New Mexico First Gala Honors Senators Domenici and Bingaman August 22

Event celebrates 20th Anniversary

ALBUQUERQUE, NM, July 17, 2006 -- New Mexico First will honor its co-founders Senators Pete Domenici and Jeff Bingaman at an evening gala celebration of the organization’s 20th anniversary August 22 at the Sandia Casino & Resort near Albuquerque.

Gala Chair Carolyn Monroe, who is president of LandAmerica Albuquerque Title Company, said about 700 participants from throughout the state are expected, “including dignitaries, business leaders, New Mexico First members and special guests.”

In addition to tributes to the senators, the gala will feature a video presentation highlighting New Mexico First’s 20-year history and a keynote address by Dan Clark, who is the primary contributor to the “Chicken Soup” series and author of 20 books.

“We are deeply honored and proud to have been co-founded by the senators in 1986 and to have had their support these past 20 years, which we will commemorate with the launching of the Tomorrow’s Leaders program at the Gala,” said Monroe, who also serves on the New Mexico First board of directors.

Barbara Brazil, president of New Mexico First, said the Tomorrow’s Leaders program, which will be funded in part by proceeds from the Gala, “will train students in the importance and value of citizen involvement in governance and provide practical experience in consensus building on policy issues beginning next year as an extension of our traditional work with Town Halls, “ she added.

Brazil said the Gala proceeds for the new program are being raised in anticipation of matching foundation grants being made available to expand the number of students that can be included in the training. When New Mexico First was organized in 1986 as an independent nonprofit, nonpartisan entity by a group of 21 civic and business leaders, its goal and mission was to unite the state by bringing citizens of diverse interests together to work on significant state issues. The organizers included Bank of Albuquerque CEO William ‘Bing’ Grady, who served as chair, and current Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish, vice chair. Also involved were Roswell businessman Phelps Anderson, Eastern New Mexico University President Everett Frost and PNM CEO Jerry Geist.

Since the first Town Hall was held in 1987 in Ruidoso to address “The Marketing of New Mexico,” New Mexico First has convened nearly 40 Town Halls involving more than 6,000 participants who have addressed issues ranging from taxes to water, health care, education, economic development, energy, tribal relations and federal spending. New Mexico First is led by a board of directors made up of 38 members from throughout the state. It is chaired by William Garcia of Santa Fe.