Hillary Clinton to Accept Global Leadership Award at BCW Dinner

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton will be the featured speaker at The Business Council of Westchester’s Annual Fall Dinner. It is scheduled for Nov. 20 at the Hilton Westchester in Rye Brook. At that time The Business of Council of Westchester will present Secretary Clinton with the Westchester Global Leadership Laureate Award.

“We are pleased to present Westchester’s own Hillary Rodham Clinton with this special award in recognition of her lifetime of achievement in New York, the nation and the world,’’ said Marsha Gordon, President and CEO of the Business Council of Westchester, in a press release about the award. “We are honored that she has agreed to accept award in person and to speak at the dinner.’’

The BCW’s Annual Fall Dinner has a long tradition of featuring prominent guest speakers from across a broad spectrum of business, finance, government, the news media and other important aspects of American life. Last fall’s speaker was Cardinal Timothy Dolan. Other recent speakers included former New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly and60 Minutes reporter Steve Kroft. (For more information on this and other stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

“The event regularly attracts 700-plus guests,” Gordon said, “and this year’s dinner is sure to attract a very large crowd, so we encourage those interested in attending to register early.” Gordon said. “We are finalizing the details and they will be posted on our website shortly -- thebcw.org.”

About Hillary Rodham Clinton

Hillary Rodham Clinton has spent four decades in public service as an advocate, attorney, First Lady, U.S. Senator, U.S. Secretary of State and presidential candidate. Born in Chicago, Illinois on October 26, 1947, after graduating from Wellesley College and Yale Law School, she began her life-long work on behalf of children and families by joining the Children’s Defense Fund.

In 1974, she moved to Arkansas, where she married Bill Clinton and became a successful attorney while also raising their daughter, Chelsea. During her 12 years as First Lady of Arkansas, she was Chairwoman of the Arkansas Education Standards Committee, co-founded the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, and served on the boards of the Arkansas Children's Hospital, and the Children's Defense Fund.

As First Lady of the United States, from 1993 to 2001, Hillary Clinton championed health care for all Americans and led successful bipartisan efforts to improve the adoption and foster care systems, reduce teen pregnancy, and create the Children's Health Insurance Program. She traveled to more than 80 countries standing up for human rights, democracy, and civil society. Her speech in Beijing in 1995 – where she declared that "human rights are women's rights, and women's rights are human rights" – inspired women worldwide and helped galvanize a global movement for women’s rights and opportunities.

In 2000, Clinton made history as the first First Lady elected to the United States Senate, and the first woman elected to statewide office in New York. As Senator, she worked across party lines to expand economic opportunity and access to quality, affordable health care. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, she secured funding to rebuild New York and provide health care for first responders who risked their lives working at Ground Zero. She also championed the cause of our nation's military and fought for better health care and benefits for wounded service members, veterans, and members of the National Guard and Reserves. In 2006, Clinton was reelected to the Senate, winning 58 out of New York’s 62 counties.

In 2007, she began her historic campaign for president, winning 18 million votes and becoming the first woman to ever win a presidential primary or caucus state. In the 2008 general election, she campaigned for Barack Obama and Joe Biden, and in December, she was nominated by President-elect Obama to be Secretary of State. In her four years as America's chief diplomat and the President's principal foreign policy adviser, Clinton played a central role in restoring America’s standing in the world and strengthening its global leadership, visiting 112 countries over 4 years.

Her "smart power" approach to foreign policy elevated American diplomacy and development and repositioned them for the 21st century – with new tools, technologies, and partners, including the private sector and civil society around the world. She led the effort to impose crippling sanctions on Iran, laying the foundation for a historic agreement to curb its nuclear program, and negotiated a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that prevented a new war in the Middle East. Across the world, she defended universal values and pushed the frontiers of human rights.

In 2016, Clinton made history again by becoming the first woman nominated for president by a major U.S. political party. As the Democratic candidate for president, she campaigned on a vision of America that is “stronger together” and an agenda to make our economy work for everyone, not just those at the top. She won the national popular vote, earning the support of nearly 66 million Americans.

Hillary Rodham Clinton is the author of five best-selling books, including her groundbreaking book on children, It Takes A Village (1996); Dear Socks, Dear Buddy (1998); An Invitation to the White House (2000); her memoir, Living History (2003), and Hard Choices (2014). She and President Clinton reside in New York, have one daughter, Chelsea, and are the proud grandparents of Charlotte and Aidan.

About The Business Council of Westchester

The county’s largest and most influential business membership organization, The Business Council of Westchester is committed to helping businesses market, learn, advocate and grow. In addition, The Business Council of Westchester is actively involved in reviewing federal, state and county legislation and regulations in order to assess the potential impact on the business community and to influence the outcomes through advocacy when the business community’s interests may be affected. It also acts as an information resource for the business community and government leaders at all levels.

PHOTO: Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton laughs after taking a question while speaking during the Book Expo event in New York, Thursday, June 1, 2017. Credit: Craig Ruttle/Associated Press