2024
Welcoming remarks by the French Embassy’s Minister Counsellor for Economic Affairs, Antonin Aviat
Featured valedictory remarks by Congressman Earl Blumenauer
Congressman Darin LaHood, Congressional Leadership Award (introduced by former Congressman Kevin Brady)
Senator Chris Coons, Congressional Leadership Award (introduced by former Senator Rob Portman)
Ana Swanson, WITA Lighthouse Award (introduced by Sarah Thorn & Bill Lane)
Doug Palmer, WITA Lighthouse Award (introduced by Stephanie Lester & Sarah Thorn)
Masters of Ceremonies: Kaitlin Sighinolfi & Nasim Fussell
2023
Congressman Adrian Smith, Congressional Leadership Award (introduced by former Congressman Kevin Brady)
Senator Tom Carper, American Leadership Award (introduced by Senator John Cornyn)
Deputy Director-General Angela Ellard, Lifetime Achievement Award (introduced by former Speaker Paul Ryan and presented by Meredith Broadbent and Viji Rangaswami surrounded by former colleagues)
Monica H. Whaley, WITA Lighthouse Award (introduced by Sarah Thorn & Bill Lane)
MC: Stacy J. Ettinger & Vanessa Sciarra
2022
Congressman Ron Kind, Distinguished Service Award (introduced by Congressman Earl Blumenauer)
Senator Pat Toomey, Distinguished Service Award (introduced by Ambassador Rufus Yerxa, Ambassador Jayme White, & Sabine Weyand)
Ambassador Carla Hills, Lifetime Achievement Award (introduced by Ambassador Susan Schwab)
Jennifer A. Hillman, WITA Lighthouse Award (introduced by Stephanie Lester Sarah Thorn)
MC: Ambassador Rufus Yerxa
2021
Congressman Richard Neal, Congressional Leadership Award (introduced by Congresswoman Suzan DelBene)
Congressman Kevin Brady, Lifetime Achievement Award (introduced by Congresswoman Jackie Walorski)
Ambassador Rufus Yerxa, Lifetime Achievement Award (introduced by Ambassador Susan Schwab)
Florizelle Liser, WITA Lighthouse Award (introduced by Sarah Thorn & Katrin Kuhlman)
MC: Ambassador Susan Schwab
2020
Due to COVID-19, WITA hosted a Virtual Annual Dinner featuring Award Winning Chef Danny Lledó of Xiquet. Due to the online format of the event, WITA did not have an honoree in 2020.
2019
Senator Chuck Grassley, American Leadership Award (introduced by Ambassador Jim Bacchus)
Congresswoman Suzan DelBene, Congressional Leadership Award (introduced by Representative Rick Larsen)
Congresswoman Jackie Walorski, Congressional Leadership Award (introduced by Representative Kevin Brady)
Women In International Trade (WIIT), WITA Lighthouse Award (introduced by Sarah Thorn & Selina Jackson)
MC: John Veroneau
See our 2019 Annual Awards Dinner Highlights here.
2018
Senator Ben Cardin, Congressional Leadership Award (introduced by Senator Heidi Heitkamp)
Senator Pat Roberts, Congressional Leadership Award (introduced by Representative Dan Glickman)
Secretary Sonny Perdue, American Leadership Award (introduced by Representative Kevin Brady)
Laura Baughman, Lighthouse Award (introduced by Sarah Thorn & Bill Lane)
See our 2018 Annual Awards Dinner Highlights here.
2017
Congressman Rick Larsen, Congressional Leadership Award (introduced by Representative Suzan DelBene)
Senator Jeff Flake, Congressional Leadership Award (introduced by Representative Jim Kolbe)
Meredith Broadbent, Lighthouse Award (introduced by Sarah Thorn)
See our 2017 Annual Awards Dinner Highlights here.
2016
Secretary Penny Pritzker, Global Leadership Award
Congressman Earl Blumenauer, Congressional Leadership Award (introduced by Congressman Kevin Brady)
Congressman David Reichert, Congressional Leadership Award (introduced by Congressman Kevin Brady)
Bill Lane, Lighthouse Award (introduced by Sarah Thorn)
William Reinsch, Lighthouse Award (introduced by Sarah Thorn & Bill Lane)
MC: Nicole Venable
See our 2016 Annual Awards Dinner Highlights here.
