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| IRC Quarterly Update |
June 2010
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Letter from IRC President Erik Bergrud
 Last month the Board approved a new 2010-2013 strategic framework. This summer we will develop objectives for each of the four strategic imperatives. If you would like to participate in this planning process, please contact me directly at erik.bergrud@park.edu or (816) 584-6412.
Vision
IRC is a national leader in international civic engagement.
Mission
The mission of the International Relations Council is to inspire, integrate, educate and represent a community of Kansas Citians engaged in international affairs and the critical global issues of our time.
Strategic Imperatives
Strategic Imperative 1: Enhancing Visibility, Partnership and Connectivity
IRC will enhance its visibility within and outside the Greater Kansas City community and endeavor to collaborate with other organizations within and outside such community. IRC will focus on updating its image to highlight the prestige and credibility of the organization.
Strategic Imperative 2: Maintaining Financial Stability
IRC will enhance and diversify its funding streams to allow it to operate from a strong, stable and sustainable financial position.
Strategic Imperative 3: Building Membership
IRC will retain and grow its organizational and individual membership by attracting and retaining new members who share its vision of Kansas City as an internationally-engaged community.
Strategic Imperative 4: Programming
IRC will provide exceptionally compelling and relevant programming that meets the needs of its membership and the community.
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General David H. Petraeus to Receive Statesmanship Award at Annual Banquet
The International Relations Council is pleased to announce that General David H. Petraeus, Commander of the United Sta tes Central Command, will receive the Distinguished Award for International Statesmanship at IRC's Annual Awards Banquet on August 17. Gen. Petraeus' unique perspective on the conflicts and challenges of the contemporary world provides an important context for Kansas Citians as voters and citizen's of the world. Previous receipients of the International Statesmanship Award include C. Fred Bergsten, Director of the Peterson Institute for International Economics (2009) and Madeline Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State (2006).
IRC's Awards Banquet will be held at the Westin Crown Center, 1 Pershing Road in Kansas City, MO. A reception begin at 6 p.m., with dinner and the program at 7 p.m. Individual seating is $100 per person, and table sponsorship is available at the $1000, $2500 and $5000 levels. A special private reception with General Petraeus will be held before the program; a limited number of tickets are available for $250 per person. Contact IRC for more details.
Read General Petraeus' full biography »
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David Gergen Speaks to IRC
 IRC was proud to host political analyst David Gergen for a special program on June 16 at Shook, Hardy & Bacon. Gergen’s more than 30 years of experience as a presidential advisor, as well as an author and journalist, make him one of the most respected commentators in America today. David Gergen is currently a professor of public service and the director of the Center for Public Leadership at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Gergen discussed both his past work with four presidential administrations - Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton - as well as current issues that the United States faces today. In particular, he discussed the war in Afghanistan, including his perspective on military leaders, the upcoming military offensive in Kandahar and the role high-tech weapons such as predator drones are playing. In addition, Gergen expressed his optimism for the future of partisan politics based on his experiences with the current generation of recent high school and college graduates. He said this generation are demonstrating a strong sense of public service across a variety of endeavors, including non-profit, community activism, government and military service.
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Seaboard Corporation to be Honored for Contributions to Community Service
The Seaboard Corporation will be honored for their contributions to international commerce and community service at the 2010 Awards Banquet. Seaboard is a $3.3 billion international commodity trading and milling company that operates in ten African countries and in 17 countries in the Caribbean Basin and South America. In addition to operating in these countries, Seaboard and each of its operating divisions support various charitable organizations in each country’s local communities in which they operate. Click through for a brief look at the various types of international community programs the company provides.
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IRC Welcomes New Intern Katelyn Pirnie
Katelyn Pirnie has joined IRC as the new summer intern. Katelyn is a graduate of Rockhurst University with degrees in International Business, Marketing, and Nonprofit Leadership, and is currently pursuing her MBA. Her passion is intercultural communications and marketing and she hopes to someday work in international marketing and branding. Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, Katelyn has traveled to many locations around the world and plans on doing an intensive study program in Barcelona this winter.
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Open Call for Board Nominations
IRC is a member-driven, community-based organization, with a terrific group of talented and engaged members. Do you, or someone you know, have a passion and talent that could help steer IRC and promote internationalism in our community? We will have seats on the IRC Board of Directors open in the 2010 term, and we welcome your nominations.
Please submit nominations to the IRC office, in writing or by email. Executive Director Linda Trout will be happy to send you a document outlining the roles and responsibilities of Board membership, to ensure clarity of expectations. Those nominated must be IRC members. Please explain what particular skills they can contribute to the Board, and what they would like to accomplish as an IRC Board director.
Thank you for helping to ensure that IRC remains YOUR organization.
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And Don't Forget...
...IRC will be presenting a Turkish Film Night on July 22 at Screenland Theater at the Crossroads. You won't want to miss Boats Out of Watermelon Rinds, a movie about the magical hold of cinema on two boys living in a small Anatolian village.  Admission is only $5. Register here.
...Don't miss the chance to dine with Canadian Ambassador Gary Doer on September 28 at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. Registration information will be available soon.
...Visit Kansas City Global, Kansas City's newest resource for all things international in Kansas  City, providing cultural, business and educational resources to Kansas City residents, visitors and new arrivals.
...Join us on Facebook, where you can read articles and content not available anywhere else. You can visit us at www.facebook.com/irckc.
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The International Relations Council
2226 Commerce Tower
911 Main St.
Kansas City, MO 64105
816-221-4204 (phone)
816-221-4206 (fax)
irc@irckc.org |
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