"?)
OK, now I'm thirsty, so I'll stop there. Now's your turn. What names do you look for when you're in the Champagne aisle?
Champagne seems to bring out the sort of brand loyalty -- and hence fear of change -- you find only in jeans and cars. Don't take my Levis, my Acura or my Bollinger, dammit. So with that in mind, here's a quick-and-dirty guide to the labels I look for. You may not find some of your familiar names here, but at least a few of these should appear on any good wine store's shelves.
If you're wondering why some very popular names aren't here, the answer is simple: I drink enough Champagne to be a complete tightwad about it, and many (but not all) big-name houses make wines that are too simple and too sweet for the money. If you're paying the premium to drink real Champagne, it should be a complex and compelling treat.
OK, first to the negociants: I'm unabashedly a fan of the British taste in Champagne: lots of flavors of toast, pastry, nuts and Sherry, typically from exposing the wines to a bit more oxygen and using more of the aged reserve wines in the blend -- hence why, in raised-nose company, I'd call it an oxidative style. The epitome of this style is beloved Bollinger, with Pol Roger doing admirable duty too. Less extreme, and to my taste often a bit more elegant for it, is the smaller Gosset, one of Champagne's most storied houses. If you're stepping up a bit, the lavish and leesy profile of Ruinart speaks to a certain opulence. These are all somewhat big wines, meant for heartier food and certainly ample in structure to last through a meal.
Now let's dial back the nuts and Sherry a bit -- if you prefer your bubbles not to resemble a tapas bar, that is -- to a more fruit-driven, precise style. There are many Heidsiecks in the realm, all with solid quality. I waver between two -- Charles Heidsieck and Heidsieck Monopole (the first owned by spirits firm Remy Cointreau, which also owns Piper-Heidsieck, the latter by Champagne firm Vranken, which also owns the very solid Pommery label, notable for its eloquent Cuvee Louise and its single-serve Pop) -- Charles a bit more flashy, though with gorgeous expression in vintage wines like its 1995 Blanc des Millenaires, Monopole somewhat stoic but so very fresh in its blue and yellow package. Both great. Along those lines, keep an eye out for the recently reinvigorated Ayala, now owned by none other than Bollinger, especially its laser-precise Zero Dosage. Ayala gets extra points for putting disgorgement dates on the bottle, which may bust the impression of all-bottlings-created-equal, but allows those of us forking over the cash to make more reasoned buying decisions. Also notably restrained in its style is Taittinger, which has won it its share of fans over time.
For just a bit more flash (but just a bit), the nonvintage wines of Louis Roederer continue to deliver in their subtle, nuanced style with just a hint of yeasty wildness lurking. Of course the vintage wines and, ahem, Cristal follow in that somewhat timeless mold. (If only the nonvintage was disgorgement-dated.) Henriot follows a similar path, though with somewhat more focus on Chardonnay. In that style, but with a bit more overt fruit to its nonvintage bottling thanks to about one-third Pinot Meunier, is Deutz. The nonvintage can benefit from a couple years of proper aging, and vintage Deutz -- especially the Blanc de Blancs and the top-end Cuvee William Deutz -- have tremendous cellar potential. Not that you needed that for New Year's.
To me, Jacquesson falls nicely in that on-the-road-to-opulent category too, though almost as a bridge to the grower realm; the Chiquet brothers' commitment to specific vintage expressions is really a treat. And as I've noted before, the Philipponnat label finds just the right balance between lean red-fruit precision and toasty opulence that, when I encounter the Royale Reserve nowadays, makes me always think of a poor man's Krug, to say nothing of Philipponnat's extraordinarily age-worthy Clos des Goisses. There is, of course, Krug, for those with the means. And Salon takes the opulence even further without losing precision, though at nearly $300 a bottle, it had better outperform.
Now to those indispensible grower folks. There is no shortage of love for the heavy hitters of the category, Egly-Ouriet (imported straight through Berkeley) and Pierre Peters (a superstar in Terry Theise's portfolio, along with Pierre Gimmonet). Certainly I have no quibble there, though I don't get to taste either as much as I'd like. Given their relative scarcity on shelves, you may have about the same luck. If you find a bottle of Egly's Vignes de Vrigny, all from Pinot Meunier, it's a unique wine worth experiencing, showing an austere side of that usually fruity grape.
But there are so many others. Aside from Leclerc Briant, our house Champagne is usually the NV Blanc de Blancs from Franck Bonville, in magnum when we can. (Both are imported through K&L, and available locally, when in stock.) The Larmandier-Bernier label is exceptional, including its Terre de Vertus bottling, undosed and a stoic expression of terroir from that Cote des Blancs village. Two other growers imported locally (through Martine's Wines) are Diebolt-Vallois and Gonet-Medeville, both consistently excellent and worthy of cellar time (especially the Diebolt, which can be a bit subdued when young.) The same is true of Agrapart, the Avize-based Chardonnay specialist.
