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October 9, 2017                                                                                                          Dann Mead Smith (360) 705-6543                                                                                                                                                                                         

SEATTLE – Washington Policy Center – the state’s leading independent, free-market research organization – will hold its 2017 Annual Dinner Friday night in Bellevue. This year, Washington Policy Center welcomes U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and Fox Business Channel’s senior Vice President and Managing Editor Neil Cavuto as keynote speakers.

The gala will attract more than 1,500 citizens, business leaders, elected officials, young professionals and college students to the Bellevue Hyatt Regency on Friday at 7:00pm. The event is sold out.  

“As the newest state to open charter schools, Washington Policy Center is thrilled to welcome Secretary DeVos, a champion of giving families the ability to find a school that fits best for their children, to Washington state,” explained WPC president Dann Mead Smith. “Our audience will also be well-served to hear the keen economic and policy analysis of Neil Cavuto, who has been challenging his business audience for more than a decade.”

In addition, the Ackerley Family will be honored with WPC’s Annual Champion of Freedom Award.  “Our board carefully selected the Ackerley Family for this award in recognition of their business leadership over several decades and that their individual and family-based businesses and philanthropy have made significant improvements to the quality of lives for so many in our community,” said WPC Annual Dinner co-chair Sarah Rindlaub.

Washington Policy Center focuses on seven key research areas: Agriculture, Education, Environment, Government Reform, Health Care, Small Business & Labor Reform and Transportation. Ideas from WPC’s research centers are regularly implemented by voters and the legislature and are in the media, on average, seven times a day in Washington state.

Founded in 1996, WPC is an independent, non-profit research and educational organization with a statewide staff of 20 and offices in Seattle, Spokane, Olympia and the Tri-Cities.

Media are able to cover Secretary DeVos’ remarks in the main ballroom, but Mr. Cavuto’s remarks are not open to the media, and all members of the media must register in advance to Katie Bulger at 206-937-9691, kbulger@washingtonpolicy.org to receive additional information on covering her speech and registering for the event.

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Washington Policy Center

Improving lives through market solutions

Seattle · Olympia · Spokane · Tri-Cities
www.washingtonpolicy.org | www.WashingtonVotes.org
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