Yesterday, I attended a fundraiser at Morton’s in Tyson’s Corner in support of Former Governor and current U.S. Senate candidate Mark Warner. I attend a lot of events, but this event was unique as most of the executives in the room would normally vote only for the Republican candidate. Some of the attendees included: Greg Baroni, President of Unisys Federal, Brad Antle, CEO of SI International, Donna Morea, President of CGI, and Jim Sheaffer, President of CSC

Governor Warner did a good job of speaking about his desire to be part of a centrist coalition if he was hired by the citizens of Virginia. In a rare public attendance was his father and his father-in law.

On Saturday, May 10, after the gray clouds had cleared and rain disappeared, my wife and I attended the Capitol Partner for Education, event along with local business leaders and students from the mentoring program gathered for an intimate, private fundraising dinner featuring the culinary cuisine of an award-winning chef, Michel Richard of Citronelle.

Capitol Partners for Education is a local non-profit foundation which provides educational opportunities for local students living in a high needs communities. The foundation, unlike any other in the area, focuses not only on the education component, but also funds projects that provide mentorship, peer activities, and empowerment opportunities. This uniquely crafted event took place poolside at the home of local business leaders and CPE supporters Ken and Kavelle Bajaj.

More than 200 guests and 25 students were in for a treat. The event included the charming and comical Washington Wizards announcer Steve Buckhantz — the dinner’s master of ceremonies —as well as live musical entertainment, cocktails, and a three-course meal prepared by Richard. There was also a silent auction. Auctioned items included an original signed version of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird, an exquisite handcrafted 18 karat white gold with diamond and black pendant worth $4,500, and tickets for a Washington National home game

But the most coveted item wasn’t for bids. At the start of the live auction, the auctioneer gave guests including my wife a chance to take a picture with famed chef Richard and walk away with a signed copy of his new cookbook, “Happy in the Kitchen,” for only $100. The line quickly formed on the dance floor, creating a pool of eager guests. All in all, this event for a great cause was a success!