Equality Forum will honor James C. Hormel, the first openly gay
United States Ambassador, and the Hon. Martin Cauchon, former attorney
general of Canada, at the International Business Colloquium Dinner
on Saturday, May 1 at 8 p.m. at the Independence National Historic
Park, 6th and Market Streets. Governor Edward Rendell is the evening's
honorary dinner chair. Sally Susman, senior vice president of global
communications for the Estée Lauder Companies Inc., and business
leader and philanthropist Ron Ansin are the dinner co-chairs.
Tickets for the dinner, priced $200, can be purchased at the Kimmel
Center Box Office, Broad and Spruce Streets; by calling Ticket Philadelphia
at 215-893-1999; or online at ticketphiladelphia.org. Benefactor
tables are available. For more information call 215-732-3378 or
visit www.equalityforum.com
The dinner is part of the International Business Colloquium, presented
in collaboration with the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce,
Canadian Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and the Wharton School
of the University of Pennsylvania. The colloquium will address the
issues facing gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender (GLBT) executives
from the United States and Canada and their opportunities in international
business on Saturday, May 1 at 1:30 p.m. at the Prince Music Theater,
1412 Chestnut Street. Moderated by Justin Nelson, co-founder of
the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, the panel includes
Jay Everette, senior vice president for corporate marketing at Wachovia;
Lynn Greer, co-publisher at Outlook Publishing; Louis Thomas, professor
at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania; and Tom
Culligan, co-founder of Canada's Second Cup.
James C. Hormel has devoted his life to the advocacy of
basic human rights, social justice and the well being of all individuals.
For more than 30 years, working with top business, government and
academic leaders, he has sought to create, fund and initiate major
programs addressing these concerns and to involve others in pubic
service.
Mr. Hormel is the founder and chairman of Equidex Inc., a San Francisco-based
firm that manages his, and his family's, investments and philanthropic
activities. He is an alumnus of Swarthmore College and the University
of Chicago Law School, where he was Assistant Dean and Dean of Students.
In 1986 he established the James C. Hormel Public Service program
at the law school to encourage law students to go into public service.
Mr. Hormel served as United States Ambassador to Luxembourg from
June 1999 to December 2000. He was alternate representative of the
United States delegation to the 51st United National General Assembly
in 1996 and was a member of the United States delegation to the
51st United Nations Human Rights Commission. During the last 15
years, Mr. Hormel has been instrumental in developing resources
for organizations serving people affected by HIV and AIDS, substance
abuse and breast cancer. He has served as a member of the Board
of Directors of the American Foundation for AIDS Research, Human
Rights Campaign Foundation, and was a founding director of the City
Club of San Francisco, a club created to bring together community
leaders of diverse backgrounds. Currently Mr. Hormel is a member
of the Board of Governors of the San Francisco Symphony, Board of
Trustees of the San Francisco Foundation and Board of Directors
of People for the American Way.
Mr. Hormel has five children, fourteen grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
He lives in San Francisco with his partner.
Throughout Minister of Justice Martin Cauchon's distinguished
career he has supported GLBT civil rights, including his important
support for gay marriage.
After being elected to his third term as Member of Parliament in
November 2000, Mr. Cauchon was appointed as Canada's 45th Minister
of Justice and Attorney General of Canada in January 2002. He previously
served as Minister of National Revenue and Secretary of State, responsible
for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of
Quebec.
From 1993 to 1995, Mr. Cauchon served as president of the Liberal
Party of Canada. In addition, he was vice chairman of the Standing
Committee on Public Accounts, chaired the Canada-France Inter-Parliamentary
Associate, was a member of the Standing Committee on Human Resources
Development, and was a member of the 2000 National Platform Committee.
Before entering into politics, Mr. Cauchon received a Licentiate
in Civil Law from the University of Ottawa and later practiced civil
and commercial litigation.
Equality Forum Executive Director Malcolm Lazin said "When
gay history is written, Martin Cauchon will be remembered as an
important straight ally at a critical time."
Equality Forum 2004 is April 26 to May 2 in Philadelphia. For more
information call 215-732-3378 or visit www.equalityforum.com.
Equality Forum is the largest regional, national and international
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) civil rights forum,
working to create understanding about homophobia and its multifaceted
impact on individuals, families and society. Each year, in addition
to promoting and discussing GLBT organizations and issues, Equality
Forum highlights a Featured Nation and explores that country's GLBT
culture, social issues and advancements in civil rights. Equality
Forum embraces a number of projects throughout the year, including
the production of the documentary films Gay Pioneers and JIM IN
BOLD.
Equality Forum is a nonprofit and 501(c)(3) organization headquartered
in Philadelphia, the site of some of the earliest gay civil rights
protests.
