President Bush Appoints Harriet Rotter to Serve On John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Advisory Committee

FRANKLIN, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 26, 2002--President George W. Bush has appointed Harriet B. Rotter to serve on the President's Advisory Committee on the Arts (PACA) of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Ms. Rotter, a Family and Matrimonial Law Attorney practicing in Franklin, MI, is one of nine national appointees to the position this year, and the only one from Michigan.

The thing about surprise parties is that most people fake it. The birthday boy or girl pretends to be surprised or pretends to be pleased when, in fact, neither is the case. So it was no small trick to pull off a stealth 50th party for Kennedy Center President Michael Kaiser, a benevolent control freak with minimal acting skills. "He probably doesn't like surprises -- but he's going to like this one," predicted Wayne Reynolds, who hosted last night's party at the arts center with his wife, philanthropist Catherine B. Reynolds."After the initial shock, embarrassment and humiliation wears off, it's terrific," said composer Stephen Sondheim. Easy for him to say.Kaiser walked into the party and spotted the grinning well-wishers -- then covered his eyes and promptly turned beet red. First huggers reported he was shaking. "I'm really gobsmacked," Kaiser said, which is sort of like being hit in the face with a large carp but not as messy. But he was, in fact, smiling. The Reynoldses, who launched the center's expansion campaign with a $100 million gift last year, guaranteed that this was no ordinary birthday bash. The entertainment was provided by Barbara Cook, Harolyn Blackwell, Patti LuPone and dancers from the Alvin Ailey troupe and American Ballet Theatre. The 136 guests included Sondheim, Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, World Bank President James Wolfensohn, and lots of other A-list political, business and diplomatic bigwigs.