AIAC CHAIRMAN CELEBRATED AT THE FOREIGN POLICY ASSOCIATION 2026 ANNUAL DINNER AT THE NEW YORK YACHT CLUB
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New York, NY – June 4, 2026 — L. M. Levie, Chairman of American Industrial Acquisition Corporation (AIAC), served as Co-Chairman of the Foreign Policy Association (FPA) 2026 Annual Dinner on June 4, 2026, joining a distinguished gathering of ambassadors, senior government officials, scholars, and leaders from the worlds of business and philanthropy for one of the premier events on New York City’s foreign-affairs calendar. This year’s gala was held in the historic Model Room of the New York Yacht Club. FPA President Noel V. Lateef served as master of ceremonies and the the evening’s honorees and featured speakers included Ambassador Laurent Bili, Ambassador of France to the United States; Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau; and Heather McDevitt, Chair of White and Case, each recognized for distinguished contributions to international relations and global affairs.
A highlight of the evening was the world premiere of United by Her Torch, an original musical tribute, with lyrics, music and orchestration by L. M. Levie and videography by Malcolm Wengel. The musical work commemorates the 140th anniversary of the opening of the Statue of Liberty. United by Her Torch is found below:
Reflecting on the evening, Mr. Levie offered the following:
“The Foreign Policy Association has, for over a century, reminded us that an informed public is the foundation of sound foreign policy. To gather among those who dedicate their lives to dialogue across borders — diplomats, scholars, and leaders of conscience — is both a privilege and a responsibility. AIAC is honored to stand with the Association in its mission to keep that conversation alive.”
“In composing United by Her Torch, I drew my inspiration from Lady Liberty herself — France’s enduring gift to America, and a beacon that for 140 years has lifted her lamp to the hopeful from every corner of the earth. As a Member of the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc., the Ellis Island Honor Society, and the Statue of Liberty Museum, I have a deep affection for this iconic monument. I wanted this tribute to capture the friendship between our two nations and the timeless promise her torch still holds. If the music kindles in even one listener a renewed love for what she represents, then it has more than served its purpose.”
Mr. Levie added a personal word of congratulation to two of the evening’s distinguished guests and FPA President Lateef:
"I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to my dear friends, Ambassador Laurent Bili of France and Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau. Their tireless work in strengthening the bonds between nations and advancing the cause of diplomacy is an inspiration to all who care about a more peaceful and prosperous world, and it was an honor to share the evening in their company. To Heather McDevitt, I convey my genuine commendations. Heather’s mentor, Hugh Verrier, former Chair of White and Case, I know to be a man of courage and integrity, a giant in the profession. She has followed in his footsteps.”
I am also profoundly grateful to FPA President Noel V. Lateef for the privilege of serving as Co-Chair of this year's Annual Dinner and for welcoming the premiere of United by Her Torch into the program. To see the piece received so warmly that evening by the honorees and the distinguished guests, was deeply touching. The credit belongs to Lady Liberty herself and to all she has come to represent."
About the Foreign Policy Association
Founded in 1918, the Foreign Policy Association is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring Americans to learn more about the world and to take part in the foreign policy process. The principal public forum in New York City for foreign policy addresses, the FPA is also known for Great Decisions, the largest nonpartisan public education program on international affairs in the world, and for its World Leadership Forum, which has welcomed more than sixty heads of government since 2000. The Association is led by Noel V. Lateef, its longest-serving President and Chief Executive Officer.
Over the years, the FPA podium has drawn many of the world’s most prominent leaders. U.S. Presidents from Franklin D. Roosevelt to Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton have delivered major addresses before its audiences, as have Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of Great Britain, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India, President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir of Israel, Premier Zhao Ziyang of China, and Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard A. Shevardnadze, along with numerous U.S. Secretaries of State and Defense.
