Looking for a conversation you can sink your teeth into?
Morris Arts has just the thing: The seventh annual Great Conversations dinner returns on April 30, 2015, at the Madison Hotel in Morris Township.
This benefit for the local arts scene offers a roster loaded with fascinating people from the arts, sciences, government, media, sports and more. Mingle over cocktails, and dine with the expert of your choice. Tickets are $225 per seat.
This year’s lineup includes Prof. Robert Socolow, an energy expert at Princeton, and Ken Daneyko, winner of three Stanley Cups with the New Jersey Devils.
You can also meet a real-life Monuments Man, Harry Ettlinger, who was part of the team that rescued art looted by the Nazis in World War II. These efforts inspired the George Clooney movie, The Monuments Men.
Ever fancied yourself a guitarist? Meet the real deal, Frank Vignola.
Representing the local scene are Viki Craig, cofounder of Art in the Atrium, and Joseph M. Goryeb, chairman of the Mayo Performing Arts Center. Got a question about Morristown’s downtown renaissance? Ask town Planner Phil Abramson over drinks.
You can read our coverage of past Great Conversations here.
Below is the complete guest list, and details about reservations, for this year’s soiree.
FROM MORRIS ARTS:
Tickets are now on sale for Morris Arts’ 7th Great Conversations to be held on April 30, 2015, at the Madison Hotel, 1 Convent Road., Morris Township. Guests can mix and mingle with a stellar lineup of prominent and fascinating host conversationalists at a 6 pm reception leading to the 7:15 pm dinner where guests can converse in more depth with a specific host selected in advance.
This event offers guests the opportunity to meet and talk face-to-face with such luminaries as one of the last surviving WWII “Monuments Men” (portrayed in the George Clooney film), a NY Times bestselling author, a leading back surgeon, a NY Giants former tight end, a prizewinning chef, an internationally acclaimed opera and art song composer, a world expert on global energy, carbon management and policy, an internationally renowned jazz guitarist or another similarly fascinating, accomplished individuals.
Learn about their work, their thoughts on the world, their insights into their fields, and the experiences that shaped their lives. How did they get to where they are now? What lessons can they impart? This is an evening to exchange ideas and savor the pleasures of live encounters. You may be surprised by what you discover.
Our host conversationalists this year include the following distinguished individuals:
ARTS
Victoria Craig Art in the Atrium – Co-Founder
Harry Ettlinger WW ll “Monuments Man,” helped rescue art looted by Nazi regime
Peter Genovese NJ Advance Media – Food/Features Writer, “Munchmobile” man; author.
Joseph M. Goryeb Mayo Performing Arts Center Chairman; former Principal, Champion Mortgage
Corey W. Heyer The Bernards Inn – Executive Chef
Lori Laitman Internationally Acclaimed American Vocal Composer
Kimberly McCreight NY Times Bestselling Author of Reconstructing Amelia
Antoinette Montague International Jazz & Blues Singer; “Jazz Woman”
Stephen Sichak New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Co-Chair, Board of Trustees
Lora S. Urbanelli Montclair Art Museum – Director
Frank Vignola World Renowned Jazz Guitarist
SPORTS
Howard Cross Jr NY Giants Former Tight End; “This Week in Football” Analyst
Ken Daneyko NJ Devils Three-time Stanley Cup Champion; NJ broadcaster
Paul H. Teti Three–time US Olympic Rower; Normandy Real Estate Partners – Principal
HEALTHCARE
Everett Cunningham Quest Diagnostics – Senior VP, Commercial
Raymond F. Kerins Jr Bayer Corporation – Senior VP
John Maki Vicus Therapeutics – Founder, President & CEO; BioNJ Board of Trustees
Charles Mohs Pfizer Consumer Healthcare – Chief Marketing Officer
Patrick A. Roth, MD Hackensack University Medical Center – Chairman, Neurosurgery; Author
Kathleen T. Ruddy, MD Breast Health & Healing Foundation – Founder & President; Breast surgeon
Eva Turbiner Zufall Health Center – President & CEO
SCIENCE
Robert Socolow, PhD Princeton Environmental Institute – Director, Climate & Energy Challenge
PUBLIC SERVICE
Phil Abramson Morristown Town Planner; Topology NJ – Principal
Brig. Gen. Patrick W. Burden Picatinny Arsenal – Senior Commander
Honorable Harriet Derman Former NJ Judge, Assemblywoman & Executive Branch Commissioner
Lt. Col. Ingrid Parker Picatinny Arsenal – Garrison Commander
INDUSTRY
Brian Fox MetLife Investments – Chief Marketing Officer
Beth Kinerk Avis Budget Group, Inc. – Senior VP, Sales for North America
Gail Mandel Wyndham Exchange & Rentals – President & CEO
Anna Maria Tejada Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck LLP – Partner; Hispanic National Bar Association
Stephanie Wilkes Mondelēz International – President, Global Gum & Candy
This very popular event fills up quickly so be sure to buy your tickets early, available online at www.morrisarts.org. Proceeds from Great Conversations help to support the many programs and services provided by Morris Arts. Often accomplished “behind the scenes,” Morris Arts’ work serves hundreds of thousands of people each year – with arts in education programs, arts programming in the community, grants, scholarships, advocacy, innovative community-building events and support for artists and arts organizations. These efforts are critical to enriching and improving the quality of life in the broader community. Come and savor the art of live conversation, meet some extraordinary individuals and help a truly worthy organization give back to its community.
Morris Arts gratefully acknowledges the generosity of our corporate sponsors: Bayer; Hackensack University Medical Center; MetLife, Inc.; NJ Advance Media; PwC; Wyndham Worldwide; Mondelēz International;Normandy Real Estate Partners; Quest Diagnostics; The Avis Budget Charitable Foundation; JWeber Creative, LLC; Mariner Wealth Advisors – Madison; MCM Wealth Management at Morgan Stanley; Pfizer Consumer Healthcare; Delta Dental of New Jersey, Inc.;Greensill Capital; Hampshire Destination Properties, LLC; Kings Super Markets; NK Architects; Peapack-Gladstone Bank; Makovsky Integrated Communications; and Sherman Wells Sylvester & Stamelman LLP
Morris Arts is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1973 dedicated to engaging and building community through the arts. Using the arts to inspire, connect and engage, Morris Arts serves as a resource for Morris County with a special focus on arts programming in the schools and in the community, arts advocacy, and support of the Morris County community of artists and arts organizations.
The New Jersey State Council on the Arts has awarded the Morris Arts a “Citation of Excellence” and designated it as a “Major Service Organization” in recognition of its “solid history of service excellence, substantial activity and broad public service.”