Contact Jordan LaPier Director (202) 495-3320 jlapier@ourpublicservice.org JEFF BEZOS, MICHAEL LEWIS, JUDY WOODRUFF AND OTHERS TO ATTEND 2018 SERVICE TO AMERICA MEDALS GALA September 25, 2018 ***MEDIA ADVISORY*** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 25, 2018 CONTACT: Onamé Thompson 202-775-6898 JEFF BEZOS, MICHAEL LEWIS, JUDY WOODRUFF AND OTHERS TO ATTEND 2018 SERVICE TO AMERICA MEDALS GALA WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, October 2, the nonprofit, nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service will present seven Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals to outstanding civil servants whose accomplishments are making a meaningful difference here at home and throughout the world. In its 17th year, the Service to America Medals have earned a reputation as the premier awards program recognizing excellence and innovation in the federal government. The Partnership will also present its first-ever Spirit of Service Award to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, who has collaborated with government through many of his wide-ranging business endeavors to advance the fields of national security and space exploration. Known as the “Oscars of government service,” roughly 600 senior federal government leaders, members of Congress, community leaders and corporate partners are expected to attend the black-tie affair. WHAT: 2018 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals awards ceremony WHO: Service to America Medal recipients (call for embargoed list of 2018 winners) Spirit of Service Award: Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon; founder, Blue Origin; and owner, The Washington Post Hosted by Judy Woodruff, anchor and managing editor, “PBS NewsHour” Medal presenters and distinguished guests include: Robert Wilkie, secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs David Bernhardt, deputy secretary, Department of the Interior Joseph Simons, chariman, Federal Trade Commission Jeff Pon, director, Office of Personnel Management Emily Murphy, administrator, General Services Administration Francis Collins, director, National Institutes of Health Andrei Iancu, director, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Margaret Weichert, deputy director for management, Office of Management and Budget Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) Rep. Richard Nolan (D-Minn.) Rep. David Price (D-N.C.) Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.) Rep. Stacey Plaskett (USVI) Joshua Bolten, former chief of staff to President George W. Bush Robert McDonald, former secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs Michael Lewis, best-selling author Max Stier, president and CEO, Partnership for Pubic Service WHEN: Tuesday, October 2, 5:30 p.m. reception, 6:30 p.m. awards dinner WHERE: Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium 1301 Constitution Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20240 BACKGROUND: Named after the Partnership for Public Service’s late founder who was inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s call to serve in 1963, the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals was created in 2002. Today, the program has honored more than 500 outstanding federal employees who have made a difference for our country and improved the lives of Americans and others around the world. MEDIA: Please RSVP to Onamé Thompson at (202) 775-6898 During the past 17 years, the nonpartisan, nonprofit Partnership for Public Service has been dedicated to making the federal government more effective for the American people. We work across administrations to help transform the way government operates by increasing collaboration, accountability, efficiency and innovation. Visit opswebdev.wpengine.com to learn more. Follow us on social @RPublicService and subscribe today to get the latest federal news, information on upcoming Partnership programs and events, and more. ###