Navy SEAL Foundation Los Angeles Evening of Tribute honors Kroenke and raises over $3.2 million in support of the Naval Special Warfare community at the event headlined by Leslie Odom, Jr. and hosted by Matt McCoy
LOS ANGELES, June 10, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — The Navy SEAL Foundation celebrated its 2022 Los Angeles Evening of Tribute honoring Los Angeles Rams Owner/Chairman E. Stanley Kroenke on Thursday evening, June 9, returning live to the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. The event recognized the courage, commitment, and sacrifices of the Naval Special Warfare (NSW) community and raised over $3.2 million in support of the Navy SEAL Foundation’s mission to provide care, education, and vital support for our Navy SEALs and their families.
Host actor-producer Matt McCoy (“Silicon,” “Seinfeld,” “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan“) gave a warm welcome to the 700-person audience including executives, supporters, patriots, and heroes, and noted, “America’s Navy SEALs and Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen and their support personnel are the most elite fighting force on the planet. We are here tonight thanks to their sacrifices. And it is our job to be there when they need us. Especially when those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation leave behind a family.”
Legendary sportscaster Jim Hill, former NFL player for San Diego, Green Bay, and Cleveland and the lead sports anchor and director at KCBS-TV, presented the “Navy SEAL Foundation Patriot Award” to E. Stanley Kroenke, renowned sports entrepreneur, and owner of the Los Angeles Rams. The Navy SEAL Foundation Patriot Award is awarded to individuals or organizations that exemplify the attributes of the SEAL community: integrity, selflessness, teamwork, and sacrifice. Kroenke also celebrates the Rams’ recent Super Bowl LVI victory in the new SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park, a 298-acre development with a 70,000-seat stadium serving as the home to the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers.
Upon accepting his honor, Kroenke’s dedication to the NSW community was palpable as he shared, “To the Navy SEALS, we are grateful for your incredible bravery and selflessness, and we appreciate your tremendous sacrifice for the benefit of our country and beyond. I am humbled by this special recognition. We salute the Navy SEAL Foundation for the important work you do to support these men and women and their families.”
“Through our annual Salute To Service campaign in partnership with the NFL, to recognizing service men and women on-field during our games, to partnering with incredible organizations that support service members, veterans, and their families, like TAPS, Wounded Warrior Project, US Vets, and now the Navy SEAL Foundation, we are committed to doing our part to create a positive impact for those who make up the most important team of all – our military. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for this tremendous honor.”
Representing the victorious Super Bowl LVI Champions, the LA Rams Cheerleaders gave a spirited performance. The Super Bowl LVI Trophy was on display for guests to take pictures with. The Posting the Colors was presented by the Life Scouts, Eagle Scouts, and Sea Scouts that comprise the Color Guard of West LA’s Scout Troop 50, followed by a stirring rendition of the national anthem, led by Petty Officer First Class Steven Powell.
Ms. Robin King, CEO of the Navy SEAL Foundation, introduced the NSF Pillars of Support video and said, “Over its lifetime, and through the generosity of our donors, the Foundation has delivered more than $121 million in assistance via our tailored programs designed to promote Strength, Resilience, Health, Education, and Community.”
The evening’s keynote speaker was Dr. Robert Gates. After describing a moving chronology, he said, “While the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are largely behind us, the terrorists – like ISIS and Al-Qaeda – are still out there and still need to be hunted down. Even as that mission continues, new missions associated with great power adversaries have emerged. And the SEALs have taken on that challenge as well in clever, creative, and adaptable ways.”
“We all wish for a world at peace. But there is and always will be evil in the world – as we are seeing in Ukraine, and peace-loving nations need warriors to defend them and combat that evil. Warriors like the SEALs. Indeed, the need now may be greater than ever. We must never forget what they – what you – did and what you sacrificed. I thank the Navy SEAL Foundation for its extraordinary work to that end,” he added.
A moving tribute honoring the Fallen NSW Heroes was led by Vice Admiral Sean Pybus, USN (Ret), SEAL, with a special piano performance by Rachel Moore, daughter of a retired SEAL. Headlining the musical entertainment was a showcase by Oscar® and Emmy®-nominated actor/singer Leslie Odom Jr., who performed a medley of his top hits. Odom first gained recognition for his portrayal of Aaron Burr in the Broadway musical Hamilton, which also earned him a Tony® and a Grammy® Award. His television credits include “Smash,” and “Person of Interest,” as well as films One Night in Miami, Murder on the Orient Express, Harriet and Hamilton.
The event also offered an exclusive live auction where guests had the opportunity to support Navy SEAL Foundation initiatives, including the Warrior Fitness Program, support for the severely wounded and their families, resiliency pre-deployment and reintegration programs, and NSF’s specialized summer camps for NSW kids and teens.
