Jamie Dimon and Luis Carlos Sarmiento Angulo Honored at Americas Society 36th Annual Spring Party

New York, June 3, 2016—Americas Society is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2016 Gold Medal awarded at the Society’s 36th Annual Spring Party, held June 2 in New York City: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of JPMorgan Chase & Co. Jamie Dimon and Chairman of the Board of Grupo Aval Luis Carlos Sarmiento Angulo. They were honored at a special ceremony and celebratory gala at Cipriani Wall Street, attended by over 500 prominent leaders from the private sector, government, philanthropy, and the cultural sphere in the hemisphere.

Americas Society and Council of the Americas President and CEO Susan Segal celebrated the success of the much-anticipated evening. “As many of you know, the Spring Party is one of our most important annual fundraising events,” Segal said. “This year, your generous contributions have helped raise over $1.5 million—an impressive achievement. These funds will go a long way toward supporting our mission and activities in the U.S. and abroad.”

A special message to the honorees sent for the occasion by Americas Society and Council of the Americas Founder and Honorary Chairman David Rockefeller underscored the professional and philanthropic achievements of the two outstanding leaders.

J.P. Morgan Latin America & Canada CEO Martin Marron presented Jamie Dimon with the Gold Medal. “Tonight’s event is about leadership. Jamie Dimon demonstrates leadership by standing for what is right even during the most challenging times,” Marron said. “The firm’s position in Latin America, where it has maintained ties for over a century, serves as a good example. J.P. Morgan has remained committed to the region, despite recent volatility and the retrenchment of many. I believe the people and our clients will appreciate Jamie’s backing when they needed it most.”

“It is an honor to be here today and accept this recognition,” said Dimon upon receiving the award. “Since the firm’s founding more than 200 years ago, JPMorgan Chase and its predecessor banks have been steadfast in support of clients and leaders in more than 100 countries, including in Latin America. We have been committed to the region, its growth, and its communities. I am pleased the see the progress many Latin American countries have made throughout the years and expect the region to continue to flourish, based in its fine long-term prospects.”

Jamie Dimon became JPMorgan Chase & Co. Chairman of the Board on December 31, 2006, and has been Chief Executive Officer and President since December 31, 2005. In a distinguished career that spans over three decades, Dimon held a wide range of executive roles at Bank One Corporation, Citigroup Inc., the Travelers Group, Commercial Credit Company, and American Express Company. Under his leadership, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. has become a major corporate philanthropist, deploying over $200 million a year in programs aimed at supporting the communities where it has a presence. Among the firm’s initiatives: a $100 million, five-year project to accelerate Detroit’s recovery; $250 million New Skills at Work initiative to close the work gap and create job opportunities; and JPMorgan Chase Institute, a global think tank founded in 2015 that uses proprietary data to provide insights on the world’s economy. Dimon is on the Board of Directors of Harvard Business School and Catalyst and is a member of The Business Council. He is also on the Board of Trustees of the New York University School of Medicine.

On presenting the Gold Medal to Luis Carlos Sarmiento Angulo, AS/COA Chairman Andrés Gluski highlighted the strong leadership and vision Sarmiento has brought and continues to bring to his numerous business and social initiatives. “It gives the Americas Society great pleasure to honor a man whose hard work, ambition, and commitment to the betterment of society have resulted in an outstanding career and a life that is a true testament to his love for and commitment to Colombia, to the Americas, and indeed, the world,” Gluski said.

In remarks made after receiving the Gold Medal, Sarmiento expressed his hopes for Colombia´s future, a country that is on the verge of signing a historic peace deal with armed guerrillas. “After 60 years of battling the insurgents, looking to contribute to a lasting peace towards the future, we will dedicate our efforts to strengthening the rule of law based on an efficient and modernized justice system,” Sarmiento said.

Luis Carlos Sarmiento Angulo is chairman of the board of the Grupo Aval, a NYSE-listed firm comprised of several financial institutions with almost $130 billion in assets, which collectively represent a third of Colombia’s financial system. Mr. Sarmiento has enjoyed a long and distinguished career not just in finance, but also in the construction and media sectors, in addition to being a well-known philanthropist. Sarmiento has donated equipment and facilities for hospitals and medical centers in Colombia, including the Center for Oncology Treatment currently in development, which will operate as a non-profit corporation. He is a founder and benefactor of Julio Garavito Engineering School, as well as donor and Chairman of the Board of Colfuturo, whose mission is to send Colombian students abroad for post-graduate education at top international institutions. Sarmiento built and donated the Science and Technology Building at Universidad Nacional, his Alma Mater, as well as housing for over 1,500 victims displaced by the severe winter floods of 2010. Throughout his career, he has received many awards and distinctions, including the Great Cross of Boyaca, granted by the Government of the Republic of Colombia; the Order of the Congress of Colombia; the Order of Civil Merit of the City of Bogotá; and The Enrique V. Iglesias Award to the Development of Ibero American Business Space, granted by the Latin American Business Council and awarded by HM Felipe VI of Spain.

The Americas Society Gold Medal is the highest and most distinguished award given by the organization to private individuals for their leadership and contributions to the worldwide business community, commitment to social and environmental responsibility, and active involvement with art and education initiatives across the Americas and beyond. Previous recipients of the Gold Medal, first presented in 1977, include Miguel Alemán Velasco, César Alierta, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Gustavo A. Cisneros, Carlos Cruz-Diez, Laurence D. Fink, Carlos Fuentes, Enrique Iglesias, Muhtar Kent, Andrónico Luksic, Thomas F. McLarty III, Manuel Medina-Mora, Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, Patricia Phelps de Cisneros, William Rhodes, David Rockefeller, Julio Mario Santo Domingo, Roberto Egydio Setubal, Mario Vargas Llosa, Paul Volcker, Lorenzo H. Zambrano, and Ernesto Zedillo.

Press Inquiries: Please contact Americas Society Media Relations at mediarelations@as-coa.org or +1-212-277-8384.

Americas Society is the premier organization dedicated to education, debate and dialogue in the Americas. Established by David Rockefeller in 1965, our mission is to foster an understanding of the contemporary political, social and economic issues confronting Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada, and to increase public awareness and appreciation of the diverse cultural heritage of the Americas and the importance of the inter-American relationship.