Foundation for the National Archives Elects Five to the Board of Directors

Peter Cuneo, Sue Gin McGowan, Charles Ogletree, John Payton and Molly Raiser are newest members of the board

WASHINGTON, March 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Foundation for the National Archives is pleased to announce the election of five new members to its board of directors. Peter Cuneo, Sue Gin McGowan, Charles Ogletree, John Payton and Molly Raiser will provide valuable leadership to assist the Foundation in its many educational and development-related initiatives.

Chairman and President of the Foundation Ken Lore said, "The Archives continues its tradition of attracting strong and diverse leadership from across many disciplines to help propel the mission of the Foundation forward.  It is with great pleasure that I welcome these new members to our board."  Mr. Lore further added, "These members are joining the board at a pivotal time for the National Archives:  David S. Ferriero recently began his tenure as the 10th Archivist of the United States, and the Archives is set to open a groundbreaking, interactive exhibit on the Civil War this Spring."

Discovering the Civil War, opening April 30 in Washington and traveling throughout the United States, is one of the first major exhibits to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. By integrating modern technology, visitors will be invited to investigate the historical record "in the shoes of a researcher" using original source materials to piece together this important part of American history.

"We are honored to welcome our newest board members," notes Thora Colot, Executive Director of the Foundation for the National Archives. "Their insight, culled from a myriad of experiences, will be an invaluable addition to the board as the Foundation looks to the future. From professors to lawyers to entrepreneurs, each new member brings to the board a deep appreciation of history as well as the desire to inspire the public to explore the treasures of the Archives."

The Foundation for the National Archives is an independent non-profit organization committed to the mission of promoting civic literacy and fostering public awareness of the importance of the National Archives as an essential resource of our American democracy.

Peter Cuneo is Chairman of Cuneo & Co., LLC. Cuneo was President and CEO of Marvel Enterprises when the company turned around after emerging from bankruptcy in 1999. Cuneo was Vice-Chairman of the board for Marvel until it was recently sold to Disney in December 2009 for $4.4B. He served on the Board of Directors of Waterpik, a New York Stock Exchange company, where he was Chairman of the Audit Committee. He currently serves on the board of Iconix Brands, Inc., a public company that owns and licenses iconic apparel brand names. Cuneo's additional career highlights include serving as President of Bristol Myers Pharmaceutical Division in Canada as well as Chairman of the Canadian Infant Formula Association and a member of the Board of the Canadian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association; President of the Security Hardware Group for Black & Decker; President and eventually CEO of Remington Products; and Managing Director of Cortec, a private equity firm based in New York City. He is also presently Chairman of the Alfred University Board of Trustees.

Sue Gin McGowan is the Chairman and CEO of Flying Food Group, an international airline catering and retail food company that she first founded in 1983. Gin McGowan also is president of New Management, Ltd., a flourishing real estate sales, leasing, management and development firm that she founded over three decades ago. She is on the boards of the Exelon Corporation, Commonwealth Edison, and Servair.  She is also active on the boards of DePaul University, The Field Museum, Chicago Botanic Garden and Rush University Medical Center.  Gin McGowan is president and director of the Sue Ling Gin Charitable Fund, and is on the board of the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, founded in memory of her late husband, Bill McGowan.

Charles Ogletree, Jesse Climenko Professor of Law, Vice Dean for the Clinical Programs, and Director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice at the Harvard Law School, is a prominent legal theorist and author who specializes in securing equal rights for all. Ogletree also serves as a Faculty Fellow Emeritus at the Harvard University's Berkman Center. Ogletree began his career as a staff attorney in the District of Columbia Public Defender Service. He quickly rose through the ranks, entering private practice in 1985 in the law firm of Jessamy, Fort &Ogletree. Ogletree has been recognized for his distinguished career. Awards include the National Bar Association's Equal Justice Award and the Charles Hamilton Houston Medallion of Merit from the Washington Bar Association. In 1991, Professor Ogletree served as Legal Counsel to Professor Anita Hill during the Senate Confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. He is the author of several books including All Deliberate Speed: Reflections on the First Half-Century of Brown v. Board of Education and The People vs. Anita Hill: The Case for Client-Centered Advocacy.

John Payton is the President and Director-Counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. He has been a partner at the law firm of Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale and Dorr, Corporation Counsel of the District of Columbia and DC Bar President. Mr. Payton has been recognized as one of the premier litigators in the country and has handled complex civil matters from the trial court to the U.S. Supreme Court. He is a member of the Council of the American Bar Association's Section on Individual Rights and Responsibilities and the ABA's Commission on Immigration Policy, as well as sits on the Board of the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs and the Board of the National Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. He served as co-chair of each organization. He serves on the Board of Global Rights and is a past Vice Chair of the District of Columbia Public Defender Service.

Molly Raiser is a Commissioner of the Women's Refugee Committee of the International Rescue Committee, sits on the Board of the National Democratic Institute (where she is on the Mideast and Women's Programs subcommittees), is the past Chair of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, United States Committee and served as United States Chief of Protocol during the first Clinton administration. She was Chair of the Women's Campaign Fund, and has always been active in local and national politics, including four years as Special Representative for Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan. She has served on the boards of St. Albans School, the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, the National Symphony, the Sasha Bruce House, the Higher Achievement Program, and other organizations. Prior to her career in public service, Raiser worked as a school teacher in Buffalo, NY.

About the Foundation for the National Archives

The Foundation for the National Archives is an independent nonprofit that serves as the National Archives' private-sector partner in the creation of and ongoing support of the National Archives Experience, which includes permanent exhibits, educational programs, traveling exhibits, special events and film screenings, educational literature, and historical/records-related products and media. The Foundation helps the public understand the importance of the holdings of the National Archives by presenting the depth and diversity of the records through award-winning, interactive educational exhibits and programs. It generates financial and creative support for the National Archives Experience from individuals, foundations, and corporations who share a belief in the importance of innovative civics education.

About the National Archives Experience

The National Archives Experience, created by the National Archives in partnership with the Foundation for the National Archives, has transformed the visitor experience at the National Archives' Washington, D.C. building, and includes a renovated Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom, the award-winning Public Vaults permanent interactive exhibition, the William G. McGowan Theater, the Lawrence F. O'Brien Gallery for special exhibits, the Boeing Learning Center, and the Digital Vaults online exhibit. These components make the rich resources of the National Archives accessible to Americans nationwide.

SOURCE Foundation for the National Archives