TROY, Mich., November 12, 2009 — The Arthritis Foundation, Michigan Chapter hosted its annual fundraising Tribute event on Thursday, November 5, 2009 at The Ritz Carlton Hotel in Dearborn, Michigan. Tribute to Excellence: An Evening of Roasting and Toasting in Honor of Bob Lutz, was attended by 460 people and recognized Mr. Lutz’s leadership in the automobile industry and the community at large.
Total proceeds raised from ticket sales, sponsorships and the silent auction amounted to $240,000 which will support research into the prevention, control and cure of arthritis — the nation’s leading cause of disability.
Official roasters included Jason Vines, vice president of public relations and communication, Zondervan; Fritz Henderson, CEO, General Motors; Csaba Csere, editor-in-chief (retired), Car and Driver; Brigadier General Robert A. Raisch, United States Marine Corp. (retired); and Jean Jennings, president and editor-in-chief, Automobile Magazine. Roasting Mr. Lutz via videotape was TV star and comedian Jay Leno.
Other guests included, William G. Diehl, CEO, BBK; Anthony J. Hopp, chairman and CEO, Campbell Ewald; Prabhakar Patil, CEO, Compact Power, Inc.; George Perry, president and CEO, Yazaki North America, Inc.; Cal Rapson, vice president, UAW-GM; Alan Koch, vice chairman, Alix Partners; Chip Perry,CEO, AutoTrader.com; Yoshiki Sekiguchi, president and CEO, Denso International America, Inc. and Theresa Smith Lloyd, Esq., Shareholder, Plunkett Cooney.
The annual fundraising event included a cocktail reception, dinner, live entertainment by “The Rat Pack,” and a silent auction which offered many fabulous purchases — including a once-in-a-lifetime flight in a former Soviet fighter-trainer jet with Bob Lutz!
For more information about the Arthritis Foundation, Michigan Chapter, please visit www.arthritis.org.
