The Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants honors Ethan Allen’s Farooq Kathwari
September 24 2018 - 5:00PM
The Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants honors Ethan
Allen’s Farooq Kathwari
The Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants (CIRI)
honored Farooq Kathwari, Chairman, President and CEO of
Danbury-based Ethan Allen Interiors Inc., with its Legacy Award at
a gala dinner in Westport, CT., on September 23.
He was chosen for this honor in recognition of his commitment to
humanitarian causes, to justice and human dignity, and to the
plight of displaced people across the world. Mr. Kathwari has
served in numerous capacities at many nonprofit organizations;
among them, he is currently a member of the Board of Overseers of
the International Rescue Committee, and a chairman emeritus of
Refugees International.
The gala commemorated CIRI's 100 years as the state’s leading
champion for refugees, immigrants, survivors of torture, and
survivors of human trafficking. Founded in 1918 as the
International Institute of Connecticut (IICONN), CIRI remains the
state’s preeminent provider of advocacy and high-impact services
that empower new Americans to thrive in Connecticut.
Claudia Connor, CIRI CEO and President, said, “Because we
believe most Americans value the contributions that immigrants and
refugees make to our nation, we continue to fight for their rights
in a difficult political climate. Our mission is to provide
comprehensive and compassionate legal and social services for
vulnerable foreign-born residents of Connecticut. This mission has
never been more essential than it is now.”
Ms. Connor continued, “Our gala honoree, Farooq Kathwari,
symbolizes the many ways in which foreign-born Americans have
helped build our country. As a respected business leader, he has
grown Ethan Allen into a leading furniture and design company that
employs more than 5,000 people in Connecticut and North America. He
embodies the American dream of building a better life for his
family and community and has given back many times over through his
nonprofit and charitable work.”
Mr. Kathwari said, “I am proud to support the valuable work that
CIRI does for immigrant and refugee communities in Connecticut. As
an immigrant myself, I know that everyone who comes to America has
the opportunity to contribute and enrich his or her new home.
But no one can succeed alone. CIRI provides the necessary services
that new Americans need to start down the path to success.”
Mr. Kathwari’s family foundation, is the CIRI Centennial Partner
for the gala. Other event sponsors include People’s United Bank,
Praxair, Synchrony Financial, RBC Wealth Management, and Nuovo
Pasta Productions.
Mr. Kathwari emigrated to the United States in 1965. He joined
Ethan Allen in 1980, when it acquired KEA International, a company
he formed in 1973 in partnership with Ethan Allen. Kathwari quickly
rose through the ranks and became president in 1985 and board chair
and chief executive officer in 1988. He has overseen the
transformation of Ethan Allen, making it a quintessential American
brand with a wide-reaching global presence, emphasizing quality,
craftsmanship, diversity of styles, and environmental excellence as
hallmarks of the brand.
Mr. Kathwari is an active humanitarian and peacemaker. In
addition to his work at International Rescue Committee and Refugees
International, he is a member of the advisory board of the Center
for Strategic and International Studies; a member of the Council on
Foreign Relations; chairman emeritus of Refugees International; a
director of the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown
University; co-chairman of the Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council; and
a member of the International Advisory Council of the United States
Institute of Peace. He is the founder of the Kashmir Study Group,
and he served as a member of the President’s Advisory Commission on
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders from 2010 to 2014. Among his
recognitions, Mr. Kathwari is a recipient of the 2018 Ellis Island
Medal of Honor and has been recognized as an Outstanding American
by Choice by the U.S. government. For more information visit
www.farooqkathwari.com.
MEDIA CONTACT:Geri MoranEthan Allen Global,
Inc.geri.moran@ethanallen.com203.743.8374
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