Gaston Chiquet (cousins of the owners of Jacquesson) is on my hot list with a bullet. Chiquet took a while to leave an impression, but repeated encounters with its vintage Special Club effort (a series of top cuvees made by a close-knit group of growers) keeps convincing me to buy more and tuck them away. The 1998 was as fresh and focused (especially for that vintage) as the 1999 is opulent and monumental. Along those lines, another name encountered in our recent recommendations, but equally notable for their consistently good Cuvee Ste Anne, is Chartogne-Taillet, like Chiquet a player in the Theise book. (Those of us fortunate enough to keep tasting the full range of the Theise-imported wines get to play favorites. The Aubry and Jean Milan are also fantastic, if less my thing. Aubry's Campanae Veteres Vites, from now-obscure other Champagne varieties like Arbanne, is always fascinating, if primarily an intellectual thrill.)
Of course, there's Vilmart, the powerful, typically oak-aged Champagnes from Rilly-la-Montagne. I was a late convert to Vilmart's style, but the rounded texture it can show when young is lost like baby fat as precision and complexity take over. I'll pretty much buy Vilmart whenever I see it, if only because of its rarity and depth. (This is how some people feel about the utterly cultish Jacques Selosse, but we don't see much Selosse in these parts.) One of Vilmart's lesser known stars is its nonvintage rosé, the Cuvee Rubis, our New Year's Eve Champagne from last year. The nonvintage Rubis brings a fruitier edge and intensity to the subtle house style, like strawberries through a fiber optic cable.
And that brings us to the smile-inducing topic of Rosé Champagne. The big discovery this year was Mandois, a small house in Pierry that takes a similar oak-minded approach as Vilmart, though with sometimes different results. Its Brut Rosé Grande Reserve is an extraordinary wine, made from a blend of white Champagne, saignée pink wine and red wine. The irresistible earth notes of Pinot come shining through. Other excellent, if lesser known names in Rosé include Louis de Sacy, and of course the utterly beloved Billecart-Salmon, though I find Billecart's pink wine too soft-edged, even though I adore the regular Brut and the vintage wines. (To ponder imponderables: Would Billecart's rosé have caught on so well if the name didn't include "Salmon"?)
OK, now I'm thirsty, so I'll stop there. Now's your turn. What names do you look for when you're in the Champagne aisle?
Monday, December 22, 2008
Clinton Global Initiative Year End Report
For Immediate Release Contact: Clinton Foundation Press Office
December 22, 2008 212.348.0360
Clinton Global Initiative Commitments to Action extend their reach in 2008, impacting millions around the world.
“We know we cannot do this alone… We have to partner with other NGOs… We have to partner with corporations… We also have to work with governments.”
Lance Armstrong, Founder and Chairman of the Board, Lance Armstrong Foundation,
speaking at the 2008 CGI Annual Meeting
“That’s the power of the Clinton Global Initiative, to change lives. You change lives, one life, one hope, at a time.”
Prime Minister Gordon Brown, United Kingdom, 2008 CGI Annual Meeting
The non-partisan Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) is a platform to bring together global leaders in business, government, non-profit organizations, and students to address some of the most pressing global challenges including poverty alleviation, climate change, global health, and education. Each CGI member is asked to make a Commitment to Action. Commitments vary in duration and reflect investments of time, expertise, and/or resources in the form of grants, commercial or social investments, program expenditures, and in-kind contributions. Members come together at CGI’s Annual Meeting in New York to continue the dialogue, make new commitments, and report on the progress of past commitments.
CGI is not a grant-making organization and Commitments to Action are funded and implemented directly by commitment makers. CGI staff provides advice and monitoring to ensure progress is made.
CGI’s Work to Date
President Clinton launched the Clinton Global Initiative in 2005. To date:
• Over 1,200 Commitments to Action valued at $46 billion have touched more than 200 million lives in 150 countries.
• As a result of CGI Commitments to Action, since 2005:
? 8 million children were able to attend school
? 34 million people gained access to treatment of neglected tropical diseases
? 40 million metric tons of CO2 emissions were cut
? 3 million entrepreneurs were empowered with access to microfinance.
• In 2008, CGI members pledged:
? Enough clean energy to power 110 million homes in India
? One billion liters of safe drinking water to those in need
? To raise $375 million to develop new vaccines and pursue medical research
? To provide healthy school lunches to 20 million children
• MyCommitment.org is an online network that offers everyone the opportunity to make a commitment. Since the launch, people from 181 countries have collectively pledged to volunteer more than 92,000 hours and donate more than 40,000 items to improve the world.
