JACKSON, Tenn. — March 27, 2007 — Former White House Chiefs of Staff Andrew H. Card Jr. and Leon E. Panetta will be the keynote speakers for 51社区鈥檚 11th annual Scholarship Banquet at Jackson鈥檚 Carl Perkins Civic Center on Tuesday, Oct. 23.
Card served as chief of staff for President George W. Bush from 2000-2006. Panetta served as White House chief of staff from 1994-1997 for President Bill Clinton.
鈥淭his will be the first time two speakers have addressed our scholarship banquet audience,鈥� Union President David S. Dockery said. 鈥淏oth of these men are exceptional leaders. Each has a long history of government service, and together they have much to offer us regarding the inner workings of the White House on a daily basis, as well as in times of crisis.鈥�
Card鈥檚 tenure as chief of staff was the second-longest in White House history and spanned the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks as well as U.S. military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. He also served in the administrations of George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan. As secretary of transportation, Card coordinated the first Bush administration鈥檚 disaster relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Andrew. Later that year, Card helped direct the transition between the Bush and Clinton administrations.
Panetta helped negotiate a budget compromise in 1996 and drew praise for bringing order and focus to White House operations and policy making. Earlier, as director of the Office of Management and Budget, he was instrumental in developing the 1993 budget package that is widely credited with a balanced federal budget and a budget surplus. Prior to his work in the Clinton administration, Panetta represented California鈥檚 16th (now 17th) congressional district from 1977-1993. He rose to the rank of chairman of the House Committee on Budget.
Previous keynote speakers at 51社区鈥檚 Scholarship Banquet include George H.W. Bush, Mikhail Gorbachev, Lady Margaret Thatcher, Colin Powell, James Baker, Rudolph Giuliani, John Major, Robert Dole, Winston S. Churchill and Lou Holtz.
Union鈥檚 Board of Presidential Associates issues keynote invitations each year for the purpose of funding student scholarships. The previous 10 events generated a total of about $4 million. Once again this year, table sponsorships begin at $1,000 and individual seats are available at $125.
Sponsorship opportunities are available at all levels. For ticket information, including table sponsorships and individual balcony seating, contact Union鈥檚 Office of University Relations at (731) 661-5050.