Panetta Institute Continues to Inspire

For the 17th consecutive year, Sugerman Group was proud to support the Panetta Institute for Public Policy’s annual Lincoln-Jefferson Awards, which was held at the Inn at Spanish Bay in Pebble Beach. Proceeds support the Institute’s great nonprofit work, which ranges from a public lecture series and D.C. internship program for Cal State undergraduate students to the Monterey Count Reads program that provides one-on-one reading assistance from community volunteers.

Each year, the Institute honors national figures for bipartisan leadership. This year’s Lincoln-Jefferson Awards Dinner honorees were Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper (D), former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman (R) and Admiral Michael Mullen, USN.

It’s impressive to see how much the dinner has grown over the years. One of our favorite moments in the past was spending time with the late Senator John McCain and former Senator Russ Feingold who were honored for their bipartisan efforts to pass campaign finance legislation. Hard to imagine that kind of cooperation in today’s environment!

Beyond enjoying the beautiful Carmel area, we always leave the Panetta Institute weekend with an even greater sense of purpose after hearing thoughtful speeches from leaders who, according to the Panetta Institute, “represent exceptional commitment to the principles of our democracy, to bipartisanship and a dedication to encouraging the healthy function of the United States’ system of government through an informed electorate.”

To learn more about the Institute, visit www.panettainstitute.org.