The Los Angeles Evening of Tribute is presented by Trident Sponsor Kennedy Wilson, which has raised more than $16 million for the Navy SEAL Foundation through four Los Angeles Evening of Tribute events since 2015. “Our long-time support of the Navy SEAL Foundation is rooted in our gratitude for the brave and humble warriors who fight for our freedoms and our way of life. We are proud to stand behind the Navy SEAL community and to support the Foundation’s focus on providing critical programs to the SEALs and their families,” said William J. McMorrow, former Navy SEAL Foundation board member and chairman and CEO of global real estate investment company Kennedy Wilson. “We applaud Stan for his well-deserved recognition this evening, and for his immense contributions to our community and our country.”
Joining William J. McMorrow, the event was also co-chaired by Michael Eisner, Founding Partner and Chair of Eisner Law; Mark Kiesel, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Director, PIMCO; Joel Marcus, Navy SEAL Foundation Board Member, Executive Chairman, and Founder of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc; and Kent Mouton, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Kennedy Wilson.
The Navy SEAL Foundation Los Angeles Evening of Tribute was generously supported by Trident Sponsors Kennedy Wilson, Los Angeles Rams, Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Ind, Eisner LLP, and Mark Keisel, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Director, PIMCO.
About the Navy SEAL Foundation
About the Navy SEAL Foundation: The Navy SEAL Foundation (NSF) provides critical support for the warriors, veterans, and families of Naval Special Warfare (NSW) through a comprehensive set of over thirty programs under five Pillars of Support: Strength, Resilience, Health, Education, and Community.
NSF is a high-performing organization committed to excellence. Charity Navigator has awarded it a 4-star rating since 2009 and a perfect score of “100” since 2014 for financial health, accountability, and transparency. The Foundation ranks higher than 99.9% of over 195,000 charities nationwide, with ninety-three cents of every dollar donated directly funding its programs or being retained for future mission use.
NSF is a 501(c)(3) national nonprofit charitable organization with TAX ID 31-1728910. It is not a part of the Department of Defense or any of its components and has no official affiliation with any federal entities. To learn more, visit http://www.navysealfoundation.org.
About Kennedy Wilson
Kennedy Wilson (NYSE:KW) is a leading global real estate investment company. They own, operate, and invest in
real estate through our balance sheet and through our investment management platform. They focus on multifamily and office properties located in the Western U.S., U.K., and Ireland. For further information on Kennedy Wilson, please visit: http://www.kennedywilson.com
About Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE: ARE), an S&P 500® urban office REIT, is the first, longest-tenured and pioneering owner, operator and developer uniquely focused on collaborative life science, agtech and technology campuses in AAA innovation cluster locations, with a total market capitalization of $42.8 billion and an asset base in North America of 74.2 million SF as of March 31, 2022. The asset base in North America includes 41.9 million RSF of operating properties and 5.4 million RSF of Class A properties undergoing construction, 10.4 million RSF of near-term and intermediate-term development and redevelopment projects and 16.5 million SF of future development projects. Founded in 1994, Alexandria pioneered this niche and has since established a significant market presence in key locations, including Greater Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, New York City, San Diego, Seattle, Maryland and Research Triangle. Alexandria has a longstanding and proven track record of developing Class A properties clustered in urban life science, agtech and technology campuses that provide our innovative tenants with highly dynamic and collaborative environments that enhance their ability to successfully recruit and retain world-class talent and inspire productivity, efficiency, creativity and success. Alexandria also provides strategic capital to transformative life science, agtech and technology companies through our venture capital platform. We believe our unique business model and diligent underwriting ensure a high-quality and diverse tenant base that results in higher occupancy levels, longer lease terms, higher rental income, higher returns and greater long-term asset value. For additional information on Alexandria, please visit http://www.are.com
About Eisner, LLP
Founded in 1999, Eisner, LLP is a full-service business and entertainment firm with offices in Los Angeles and New York. Their comprehensive services include sophisticated counsel to businesses and individuals in the areas of entertainment, media and the arts, corporate, real estate, and litigation, from a team of over 40 lawyers committed to providing clients with dedicated and efficient services of the highest quality. Eisner, LLP clients range from start-up ventures to household-name media and entertainment companies, investment firms, brands and influencers, REITs, banks, and high-net-worth individuals and family offices. For more information, please visit: https://www.eisnerlaw.com/
Media Contact
Sara Berry, Navy SEAL Foundation, 7573637490, [email protected]
Cheri Warner, Publicity4all, 818-390-0999, [email protected]
SOURCE Navy SEAL Foundation
