EWI News Story

By Bette Gray, Sustaining Member
1991 EWI of Los Angeles President

On Saturday, June 5th, EWI of Los Angeles hosted Las Presidentes Pasadas, an organization made up of past chapter presidents of the Long Beach, Los Angeles, Pomona Valley, San Diego and San Fernando Valley Chapters of EWI as well as the former Orange County Chapter.   The group and their guests meet twice a year to renew friendships, exchange ideas, catch up on EWI Corporate news, and to share a meal and activity representative of the host chapter’s location.  Hosting duties are shared alternately by each of the active chapters.  The Los Angeles Chapter is very fortunate to have a member firm, AEG Worldwide, with a stellar facility to host such an event…LA Live, which is adjacent to Staples Center, and includes the Nokia Theater, restaurants, hotels and The Grammy Museum.

In attendance were Chapter Presidents from 1965 thru 2010 plus their guests, for a total of 44.   The program was kicked off by self-introductions and sharing an item from their “bucket list”.  Travel to the far corners of the earth as well as close to home proved to be at the top of the vast majority of lists.  Following a business meeting that included a corporate update, lunch was served, door prizes were awarded, and then the group walked around the corner for a tour of The Grammy Museum.

Janis Joplin’s whimsically painted Porsche greeted the guests in the lobby of the museum.  Then, it was an elevator trip to the fourth floor to begin viewing the fascinating exhibits, among which were costumes from Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley and Jennifer Lopez (that famous green dress); and musical instruments from Grammy award artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain and Carlos Santana.

It is a privilege and honor to serve as a chapter president, but the enduring bonds of friendship formed over years attending events such as LCAM and Las Presidentes Pasadas are a unique and lasting reward of membership in EWI.