Photo credit: Brendan Kownacki
“Our event tonight celebrates service,” said Steve Ross of Artists & Athletes at a jointly sponsored Pre-Inauguration Event at Fiola Mare in Celebration of Service. The event honored the work of Team Rubicon Global in partnership with The Artists & Athletes Alliance, Ernst & Young LLP and BP America. “I can’t think of a more appropriate group to honor than team Rubicon Global that provides veterans around the world with the opportunities to serve in disasters around the world. TRG brings together veterans from the coalition of countries who serve together in Iraq and Afghanistan – this time to serve again in the aftermath of natural disasters. Building on the concept that was first proven in the United States and helping spin US missions to include international operations, Team Rubicon Global enables veterans of coalition nations, many who’ve served side by side with US troops, to come together to help those in times of need. We’d like to thank American Continental Group, our friends at Southern Company, EY and Excel Energy for making this event possible.”
Gallery photos by Janet Donovan
Marc Andersen of Ernst & Young added: “You know, as we’re thinking about bringing this week together on the eve of the Inauguration of our forty-fifth President and kicking off this awesome weekend, it was important to us to begin this weekend in celebration of service. For me, that’s what it’s really all about: Service in the context of building a better America and world. And tomorrow we start that journey. There’s no greater example of service to me than that of our military, our veterans and our first responders. They’re really the ones who allow us to have tonight, so thank you. We are fortunate to have many with us here tonight, so thank you very much.”
Senator Larry Pressler (Ret.), former Ohio State Senator Capri Cafaro with Ted Thoms
Gallery photos by Janet Donovan
Capitol File Publisher Suzy Jacobs and Editor Amy Moeller welcomed VIPs and Washington’s elite including Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) and wife Kelley Paul; Andrew Warren, Just Drew NYC designer; Washington Nationals Tanner Roarke and wife Amanda Roarke, Washington Nationals Ryan Zimmerman with wife Heather Zimmerman; Tom Kuhn, President EEI; Marc Andersen, EY; Erin Elmore, former “Apprentice”; Sheila Johnson, BET Co-Founder; Marla Maples; Ed Henry, Fox News; Mark Sanchez, Dallas Cowboys; Ken Harvey, former Washington Redskins; Korie and Willie Robertson, Duck Dynasty; Eric Bolling, Fox News; Ricky Schroeder, actor; Geoff Morrell, BP America; William McNulty, Team Rubicon; Ron Bonjean, The Bonjean Company; Ambassador Henne Schuwer (Netherlands); Erin McPike, 1776, to join the leading power players from both in and out of the Beltway to the bipartisan affair. Guests savored hors d’oeuvres specially created by Fiola Mare’s Fabio Trabocchi.
Capitol File Magazine Celebrates the 58th Presidential Inauguration at Fiola Mare, Washington D.C.
CEO of Team Rubicon Global William McNulty stepped up to further recognize the organization. “Team Rubicon is an organization that was founded in the immediate aftermath of the Haiti earthquake 7 years ago. At that time we realized that military veterans have skills … skills like teamwork, decisive leadership, risk mediation, emergency medicine that could be re-purposed to respond to natural disasters around the world. Something that also hit us very early on was this coalition of countries that serve together – Afghanistan being the largest coalition in the history of warfare, fifty countries. Anywhere where there’s a professional military, where men and women have raised their hand to serve, service is in their blood and they’re looking for opportunities to continue to serve. Tonight I want to honor one of those individuals and a supporter of Team Rubicon Global.”
Ron Bonjean
“First I want to honor Lieutenant Colonel Tim Edwards,” McNulty added. “Tim was instrumental in launching Team Rubicon United Kingdom and was instrumental in securing not only the involvement of General Sir Nick Parker, who’s the chairman and the former head of the British army, but Prince Harry as well. Tim led a mission with Prince Harry last year and also helped raise 2 and a half million pounds from Her Majesty’s treasury to launch that organization, and that was 3.8 million dollars pre-Brexit. The second individual is a foundation supporter who I want to honor. This is an organization that General Petraeus met with about a year ago. General Petraeus is a director of ours and Clark Charitable Foundation. Bob Flanagan is the president of Clark Enterprises.”
Flanagan thanked friends and colleagues from the Clark Charitable Foundation and expressed his enthusiasm for all the work that Team Rubicon does both in the United States and around the world. “It really is a fascinating thing. I had a chance to embed with Will on one of their deployment systems this summer and I witnessed firsthand the enthusiasm, the professionalism, and the compassion that the Team Rubicon team operates with. And it’s through that lens that we at Clark are excited about a long and fruitful relationship going forward.”
Duck Dynasty
Gallery photos by Janet Donovan – Ricky Schroeder filled in the Hollywood gap….
