Greetings! - Welcome to the Economic Club’s newsletter – your source for upcoming events and program updates. Let’s start with 4 Big Things: | |
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Six Upcoming Events: Learn more about these events below
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Read Now: 2026 Economic Club Strategic Planning Report
- 2026 Arne M. Sorenson Excellence in Leadership Award Presented to The Honorable Muriel Bowser, Mayor of the District of Columbia
- 2026 New Member Breakfast Recap
| | Board of Directors - 2026 Strategic Report | |
On March 23rd, Chairman David Rubenstein and the Board of Directors convened for a Leadership Strategy Session at the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon. The session brought together the Economic Club's leadership to reflect on the organization's current position of strength and to identify priorities that will guide its continued evolution.
The retreat focused on three core areas: Leadership Programming, Membership Experience, and Club Sustainment & Financials. Across all discussions, Board members reaffirmed the Club's unique role as a premier forum for leaders, while also identifying opportunities to strengthen member engagement, expand global footprint, and ensure long-term institutional sustainability.
Economic Club officers Jane Adams and Lawrence Di Rita, Co-Chairs of the Strategy Session, highlighted this work at a recent Signature Event. To read this report and provide input to the Club’s leadership, log into the Economic Club’s members-only portal here.
| | Recent Event: Paul Toboni, President of Baseball Operations, and Jason Sinnarajah, President of Business Operations of the Washington Nationals | |
May 6, 2026 - Paul Toboni, President of Baseball Operations, and Jason Sinnarajah, President of Business Operations of the Washington Nationals, joined Board Officer Lawrence Di Rita, President of Greater Washington, D.C. at Bank of America, for a wide-ranging conversation on the franchise's new leadership structure and the business of modern baseball
Toboni outlined the Nationals' approach to talent acquisition and player development, built on data-informed decision-making and the organizational values guiding the team's culture under manager Blake Butera. Sinnarajah discussed the business transformation underway at Nationals Park, from the franchise's pivot to direct-to-consumer broadcasting through Nationals.tv to early investments in the stadium experience, as both executives spoke to the untapped potential of the D.C. market and their shared commitment to building a championship-caliber organization from the ground up.
Event Video | Event Podcast | Event Transcript
| | Recent Event: The Honorable Muriel Bowser, Mayor of the District of Columbia and 2026 Arne M. Sorenson Excellence in Leadership Award | |
May 15, 2026 - The Honorable Muriel Bowser, Mayor of the District of Columbia, joined Economic Club Chairman David M. Rubenstein for a wide-ranging conversation on the economic transformation of the District over her three terms, her experience leading the nation's capital through some of the most defining chapters of its recent history, and the priorities shaping her final year in office.
Bowser reflected on navigating the city through an unprecedented sequence of crises, from COVID-19 and January 6th to the current wave of federal workforce reductions she described as a seismic and lasting shift in the District's economy, and the strategic investments her administration made to diversify D.C.'s economic base, including securing the return of the Commanders to RFK Stadium and keeping Monumental Sports anchored downtown. She also addressed public safety, D.C. statehood, and the city's record-setting pandemic recovery in public school achievement.
"We have a lot of assets in our city that needs investment... And that’s what we’ve been doing for the last twelve years, if you look at the investments we made in public housing, the investments we’ve made in affordable housing, in our sports venues. All of those things, we looked at them and said, we can do better. We must do better. We have to create more value and turn that value around for the residents of the District of Columbia." – The Honorable Muriel Bowser, Mayor of The District of Columbia
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Left to Right: Mark Ein of Venturehouse Group, LLC, The Honorable Muriel Bowser, Chairman David Rubenstein, and President and CEO Mary Brady.
The event concluded with the presentation of the 2026 Arne M. Sorenson Excellence in Leadership Award to Mayor Bowser, in recognition of her civic leadership and steadfast commitment to the District. Remarks were delivered by Mark Ein of Venturehouse Group, LLC.
