Richard A. Gephardt Elected Chairman of National Endowment for Democracy

WASHINGTON, DC – On Friday, January 16th, the board of directors of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) elected Richard A. Gephardt to serve as the Endowment’s new chairman. Gephardt was first elected to the NED board in 2004 when he assumed the duties of vice chair.

“The Endowment could not ask for a better leader or one who cared more deeply about NED’s mission to support those around the world who are working to advance democracy,” said outgoing Chairman Vin Weber, who remains on the NED board.

Following his election, Gephardt told his fellow directors, “I am looking forward to working hard together to meet our promise to get more democratic institutions built across the entire world.”

Thanking Weber for his 8 years of service, NED President Carl Gershman said, “Vin has been a true pleasure to work with, and has contributed enormously to strengthening the work of the Endowment and its grantees. We are deeply grateful for his dedication and service. I know that Dick Gephardt will benefit from the strong example that preceded him, and will continue to lead the Endowment in the tradition of bipartisanship and commitment to the universal values of freedom and democracy that have marked NED’s 25 year history.”

Richard A. Gephardt (D-MO) has been a longtime supporter of the Endowment and its work – meeting many times over the years with NED grantees from all over the world. Gephardt was first elected to Congress in 1976 and served as both the Majority and Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives and as one of the nation’s leading Democrats for much of the last two decades. He is an expert on economic issues and foreign affairs, and is an eloquent voice for fairness, justice, tolerance and human rights.

 

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