For further information, see:
www.fpa.org and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_Policy_Association
About The New York Yacht Club
Founded on July 30, 1844, by John Cox Stevens and eight fellow yachtsmen aboard the schooner Gimcrack, the New York Yacht Club is one of the oldest and most distinguished yachting institutions in the world. Its signature clubhouse at 37 West 44th Street in Manhattan — a Beaux-Arts landmark designed by Warren & Wetmore and opened in 1901 — is a National Historic Landmark renowned for its iconic Model Room, which houses more than 1,300 ship models beneath a soaring stone hearth. The Club held the America’s Cup for 132 years, from the schooner America’s victory in 1851 until 1983, the longest winning streak in the history of international sport. Today the Club maintains its historic 44th Street clubhouse along with Harbour Court, its on-the-water clubhouse in Newport, Rhode Island, and continues to advance the sport of sailing and the art of yacht design.
For further information, see: www.nyyc.org.
About American Industrial Acquisition Corporation
American Industrial Acquisition Corporation (AIAC) is a diversified industrial group with manufacturing, distribution, and administrative sites in 24 countries in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia-New Zealand. AIAC has acquired and grown non-core subsidiaries and divisions of Boeing, Siemens, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Johnson Controls, Merck, Pfizer, Astellas, Visteon, Carlyle, KKR, Ahlstrom, Novellis, Tolko, Groupe Suez, Groupe Rexel, and many other leading multinational corporations.
AIAC companies serve companies and governmental entities worldwide in all major sectors, including aviation, space, defense, automotive, truck, rail, marine, petrochemical, solar, nuclear, civil engineering, logistics, agriculture, infrastructure, commercial construction, mining, dredging, disaster relief, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals. In addition, AIAC companies are exclusive, authorized distributors of leading branded industrial products and serve as critical suppliers for the construction of major airports, schools, hospitals, performing arts and sports centers, offices and hotels throughout Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. AIAC is a major manufacturer of materials for green houses globally, building, street, and highway signage in Europe, and a distributor of electrical products throughout France.
Of note, AIAC purchased Boeing Canada in 2005 and has produced over 10,000 unique components for every Boeing jet plane ever since, reliably serving Boeing from manufacturing facilities in North America. A leader in ultra-high precision jet engine component manufacturing, AIAC companies produce 2,200 fan blades for each jet engine produced by GE, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce, and Honeywell.
AIAC companies actively support exploration into outer space, manufacturing critical components for launching and propelling spacecraft and satellites. AIAC customers in this sector include NASA, SpaceX, the European Space Agency, Blue Origin, and Boeing. AIAC companies also lead in the design and manufacture of undersea umbilical cables for worldwide oceanographic research.
AIAC companies produce the critical automotive wire and cable for Tesla, GM, Ford, Chrysler-Fiat, Toyota, and Nissan and for the New York and Atlanta Subways. In connection with its kraft paper manufacturing interests in Canada and the US, AIAC sustainably manages 22 million acres of Manitoba, Canada forestland, an area equivalent in size to the nation of Hungary. AIAC affiliate, Metallwarenfabrik Gemmingen GmbH, located in Germany, designs, manufactures and distributes high performance, emergency portable power generators utilized in global conflict zones and during major natural disasters.
For further information, see: www.aiac.com
About AIAC Philanthropy
AIAC and the AIAC Foundation support a wide range of nonprofit, nonsectarian, bipartisan organizations which promote international conflict resolution, disaster relief, economic development, environmental sustainability, exploration, and the performing arts.
AIAC and the AIAC Foundation are deeply committed to the institutions that inform international dialogue, shape foreign policy, and promote dispute resolution and nuclear disarmament. They actively support the Foreign Policy Association, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Economic Clubs of New York and Washington D.C., the Atlantic Council, the Trilateral Commission, Chatham House (the Royal Institute of International Affairs), the Bretton Woods Committee, the Center for a New American Security, the Pacific Council on International Policy, the Americas Society and Council of the Americas, and the Council for Canadian American Relations. They also support leading humanitarian and peacebuilding organizations including the Carter Center, the International Rescue Committee, the International Crisis Group, the World Food Program, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
For further information, see: www.aiac.com | https://www.aiac.com/our-values
Media Contact:
Isabel Carro-Toro, Vice President
American Industrial Acquisition Corporation
+34 689 295 827 (Spain)
+1 787 244 3175 (USA)
icarro-toro@aiac.com