Washington, DC, March 21, 2011—Patton Boggs Chairman Thomas Hale Boggs Jr. will be presented with a 2011 American Journey Award by the Ron Brown Scholar Program during the Program’s American Journey Awards Dinner on Friday, March 25, 2011 in Washington, DC. The American Journey Award is given to individuals who create opportunities for others, helping them to reach their potential and to achieve success.
The Ron Brown Scholar Program was established in 1996 to honor the legacy of the late Secretary of Commerce, Ronald H. Brown. The program provides academic scholarships, service opportunities and leadership experiences for young African-Americans who demonstrate outstanding promise. Secretary Brown began his ten-year tenure at Patton, Boggs & Blow in 1981, becoming the first African-American partner at a major Washington law firm. From 1989-1992, Secretary Brown served as the first African-American Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and in 1992 he was named Secretary of Commerce by President Clinton. While on a trade mission to Europe in April 1996, he died in a plane crash.
After his tragic death, Anthony M. Pilaro, chairman of the CAP Charitable Foundation, created a scholarship fund in Secretary Brown’s name. Mr. Boggs became the first member of the Program’s Selection Committee and in addition to taking on the organization as a pro bono client, offered the Firm’s Washington office as a venue for the annual interview process. Since 1997, over 90,000 scholarship applications have been received and $800,000 has been awarded annually to high school seniors selected for the Program, which boasts a 100 percent graduation rate. Patton Boggs also supports the organization by sponsoring various initiatives throughout the year.
“Secretary Brown’s contributions were not only precedent-setting, they were integral to the Firm’s development and its success,” said Ed Newberry, managing partner at Patton Boggs. “The Ron Brown Scholar Program honors Secretary Brown’s memory, and through our support of its mission and endeavors, we hope to as well.”
This year, the American Journey Awards will be co-hosted by Marva Smalls, executive vice president and chief of staff at Nickelodeon Networks, and Tom Werner, chairman of the Boston Red Sox and partner and co-founder of Carsey Werner. Other award recipients include entrepreneurs Sylvia and Eddie Brown and civil rights activist Julian Bond. The 2011 Ron Brown Scholarship finalists will also be in attendance.
Patton Boggs LLP
Based in Washington, D.C., Patton Boggs is a leader in public policy, litigation and business law, and is well known for its deep bipartisan roots in the U.S. political arena. The Firm’s core practice areas are Public Policy and Regulatory, Litigation, Business and Intellectual Property. With offices in New York, New Jersey, Dallas, Denver, Anchorage, Northern Virginia and internationally in Doha, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, more than 600 lawyers and professionals provide comprehensive, practical and cost-effective legal counsel to clients around the globe. For more information, visit us at www.pattonboggs.com.
About the Ron Brown Scholar Program
The Ron Brown Scholar Fund is a 501(c)3 public charity. Named for the late Secretary of Commerce and inspired by his dedication to public service, the Ron Brown Scholar Program was established in 1996 to provide academic scholarships, service opportunities and leadership experiences for young African Americans of outstanding promise. For more information about the American Journey Awards and the Ron Brown Scholar Program, visit www.ronbrown.org.