[INTRODUCTION OF IRA A. LIPMAN]

AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MR. IRA A. LIPMAN, WHO WILL OFFER CONGRATULATORY REMARKs.  MR. LIPMAN FOUNDED GUARDSMARK, A PRIVATELY HELD SECURITY COMPANY IN 1963. HE IS THE COMPANY’S CHAIRMAN EMERITUS AND FOUNDER, HAVING SERVED AS IT’S CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD AND PRESIDENT.

HE IS THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK HOW TO BE SAFE, AND IN 1995 HE FOUNDED THE JOHN CHANCELLOR AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM, ADMINISTERED BY COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY.

MR. LIPMAN RECEIVED THE DEAN’S MEDAL OF HONOR FROM THE WHARTON SCHOOL OF BUSINESS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA AND HAS RECEIVED THREE HONORARY DOCTORATES AND HE IS A TRUSTEE OF THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE HIM AS OUR SPECIAL GUEST TODAY. PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING MR. LIPMAN.

THANK YOU.

DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP OF OUR GOVERNMENT, AND EVERYONE HERE, I HOPE YOU ARE AS PUMPED UP AS I AM!  I AM PROUD FOR YOU!

I THINK MY GRANDPARENTS, WHO BECAME CITIZENS AND ARRIVED IN OUR COUNTRY IN 1884, 1897 AND 1906 WOULD BE THRILLED THAT THEIR GRANDSON WAS STANDING HERE, BEFORE YOU, SPEAKING TO YOU, AND TELLING YOU, WHAT A GREAT COUNTRY THIS IS.  THEY WOULD BE THRILLED.

THEY SENT SONS TO WORLD WAR I THAT CAME BACK, THEY SENT SONS TO WORLD WAR II THAT CAME BACK.  THEY WERE BELIEVERS IN DEMOCRACY.  THEY WERE BELIEVERS IN OUR COUNTRY.

I WONDER AS YOU WALK AROUND THE HALLS OF THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY, WITH THE MEMBERSHIP THAT DR. MIRRER STATED THAT SHE WAS PROVIDING TO EACH OF YOU, HOW OUR PRESIDENTS GEORGE WASHINGTON, JOHN ADAMS, THOMAS JEFFERSON, JAMES MADISON, JAMES MONROE, JOHN QUINCY ADAMS – JUST THE FIRST SIX THAT I’LL MENTION – HOW PROUD THAT THEY WOULD BE TO SEE YOU!

AND YOU MUST REMEMBER, THAT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS A VERY NEW AND YOUNG COUNTRY.  THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE WAS ONLY WRITTEN TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY-ONE YEARS AGO.  WE ARE A YOUNG NATION!  HOW ABOUT THAT?

SO YOU ARE PIONEERS IN THE GROWTH OF OUR GREAT COUNTRY.  WE REPRESENT THE GREATEST DEMOCRACY EVER DEVISED, AND THIS COUNTRY WILL BE HELPING COUNTRIES ALL OVER THE WORLD THROUGHOUT NATURAL DISASTERS, AS WE HAVE SEEN.

THERE ARE GREAT AMERICANS – BILL AND MELINDA GATES, THE FOUNDERS OF MICROSOFT, HAVE GIVEN BILLIONS TO PROVIDE AID AND HELP THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

I AM VERY THRILLED FOR YOU.  I AM PROUD OF YOU.  I KNOW YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER ONE DAY IN HISTORY BESIDES YOUR OWN BIRTHDAY!  TODAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2017!

I WANT YOU TO DO SOMETHING FOR OUR COUNTRY.  I WANT YOU TO DO SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF.  I WANT YOU TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE WORLD.  AND THAT IS – VOTE.  PLEASE VOTE!

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES JOHN F. KENNEDY SAID ASK NOT WHAT YOUR COUNTRY WILL DO FOR YOU, BUT WHAT WILL YOU DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY?  IT’S A VERY SPECIAL LINE – PLEASE LOOK IT UP IF YOU HAVEN’T HEARD IT.  BUT I’M THRILLED FOR YOU, I’M PUMPED UP, I CONGRATULATE YOU, AND TODAY IS SEPTEMBER 18 AND I PROMISE THAT I WILL NEVER FORGET THIS BECAUSE IT IS A GREAT HONOR AND MY GRANDPARENTS WOULD BE VERY PROUD THAT I COULD BE HERE TO BE WITH YOU.