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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release February 15, 2000

PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES JAMES KIMSEY TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE

JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

The President announced today his intent to appoint James V. Kimsey to the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Mr. James V. Kimsey, of Arlington, Virginia, is the Founding CEO and Chairman Emeritus of America Online, Inc., Chairman of the AOL Foundation and Chairman of the Kimsey Foundation. He also was appointed by Mayor Anthony A. Williams to Chair the Washington Millennium & Bicentennial Commission, which is sponsoring a series of commemorative events throughout 2000 to focus on the rich history of the Nation's Capital. In addition, Mr. Kimsey is Chairman of the Board of The Washington Opera and sits on the executive committee of the National Symphony Orchestra. He is also a member of the U.S. Military Academy Board of Visitors and the Board of Directors of Georgetown University.

A native of the Washington area and a decorated Vietnam airborne ranger, Mr. Kimsey is a strong supporter of the military and educational opportunities for young people. He serves on a number of boards, including the Children's Scholarship Fund, the Boys & Girls Clubs, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. He is also Chair of Refugees International and a board member of several foreign policy councils and national security organizations. While serving in the U.S. Army, he directed the building of an orphanage at Duc Pho, Vietnam, and continues to be an active supporter of orphanages and schools for underprivileged children in Vietnam.

Mr. Kimsey attended Georgetown University and graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

The Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is responsible for the maintenance and administration of the Kennedy Center. Specifically, the Board is charged with four programmatic mandates; the presentation of classical and contemporary music, opera, dance and poetry; the presentation of lectures and other programs; the development of programs for children, youth and the elderly; and the provision of facilities for civic activities.

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