New York Annual Dinner Gala 2015

BIRD AND BELL
AWARD RECIPIENTS

The Leslie C. and Regina Quick, Jr. Family

On the occasion of the 40th Anniversary of the New York Dinner Gala, The American Ireland Fund is pleased to present its
highest honor, the Bird and Bell Award to the Leslie C. and Regina Quick, Jr. Family: Les, Tom, Peter, Chris, Mary, Nancy and Patricia.

In 2002, the Fund established the Leslie C. Quick Jr. Leadership Award to commemorate the business and philanthropic legacy of Leslie C. Quick, Jr. which is presented annually to a businessperson of outstanding character and acumen. Leslie was an entrepreneur, a man of vision and commitment and a philanthropist who believed in sharing his success with those less fortunate.

Leslie and Regina’s kindness to The American Ireland Fund is legendary. Not only were they supporters of the Fund, but in 2001 they gave $1 million to The American Ireland Fund to help fight cancer in Ireland. Their generosity helped fund the Cork Cancer Research Centre located within the University College Cork, which is now considered a world-class medical enterprise.

Today, the Quick family continues its legacy of philanthropic spirit and commitment to numerous charities throughout the world. Today, the family is a great supporter of our work and plays an important role in the Palm Beach and New York Dinners. In presenting the Bird and Bell Award to the Quick Family, we honor a great man’s memory, his legacy and his family’s continued commitment to those values.

SPECIAL GUEST

Senator George J. Mitchell

The American Ireland Fund is proud to welcome Senator George J. Mitchell as our special guest at our 40th Anniversary Dinner. We are honored to pay tribute to Senator Mitchell for his extraordinary commitment to furthering Peace and Reconciliation in our global community. Senator Mitchell’s distinguished career includes 14 years in the United States Senate. In 1996, the Govements of the United Kingdom and Ireland asked Senator Mitchell to chair the peace negotiations in Northe Ireland.

Senator Mitchell led the negotiations which ultimately resulted in the Good Friday Agreement which was overwhelmingly endorsed by voters in Northe Ireland and the Irish Republic in 1998. He is also chancellor of The Queen’s University of Northe Ireland. Senator Mitchell also served as Chairman of an inteational fact-finding committee on violence in the Middle East. His findings were released in December 2007. In 2008, Time magazine included Senator Mitchell on its list of the 100 most influential people in the world. In 2009, President Obama appointed Senator Mitchell as Special Envoy for the Middle East. He has received numerous awards and honors recognizing his service in the peace talks. These include the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor the U.S. govement can give; the Philadelphia Liberty Medal; the Truman Institute Peace Prize; the German (Hesse) Peace Prize; and the United Nations (UNESCO) Peace Prize.

He is a published author and has served on numerous boards including those of DLA Piper; The Walt Disney Company; the Boston Red Sox; Federal Express, Xerox, Staples, Unilever and Starwood Hotels and Resorts. He served as Chairman of the Inteational Crisis Group, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention of crises in inteational affairs, as Chairman of the Special Commission investigating allegations of impropriety in the bidding process for the Olympic Games, and as Chairman of the National Health Care Commission. Working on a pro bono basis, Senator Mitchell was the independent overseer of the American Red Cross Liberty Disaster Relief Fund, an organization formed to help victims of the 9/11 attacks.