Skip to main content

The Bush Center | Highland Capital Management Makes $10 Million Endowment Gift to Support “Engage at the Bush Center” Public Programs Series

By January 9, 2018May 4th, 2020Announcements, In the News, Press Releases
Collaboration Launches with Feb. 5 “Constitutional Conversations” Event, Includes Inaugural “Highland Capital Lecture” Later in 2018 Season

 

Jan. 9, 2018 (Dallas, TX) – Highland Capital Management continues its support of the George W. Bush Presidential Center through a new $10 million endowment gift, announced today, which will help sustain the Bush Center’s series of public programs. Highland will become the presenting sponsor for the programming series, “Engage at the Bush Center, presented by Highland Capital Management,” which brings authors, thought leaders, and newsmakers to the Bush Center for lectures and discussions throughout the year. The joint announcement was made today by Bush Presidential Center CEO Kenneth Hersh and Jim Dondero, co-founder and president of Highland Capital Management.

“As an early supporter of the Bush Center, Highland Capital Management has helped make the Center what it is today, and now through this major gift, Highland is making a special investment in its future,” said Hersh. “We are extremely grateful to Jim Dondero for his commitment and look forward to continuing our efforts to bring thought-provoking programming and national newsmakers to Dallas.”

Highland has contributed more than $5 million to the Bush Center since 2012 and is among the Founding Benefactors that helped fund the development of the Bush Center facilities, which opened in 2013.

“We are impressed by the Bush Center’s national influence and impact in our community,” said Dondero. “Events like the Engage Series foster important dialogue regarding pressing policy issues. Highland Capital Management is proud to support this work and be part of the Center’s long-term vision.”

Through the endowment gift, Highland Capital Management will sponsor the various events held through the Engage series each year, including an annual “Highland Capital Lecture.” Furthering Highland’s commitment to the Bush Center, Dondero will also join Hersh’s Executive Advisory Council.

The first event under the Highland Capital Management-sponsored series takes place on Monday, Feb. 5 with a special two-part program in collaboration with the National Constitution Center: “Constitutional Conversations: Justice Scalia’s Memorable Speeches / James Madison & Today’s Media.” Admission is free of charge, but guests must register, beginning today, at bushcenter.org.

The evening will begin with a conversation with Christopher Scalia, son of late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and author of Scalia Speaks: Reflections on Law, Faith, and Life Well Lived. The book is a collection of his father’s favorite (and often humorous) speeches that was published in October 2017.

The second portion of the evening will feature a panel of experts discussing today’s media landscape and what First Amendment author James Madison might have thought of it. Participating will be Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center and an expert on Madison; Amy Mitchell, one of America’s preeminent media and social media researchers and co-author of the Pew Research Center’s annual “State of the News Media” report; and Dallas Morning News Editor Mike Wilson. The panel, related to the Bush Institute’s Human Freedom policy work, will be moderated by Bush Institute Director of Global Initiatives Amanda Schnetzer.

The popular Engage series has attracted sellout crowds and been an important pillar of the Bush Center’s Engagement Agenda since 2015. Past programs have featured a wide range of thought leaders and newsmakers, including Dr. Condoleezza Rice, Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels, Jenna Bush Hager & Barbara Bush, former CIA and NSA director Gen. Michael Hayden, Russia corruption fighter Bill Browder, campaign expert Mark McKinnon and former Hamilton cast member Christopher Jackson. Additional programs support special exhibits in the Bush Center museum, including the recent Portraits of Courage, which featured President Bush’s paintings of post-9/11 veterans.

For more information, visit bushcenter.org.

About Highland Capital Management, L.P.

Highland Capital Management, L.P. is a multibillion-dollar global alternative investment manager. Founded in 1993 by Jim Dondero and Mark Okada, Highland operates across a variety of asset classes and structures within the alternative landscape including hedge funds, separate accounts, distressed and special situations private equity, collateralized loan obligations (CLOs), mutual funds, and ETFs. The firm’s diversified client base includes public pension plans, foundations, endowments, corporations, financial institutions, fund of funds, governments, and high net-worth individuals. Highland is headquartered in Dallas, Texas and maintains offices in New York, Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Singapore, and Seoul. For more information visit highlandcapital.com

Full Story – Here