2008 CGI Accomplishments
In 2008 alone, CGI accomplished the following:
• CGI’s 2008 Annual Meeting brought together attendees including President-elect Barack Obama, Prime Minister Gordon Brown, President Hamid Karzai, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Queen Rania, Former President George H.W. Bush, Senator John McCain, Bill Gates, Bono, Wangari Maathai, Muhammad Yunus, Lance Armstrong and nearly 60 current and former heads of state.
• CGI’s Commitments to Action from the 2008 Annual Meeting are expected to impact almost 160 million people.
• The launch of Clinton Global University, which brought together more than 600 students from nearly every state and 15 countries to Tulane University in New Orleans to formulate ways to take action on campuses, in communities, and across continents. Nearly 1,000 Commitments to Action were generated at the inaugural CGI U meeting.
• This month, CGI Asia convened leaders in Hong Kong to address local, regional, and global challenges focusing on education, health, and climate change. 67 Commitments to Action valued at nearly $200 million and projected to affect 10 million lives occurred at CGI Asia.
In 2009, CGI will continue to inspire action across different audiences. The 2009 CGI University meeting will take place from February 13-15 at the University of Texas at Austin, bringing together hundreds of students, university presidents, and national youth organizations to make commitments. MyCommitment.org will continue to provide opportunities for any citizen from any country to find opportunities to take action. And finally, a very special Fifth Anniversary Meeting will take place in New York City from September 22-25.
Learn more at www.clintonfoundation.org.
December 22, 2008 212.348.0360
Clinton Global Initiative Commitments to Action extend their reach in 2008, impacting millions around the world.
“We know we cannot do this alone… We have to partner with other NGOs… We have to partner with corporations… We also have to work with governments.”
Lance Armstrong, Founder and Chairman of the Board, Lance Armstrong Foundation,
speaking at the 2008 CGI Annual Meeting
“That’s the power of the Clinton Global Initiative, to change lives. You change lives, one life, one hope, at a time.”
Prime Minister Gordon Brown, United Kingdom, 2008 CGI Annual Meeting
The non-partisan Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) is a platform to bring together global leaders in business, government, non-profit organizations, and students to address some of the most pressing global challenges including poverty alleviation, climate change, global health, and education. Each CGI member is asked to make a Commitment to Action. Commitments vary in duration and reflect investments of time, expertise, and/or resources in the form of grants, commercial or social investments, program expenditures, and in-kind contributions. Members come together at CGI’s Annual Meeting in New York to continue the dialogue, make new commitments, and report on the progress of past commitments.
CGI is not a grant-making organization and Commitments to Action are funded and implemented directly by commitment makers. CGI staff provides advice and monitoring to ensure progress is made.
CGI’s Work to Date
President Clinton launched the Clinton Global Initiative in 2005. To date:
• Over 1,200 Commitments to Action valued at $46 billion have touched more than 200 million lives in 150 countries.
• As a result of CGI Commitments to Action, since 2005:
? 8 million children were able to attend school
? 34 million people gained access to treatment of neglected tropical diseases
? 40 million metric tons of CO2 emissions were cut
? 3 million entrepreneurs were empowered with access to microfinance.
• In 2008, CGI members pledged:
? Enough clean energy to power 110 million homes in India
? One billion liters of safe drinking water to those in need
? To raise $375 million to develop new vaccines and pursue medical research
? To provide healthy school lunches to 20 million children
• MyCommitment.org is an online network that offers everyone the opportunity to make a commitment. Since the launch, people from 181 countries have collectively pledged to volunteer more than 92,000 hours and donate more than 40,000 items to improve the world.
2008 CGI Accomplishments
In 2008 alone, CGI accomplished the following:
• CGI’s 2008 Annual Meeting brought together attendees including President-elect Barack Obama, Prime Minister Gordon Brown, President Hamid Karzai, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Queen Rania, Former President George H.W. Bush, Senator John McCain, Bill Gates, Bono, Wangari Maathai, Muhammad Yunus, Lance Armstrong and nearly 60 current and former heads of state.
• CGI’s Commitments to Action from the 2008 Annual Meeting are expected to impact almost 160 million people.
• The launch of Clinton Global University, which brought together more than 600 students from nearly every state and 15 countries to Tulane University in New Orleans to formulate ways to take action on campuses, in communities, and across continents. Nearly 1,000 Commitments to Action were generated at the inaugural CGI U meeting.
• This month, CGI Asia convened leaders in Hong Kong to address local, regional, and global challenges focusing on education, health, and climate change. 67 Commitments to Action valued at nearly $200 million and projected to affect 10 million lives occurred at CGI Asia.
In 2009, CGI will continue to inspire action across different audiences. The 2009 CGI University meeting will take place from February 13-15 at the University of Texas at Austin, bringing together hundreds of students, university presidents, and national youth organizations to make commitments. MyCommitment.org will continue to provide opportunities for any citizen from any country to find opportunities to take action. And finally, a very special Fifth Anniversary Meeting will take place in New York City from September 22-25.
Learn more at www.clintonfoundation.org.
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