Building Bridges Together : Phyllis and Bill Draper

The Distinguished Service Award recognizes Phyllis and Bill Draper for their leadership in giving generously of their time and resources, for representing the United States and the Bay Area in all corners of the globe and for their example in lifting up the standards of philanthropy to influence
generations to come.

The Drapers embody the very best in citizen diplomacy. Together they have represented the Bay Area and the United States in all corners of our globe. They have combined public and private service in a way that has made an enormous contribution not only to this community, but also around the world. Bill Draper has over 40 years of experience in venture capital. He was one of America’s first venture capitalists and helped to organize and finance several hundred high technology companies in the US and India. In 1981 he was appointed Chairman of the U.S. Export-Import Bank by President Ronald Reagan, and then in 1985, he became the CEO of the world’s largest source of multinational development grant assistance, the United Nations Development Program. Phyllis has been his loyal and indispensable partner in their life adventure. Phyllis served as assistant to the Director of the Peace Corps for five years, and also joined the Board of Directors of Arena Stage, the Corcoran Gallery and the Kennedy Center during their stay in Washington D.C. She also served for over ten years on the Board of Save the Children. In the Bay Area, Phyllis was a founding Director of both Peninsula Open Space Trust and Charles Armstrong School, as well as serving on the Board of the Children’s Health Council for many years. It will be our great fortune to celebrate all that this extraordinary couple has accomplished.

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For more information please contact:
Karin Eisele
Executive Director IIE/West Coast
(415) 362-6520 ext. 202 keisele@iie.org
or
Grazia Bennett
Development Director IIE/West Coast
(415) 362-6520 ext. 209 gbennett@iie.org

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