2015
Congressman Paul Ryan, Congressional Leadership Award (introduced by Representative Earl Blumenauer)
Senator Orrin Hatch, Congressional Leadership Award (introduced by Senator Tom Carper)
Senator Ron Wyden, Congressional Leadership Award (introduced by Representative Earl Blumenauer)
Ambassador Mike Moore, Lifetime Achievement Award (introduced by Ambassador Susan Schwab)
Everett Eissenstat, Lighthouse Award (introduced by Sarah Thorn & Bill Lane)
MC: Nicole Venable
See our 2015 Annual Awards Dinner Highlights here.
2014
Congressman Charles Boustany, Jr., MD, Congressional Leadership Award (introduced by Representative Gregory Meeks,)
Congressman Ron Kind, Congressional Leadership Award (introduced by Representative Erik Paulsen)
Ambassador Michael Punke, Distinguished Service Award (introduced by Ambassador Peter Allgeier)
Ambassador Clayton Yeutter, Lifetime Achievement Award (introduced by Ambassador Peter Allgeier)
Wendy Cutler, Lighthouse Award (introduced by Sarah Thorn & Bill Lane)
MC: Ambassador Peter Allgeier
2013
Chairman Dave Camp, Distinguished Leadership in International Trade
USTR Michael Froman, Distinguished Leadership in International Trade
Congressman Gregory Meeks, Distinguished Leadership in International Trade
Ed Gresser, Lighthouse Award
MC: Ambassador Peter Allgeier
2012
USTR Ron Kirk, Distinguished Service Award
Congressman David Dreier, Lifetime Achievement Award
Jutta Hennig, Lighthouse Award
MC: Grant Aldonas
2011
Senator Rob Portman, Distinguished Service Award
Senator John Kerry, Distinguished Service Award
Angela Ellard & Viji Rangaswami, Lighthouse Award
Keynote address by USTR Ron Kirk
2010
Senator Max Baucus, Lifetime Achievement Award
Ambassador Jon Huntsman, Distinguished Service Award
R. Scott Miller, Lighthouse Award
Keynote address by former USTR Susan Schwab
MC: Dan Glickman
2009
Congressman Kevin Brady, Distinguished Service Award
Congressman Joe Crowley, Distinguished Service Award
Frank and Regina Vargo, Lighthouse Award
Keynote address by Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke
MC: Jim Kolbe
2008
United States Trade Representative Susan Schwab, Distinguished Service Award
R.K. “Judge” Morris, Lighthouse Award
Keynote address by former USTR Rob Portman
MC: Cal Dooley
2007
WITA’s 25th Anniversary: Celebrating of a Quarter Century of Trade Leadership
Keynote address by Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez
MC: John Castellani Business Roundtable
2006
Congressman Charles Rangel, Distinguished Service Award
Congressman Jim Kolbe, Lifetime Achievement Award
Keynote address by Senator Hillary Clinton
MC: Bill Lane
2005
Congressman William Thomas, Distinguished Service Award
Congressman Robert Matsui, Lifetime Achievement Award
Keynote address by Congressman Jim Kolbe
2004
Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Grant Aldonas, Distinguished Service Award
Deputy United States Trade Representative Peter Allgeier, Distinguished Service Award
Keynote address by Congressman Cal Dooley
MC: Bill Lane
2003
United States Trade Representative Robert Zoellick, Distinguished Service Award
Keynote address by Jack Valenti, CEO, Motion Picture Association of America
2002
Congressman Amo Houghton, Lifetime Achievement Award
Congressman William Jefferson, Distinguished Service Award
Congressman John Tanner, Distinguished Service Award
2001
Congressman Phil Crane, Lifetime Achievement Award
Senator Charles Grassley, Distinguished Service Award
Congressman Sander Levin, Distinguished Service Award
2000
Secretary of Commerce William Daley, Lifetime Achievement Award
Congressman Calvin Dooley, Distinguished Service Award
Congressman David Dreier, Distinguished Service Award
1999
Senator Max Baucus, Distinguished Service Award
Senator Chuck Hagel, Distinguished Service Award
1998
Secretary of Treasury Robert E. Rubin, Distinguished Service Award
Senator William V. Roth, Distinguished Service Award
1997
United States Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky, Distinguished Service Award
Congressman William Archer, Distinguished Service Award
1996
Congressman Sam Gibbons, Lifetime Achievement Award
Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade Stuart Eizenstat, Distinguished Service Award
1995
Congressman James Kolbe, Distinguished Service Award
Congressman Robert Matsui, Distinguished Service Award