Ex-President Clinton speaks at dinner honoring ex-mayor

Former President Bill Clinton was the special guest at The Anti-Defamation League American Heritage Dinner honoring Jan Jones Jan. 7 in the Forum Ballroom at Caesars Palace.

Jones, the city's first female mayor, is senior vice president of communications and government relations for Caesars Entertainment Corp. She also is a member of the Women's Leadership Board at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, among various board positions, and is a member of the Human Rights Campaign's Federal Club and Nevada Advocates for Planned Parenthood.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, fights hatred and all forms of bigotry and racism. The organization's Nevada regional office sponsored the dinner.

Jones introduced Clinton, who spoke about human relations and anti-Semitism and how everyone must work to secure fair justice and treatment for all citizens.

The event's reception earlier in the evening afforded the opportunity to socialize for former Sen. Richard Bryan and Bonnie Bryan, former Gov. Bob Miller and Sandy Miller, Secretary of State Ross Miller, U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley, university Regents Mark Alden and Jack Schofield, and Nevada Chief Justice Nancy Saitta and Justices Michael Cherry and Michael Douglas.

Other guests at the party included Dina Titus, Faye and Leon Steinberg, Myra Greenspun, Lynn and Arne Rosencrantz, Marla and Tom Letizia, Patricia and Richard Wright, Ikram Khan, Gloria and Mark Fine, Dena duBoef, Jerry Engel, James Gibson, Susan and Irwin Molasky, Heather and Jim Murren, Michael Brown, Amy Ayoub, Patrick Duffy, Barbara Molasky and Mike Sloan, Sonja and Michael Saltman, Gene Greenberg, Virginia Valentine, Michael Geeser, Alisa and Robb Worth, Frank Schreck, Donna and Sheldon Cloobeck, and Roberta Sabbath.

Political columnist Jon Ralston served as master of ceremonies. Dinner began with the blessing of the bread by the dinner's chairwomen Susan Fine, Cari Marshall and Sonja Saltman. Other speakers included Ellis Landau, the Anti-Defamation League's Nevada regional chairman, and Robert G. Sugarman, the Anti-Defamation League's national chairman. Taylor Ashman, past student body president of Green Valley High School and now a student at the University of Arizona, spoke about the bullying of young people.

Also seen among the crowd of more than 650 were Lee and Joanne Bernick, Monica Moradkhan, Florence Bolatin, Rob Sheinkopf, Lisa Boughner, Mike Naft, Sean Gamble, Rose McKinney-James, Billy Vassiliadis, Melinda McGeorge Johnson and Daryl Johnson.

Proceeds from the dinner will benefit the funding of the league's fight against anti-Semitism and prejudice in our community.