WASHINGTON, DC – The Atlantic Council will honor former President George W. Bush; Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Commander, US European Command General Curtis M. Scaparrotti; seven-time Grammy Award winner Gloria Estefan; and Executive Chairman of Starbucks Corporation Howard Schultz with its annual Distinguished Leadership Awards on the evening of May 10 in Washington, DC.

All four distinguished honorees will attend and speak at the event.

“This year’s honorees underscore the essence and range of global leadership,” said Frederick Kempe, Atlantic Council President and CEO. “From a US president who countered terrorism and saved countless lives in Africa, to a Grammy Award-winning singer who made generations dance, to an international business leader and philanthropist who changed the way the world drinks coffee, to an alliance commander who is forging cooperation in the face of uncertainty.”

The Atlantic Council will recognize President Bush with the Distinguished International Leadership Award for, among other accomplishments, his groundbreaking work with the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which saved countless lives and created a lasting, effective framework to address HIV/AIDS in Africa. Stephen Hadley, former National Security Advisor to President Bush and Executive Vice Chair of the Atlantic Council will present the award, accompanied by a video message from former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Commander, US European Command General Scaparrotti will be presented the Distinguished Military Leadership Award for his remarkable career over the course of which he has facilitated cooperation and development of common approaches to shared global security challenges and fostered ties among leaders across the NATO alliance and beyond. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Joseph F. Dunford, Jr., will present the award to General Scaparrotti. 

The Atlantic Council will recognize Cuban-American singer, songwriter, actress, author, businesswoman, and seven-time Grammy Award winner Gloria Estefan with the Distinguished Artistic Leadership Award for her legendary career and immeasurable contributions to American music that have transcended generations and captured hearts – earning her the Kennedy Center Honors, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, multiple Billboard Awards, and an induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Adrienne Arsht, Chairman Emerita, TotalBank, and Executive Vice Chair of the Atlantic Council will present the award to Ms. Estefan.

Executive Chairman of Starbucks Corporation Howard Schultz will receive the Distinguished Business Leadership Award for his visionary entrepreneurial success that transformed Starbucks into one of the world’s most respected and recognized brands, and for his principled commitment to improving not only the lives of his employees but also their communities. Mr. Schultz’s award will be presented by Sgt. 1^st Class Leroy Arthur Petry, Liaison Officer, US Special Operations Command Care Coalition—Northwest Region.

Among the most significant events on the Washington calendar celebrating global leaders, the Atlantic Council’s Distinguished Leadership Awards is one of the Council’s flagship convenings – bringing together a global audience of over 800 guests from more than fifty countries–including global policymakers, business leaders, military brass, and top-tier media. Past participants and honorees include Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, Vice President Joe Biden, Admirals Michael Mullen and James Stavridis, business leaders Marillyn Hewson of Lockheed Martin and Muhtar Kent of Coca-Cola, and humanitarians Bono of U2 and Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein of Jordan, and artist Renée Fleming.

The event is on-the-record and open to press. To request media accreditation or for more information, please contact Travis Horne at thorne@atlanticcouncil.org. Further details will be provided upon confirmation of accreditation.