General Mattis Will Speak at Al Smith Dinner

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Retired Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis, who served as U.S. Secretary of Defense under President Donald Trump, will be the guest speaker at the 74th annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner in the Grand Ballroom of New York’s Hilton Hotel Midtown, Thursday, Oct. 17.

General Mattis spent 46 years in military and civilian service. He was the secretary of defense from January 2017 to December 2018. “Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead,” his best-selling autobiographical account of leadership and strategy in a rapidly changing world, was published in September.

The foundation dinner is named for former four-term New York governor and 1928 Democratic presidential nominee Governor Alfred E. Smith, known as The Happy Warrior for his ability to maintain a positive disposition even as he tackled the most pressing social issues of his day.

Mary Ann Tighe will receive the Happy Warrior Award at this year’s dinner, becoming the first woman to win the honor. She is chief executive officer of the New York Tri-State Region of the CBRE, the world’s largest commercial real estate services firm.

Emmy-award winning actor and comedian Martin Short will serve as master of ceremonies.