SOCIETY DINNER ON PCN

PCN will once again provide coverage of the Pennsylvania Society Dinner from the ballroom of New York City's Waldorf-Astoria hotel. PCN will air the keynote speech from honoree Gerry Lenfest, media pioneer and philanthropist, beginning at 8:00 p.m. on December 14. The dinner will also be shown on Tuesday, December 15 starting at 10:00 a.m.

Philadelphia area resident, Gerry Lenfest will receive the Society’s Gold Medal for Distinguished Achievement at this year’s annual dinner. Lenfest started his career as a lawyer and then an executive for Walter Annenberg’s Triangle Publications before purchasing Suburban Cable and Lebanon Valley Cable TV in 1974. The purchases were the start of Lenfest Communications, Incorporated. During the years, cable continued to grow and by 2000, the cable company was the Philadelphia region’s largest; serving over one million subscribers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. In 2000, Lenfest sold his company to Comcast and began his full-time philanthropic work.

Gerry and his wife, Marguerite, have been recognized as generous donors to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Curtis Institute of Music, Kimmel Center and the Barnes Foundation. Academic institutions have also received gifts from Lenfest. Some of those included in the list: Mercersburg Academy, Washington and Lee University, Temple University and Columbia University Law School.

Lenfest has also given back to the community through his service on the boards for the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Curtis Institute and the American Revolution Center.

For the past 100 years, the Society has recognized prominent persons for their citizenship leadership and contributions to the arts, education, industry and science. Some past recipients of the honor include Charles Schwab, Carnegie Mellon, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, George H.W. Bush, Tom Ridge, Senator Arlen Specter and Dan Rooney.

The 1,900-member Society which was founded in 1899 to encourage the ideals of William Penn is the largest organization of its kind. The Society honors state and national leaders who have a Commonwealth connection. This year marks the 111th gathering of the Society.