Event Video | Event Podcast | Event Transcript
| | 2026 New Member Breakfast | Left to Right: Gina Adams of FedEx Corporation; Candida P. Wolf of Citigroup, Inc.; Omar Vargas of General Motors; Jane Adams of Johnson & Johnson; Lawrence Di Rita of Bank of America; and Mary Brady of the Economic Club. | |
On May 14, David Rubenstein and Club Officers hosted a breakfast welcoming new and prospective members of the Economic Club. This special event introduced new and prospective members to the Club's leadership, programming, and opportunities for engagement.
Special thanks to Club Vice Chair Gina Adams of FedEx Corporation, who moderated a panel of Club Officers, including Candida P. Wolff of Citigroup, Inc., Omar Vargas of General Motors, Jane Adams of Johnson & Johnson, Lawrence Di Rita of Bank of America, and Mary Brady, President and CEO of the Economic Club.
| | Join us in welcoming 9 new Economic Club members. Connect with new members on LinkedIn using the links below! |
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Avery Ash, CEO, SAFE (Securing America’s Future Energy)
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Jessica Bayer, Managing Partner, Corporate Affairs and Communications; Managing Partner, Washington, DC, DHR Global
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Bigyan Bista, PhD, Senior Vice President, Capital Formation and Global Partnerships, Enveda
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Robin Colwell, Senior Vice President, Global Government Relations, Intel Corporation
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Monica Dixon, Chief Administrative Officer and President of External Affairs, Monumental Sports & Entertainment
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Dieter Eier, President, Frequentis USA
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Ian Jefferson, Regional Managing Partner, Atlantic Region, McKinsey & Company
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Keith Murphy, Head of Government Affairs, Americas, SAP
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Evan Regan-Levine, Chief Strategy Officer, JBG SMITH
| Help Membership Committee co-chairs Dan Kotter and Omar Vargas reach our goals for membership for 2026. Nominate a new member or contact staff with questions. | | The Economic Club at The Potomac Hunt Races | | |
On May 17, The Economic Club of Washington, D.C. participated in the 2026 Potomac Hunt Races. This spring tradition brought together members for a unique experience that blended horse racing, conversation, and various family-friendly activities with the charm of the countryside, hosted on the Kiplinger family's historic 400-acre estate.
A special thanks Josh Parker of Ancora for co-hosting the Club's tent and the following members for joining Mary Brady, President and CEO of the Club: Usman Ahmed of PayPal, Inc.; LuAnn Bennett of Bennett Holdings, Inc.; Justin Freeh of Intelibits, LLC; Thomas Fulcher of Savills; Camilo Garcia Pineros of DPR Construction; Rachel Goldberg of Citigroup Inc.; Ernie Jarvis of Savills; Catherine Meloy of Goodwill of Greater Washington; Mara Shreck of ProShares; Kirsten Wegner of Index Industry Association; Markus Weiss of Miltenyi Biotec North America; and Wendy White of Goulston & Storrs PC.
| | Education Program: Invest in the Next Generation | | Welcoming the Newest Class of David M. Rubenstein/Economic Club Scholars | | |
On May 6, The Economic Club proudly welcomed the 2026 Class of David M. Rubenstein/Economic Club Scholars. The cohort gathered for their first Professional Development Seminar, an introduction to the Club, its membership, and the Scholars to Leaders program that will guide them from college enrollment through career readiness.
On June 1, David Rubenstein will welcome the newest class of scholars at a celebratory event. Register to join us there.
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2026 Summer Internship Program - Connect with our Scholars!
We have two exciting opportunities on the horizon to connect with our David M. Rubenstein/Economic Club of Washington, D.C. Scholars!
Join us on Friday, May 29th for a networking reception with our summer interns! This is a prime opportunity to meet this year's cohort and begin building meaningful mentorship connections.
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Mark Your Calendars: Summer Internship Capstone Presentations!
Join us on July 17 for the Summer Internship Capstone Presentation, where participating interns will share key takeaways from their experiences, highlighting new skills and insights gained.
Members are encouraged to serve as coaches - offering feedback and encouragement as we collectively invest in the next generation of leaders!
| | A message from our Title Partner | | The Economic Club thanks our annual sponsors for their continued support. Proceeds of sponsorships benefit Club programming and community engagement. | | | | |
