Pressing The Prez
On Thursday evening, 520 guests headed to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel to fete outgoing George Washington University President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg (one roaster even joked that the Mandarin was Trachtenberg’s “favorite Chinese restaurant”).
Some highlights:
Sen. Daniel Inouye, J.D. ‘52, recounted Trachtenberg’s choice of a top hat to complement his gown during his 1998 inauguration. Inouye said that Trachtenberg admitted selecting the hat because “he wanted to stand out.”
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Former D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams ribbed Trachtenberg for the university’s affection for local real estate development, joking that Trachtenberg even had plans to take over the Washington Monument as a dormitory. Other roasters suggested that GWU might make the Old Executive Office building its new administration building.
GWU Senior Vice President Robert A. Chernak (EdD, ‘97) said “Steve invented spam long before e-mail. … Did anyone ever get in the last word when corresponding with Steve?” (Trachtenberg’s most recent book, “Write Me a Letter,” is a compilation of his letters.)
Georgetown President John DeGioia promised to name the prize of a G.W.-Georgetown basketball game the “Trachtenberg Trophy” should the coaches of the two teams ever decide to play the much anticipated cross-town rivalry game.
Other roasters included Barbara Lang, D.C. Chamber of Commerce president; John Silber, president emeritus of Boston University and Trachtenberg mentor; Charles T. Manatt (J.D. ‘62), chairman of the G.W. board of trustees; W. Russell “Russ” Ramsey (BBA ‘81), chairman-elect, GW board of trustees and Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn.
