New Initiative Designed to Honor Individuals Who Have Made an Impact
On the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation
Honorees to be Acknowledged During a Special On-Court Ceremony
On Wednesday, August 1 During the 2012 Citi Open
The Citi Open today announced the formation of the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (WTEF) Hall of Fame Presented by Citi, which will acknowledge those individuals who have served and helped grow the organization throughout its history.
The inaugural class was selected by the WTEF Board of Directors and the honorees will be commemorated during a special on-court ceremony during the 2012 Citi Open on Wednesday, August 1 at the H.G. William FitzGerald Tennis Center in Rock Creek Park.
The inaugural WTEF Hall of Fame class named today consists of:
- Donald L. Dell, Group President, Lagardere Unlimited
- John A. Harris, President, Potomac Ventures
- The Hon. Paul Robert Ignatius, Former Secretary of the United States Navy, former President of the Washington Post and the Executive Vice President of the Washington Post Company
- The Hon. Henry Kennedy, Retired Judge, U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia
- Peter B. Work, Co-Founder, Partner and Senior Counsel, Crowell & Mooring
The WTEF was founded more than 50 years ago when several tennis-playing businessmen started a foundation to help promising young players with their travel expenses to junior tournaments. Since then, it has evolved into an organization that provides academic help to at-risk children, who can then apply the lessons learned on the tennis court, in the classroom and beyond.
"On behalf of Citi, we are delighted to honor these outstanding individuals who exemplify the very best in citizenship and have selflessly given of themselves for the benefit of the WTEF and its very important mission," said Dermot Boden, Chief Brand Officer, Citi. "Citi congratulates the members of this inaugural class. We share their commitment of helping at-risk youth and we look forward to working with the WTEF and supporting their programs."
"This most thoughtful and generous initiative by Citi has come at a pivotal time in the history of WTEF," said Anne Keiser, President, Board of Directors, WTEF. "As we expand our services with the October opening of WTEF's new Tennis, Education, and Community Center, we will now be located right in the neighborhood where the children in our programs live and go to school. It is fitting that we now pause to honor these five distinguished Washingtonians because without their selfless dedication to WTEF’s mission, we would not be where we are today. On behalf of the entire board and staff of WTEF, I offer my heartfelt ‘congratulations and thank you’ to our first inductees of the Washington Tennis and Education Hall of Fame."
More information on the WTEF Hall of Fame class: