September 28, 2006

Join us in Celebrating 85 years of helping immigrants and refugees build new and productive lives at our Annual Board Meeting on October 4, 2006 at 4:30 p.m.

The event will be held at the IIRI Providence headquarters on 645 Elmwood Avenue.  The meeting will celebrate past year achievements, establish next year’s goals, and highlight key immigration issues that face our nation today.  It will be followed by an art exhibit and reception.

The public is invited to attend!

KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Dr. Westy Egmont, Founder, Association of New Americans; Former Executive Director, International Institute of Boston; Co-Chair, Massachusetts Advisory Council for Immigrants and Refugees. He brings over 35 years of professional experience to his roles in the non-profit sector.  Having served in executive leadership roles domestically and overseas in educational and religious organizations, anti-hunger agencies and as president of a nationally recognized human services agency, Dr. Egmont combines proven methods with excellent skills in empowering others. As a leader in immigrant agencies, Dr. Egmont is particularly engaged in minority communities. His service has included founding boards for Boston Cares, running the Greater Boston Food Bank, Sunday morning TV on WBZ and the National Consortium of Torture Treatment Programs. 

Dr. Egmont has most recently served as President of the International Institute of Boston, Lowell and New Hampshire. He is chair of the Massachusetts Governor’s Advisory Council on Immigrants and Refugees and works with the boards of the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants as well as Cultural Survival.  He is currently exploring the gap in national leadership from the legal immigrant community and has recently incorporated the Association of New Americans to advocate for the vast majority of immigrants who are law abiding and Americans by choice.

MASTER OF CEREMONIES
Dr. Pablo Rodriguez will once again serve as the master of ceremonies for the Annual Meeting that will honor three outstanding Rhode Island residents who have been staunch supporters of the International Institute and exemplary citizens. 

AWARDS
The prestigious Nelly Ayvasian Award will be presented this year to Joe Weissfeld, Board Secretary and an attorney at Hinkley, Allen & Snyder.  Ayvasian was a former Executive Director of the International Institute, and a refugee herself, who made exceptional contributions to citizenship while inspiring others to become invested and active members in their community.  Recent past recipients of the Nelly Ayvasian Award include Charles (Chuck) Champagne, John Hazen White, Jr., Craig D’Ambra, Alan Shawn Feinstein, Pablo Rodriguez, and Anne Maxwell Livingston. 

A Corporate Leadership Award will be presented to Merrill W. Sherman, President and CEO of Bank Rhode Island for her role as co-chair of IIRI’s record-breaking 20^th Annual Spring Carnival Ball with John Hazen White, Jr. 

Erminio Pinque, founder and president of Big Nazo will be presented with a Community Leader Extraordinaire Award for his 20 years of volunteer service to IIRI, and for spearheading an IIRI art exhibit with students, staff, and friends over the past seven years resulting in the creation of 140 ethnic images.

FOOD, ART AND ENTERTAINMENT
Immediately following the Annual Meeting, there will be an Art Exhibit and reception featuring works of the talented artist and Met School teacher– Sidney Tillett.  Originally from Argentina, Tillett will showcase his paintings exploring the role culture and imagination play in how we look at people via portraiture.  Violinist Hagop Anmahian, former IIRI student now with the Rhode Island Philharmonic, will provide music.

Call 401-784-8634 for further information or read full press release here or copy and paste the following html: http://www.iiri.org/publications.htm#Pressreleases