On April 23rd the U.S. Army Reserve will celebrate its 116th Birthday. This month, the Army Reserve is honoring the men and women who embrace their roles as “Citizen Soldiers” by continuing a proud and distinguished legacy of service within the total Army and across the Nation as a community-based force.

The skills these Soldiers bring both in and out of uniform add substantial value and depth to the force. They are doctors, lawyers, academics, scientists, engineers, cyber specialists, police officers, first responders, transportation specialists, administrators, and more – and they’re at the top of their fields. Whether performing combat missions and contingency operations, or saving lives and protecting property in cities, towns, and communities, the Army Reserve has, and will, continue to offer versatile, available, and effective capabilities for the American people.

The Army Reserve supplements the Army’s operational and strategic capabilities at large, providing units with unique and in-demand skills across military intelligence, civil affairs, engineering, cyber, medical, legal, and aviation fields and beyond.  Serving at least one weekend a month and two weeks a year, usually within 90 minutes of home, Army Reserve Soldiers provide a critical link to both the public and private sectors.

The strength of the Army Reserve lies within Soldiers’ diverse backgrounds, cultures, and history. Each Soldier contributes to an adaptive and culturally astute Army Reserve that further enhances their capabilities around the world. Since 2001, Army Reserve Soldiers have been mobilized and routinely deployed in dozens of countries around the world and have made a positive impact in communities right here at home. From natural disasters to national emergencies, the Army Reserve has never failed to answer the Nation’s call.

Join Brigadier General Fred Hockett, Deputy Commanding General – Support, United States Army Recruiting Command, as he discusses the significance of the Army Reserve’s 116th birthday and highlights the Split Training Option, which allows high school juniors to get a head start toward a career. He’ll also talk about his career and the many ways the Army Reserve is preparing Soldiers to serve, lead, and shape the future.

 Interview is courtesy: U.S. Army Reserve

#armyreserve #happybirthday #militaryservice #brigadiergeneralfredhockett #fredhockett #celebration

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The truth is I have been sharing your wife, day and night when you’re not around. In fact, probably more than you.
I hope you will accept my sincerest apologies and forgive me. Please suggest a fee for usage, and I’ll pay you whatever you think might be just compensation.

Regards, Alan.

THE RESPONSE

Fred, feeling insulted and betrayed, grabbed his gun, and shot his neighbor dead.
He returned home where he poured himself a stiff drink and sat down on the sofa.
He took out his phone where he saw he had a second message from his neighbor.

THE SECOND MESSAGE

Hi Fred,

This is Alan next door again. Sorry about the typo on my last text.
I expect you figured it out anyway, and that you noticed that darned Auto-Correct changed “wi-fi” to “wife” Technology hey?

Regards, Alan

The post Ain’t Technology Wonderful? appeared first on Good News!.

The 34th Annual Fred & Adele Astaire Awards, which recognizes outstanding achievements in dance on Broadway and in film, took place on Monday, May 16, 2016. This year’s Award Recipients included Judith Jamison, Artistic Director Emerita at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Nigel Lythgoe, Creator & Executive Director of So You Think You Can Dance. Choreographer Maurice Hines received a special award for his body of work in the field of dance. Dr. Joan Fallon also received an award for special achievement in the field of autism and related disorders.

The gala evening, which was held at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts in New York, commenced with a Red Carpet & VIP Cocktail Reception followed by the Performances & Awards Ceremony, after which a VIP After Party was held at the Hebrew Union College to which some 350 award recipients, performers and well-wishers attended. Over the course of the night, a number of special performances were made.

The evening’s presenters included Tony Award Nominee Patricia Birch, Tony Award Nominee Leanne Cope, Tony Award Nominee Don Correia, Tony Award Nominee Sandy Duncan, Tony Award Nominee Charlotte D’Amboise, Tony Award Nominee Robert Fairchild, Tony Award Winner Christopher Gattelli, Academy Award, Golden Globe and Tony Award Winner Joel Grey, Obie Award Winner Jackie Hoffman, Tony Award Nominee Terrence Mann, NYCB Principal Dancer Tiler Peck, Tony Award Winner Susan Stroman, Tony Award Nominee Tony Yazbeck, Producer Randi Zuckerberg. There were also several live performances throughout the evening, featuring Emmy Winner and Drama Desk Nominee Spencer Liff, So You Think You Can Dance Season 10 Winner Amy Yakima, Broadway Dancer Francesca Harper, Tony Award Nominee Desmond Richardson, Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre Company Member Rachael McLaren, and the cast of Broadway’s On Your Feet.

All proceeds from the event will benefit non-profit 501 c(3) organization The Douglas Watt Family Fund for the Performing Arts, which provides Dance and Movement Therapy for autistic and disabled children in New York City. The goal of the organization is to bring artistic expression to the developmentally disabled children in our community. The event was produced by Patricia Watt, NYC Dance Alliance, Fred Astaire Studios and consulting producers Todd Allan and Beth Bogush, with Associate Producers Jessica Zippin and Alix Michel.

The evening started off with the Latin inspired performance “Tradición” from the musical On Your Feet, written by Emilio Estefan and Gloria Estefan and choreographed by Sergio Trujilo. This was followed by a welcome speech from Patricia Watt and Joe Lanteri, after which the Special Achievement in the Field of Autism and Related Disorders Award was bestowed on Dr. Joan Fallon. This announcement was followed by a few words from Jessica Zippin about the organization’s Dance & Movement Therapy Program and the big difference it makes in the lives of children with autism and severe cognitive dysfunction.

The first dance award of the evening, presented by Kiera Chaplin, was won by Dave Scott for High Strung in the category Outstanding Choreography in a Feature Film of which the nominees included: Luke Broadlick, Teresa Espinosa, Alison Faulk & Channing Tatum (MagicMike XXL); Christopher Gattelli (Hail, Caesar!); Aakomon Jones (Pitch Perfect 2); Joey Pizzi (Lucky Stiff); Fatima Robinson & Charm Jordan (Dance Camp) and Dave Scott (High Strung).

Next was the evening’s second performance “Let’s Face the Music & Dance” by The Fred Astaire Dance Studios, choreographed by Steven Powell. The lively dance performance featured music from Lady Gaga and Tony Bennet.

For the first time this year, the Fred & Adele Astaire Awards recognized excellence in dance, movement, and choreography Off-Broadway. The Off-Broadway awards for the 2015-2016 season were presented next by Jackie Hoffman and Randi Zuckerberg.

Rumi Oyama (Sayonara) was the winner of the category for Outstanding Female Dancer Off-Broadway. Nominees included: Yesenia Ayala (Trip Of Love); Leslie Kritzer (Robber Bridegroom); Rumi Oyama (Sayonara); Jaime Lynn Verazin(Standard Time); Ellen Zolezzi (Cagney).

The award for Outstanding Male Dancer Off-Broadway was won by Robert Creighton (Cagney). The nominees included: Jeremy Benton (Cagney); Dave Thomas Brown (The Legend Of Georgia Mcbride); Robert Creighton (Cagney); Cory Lingner (Once Upon A Mattress); Matt McGrath (The Legend Of Georgia Mcbride).

The Award for Outstanding Choreography Off-Broadway resulted in a tie between Connor Gallagher (of The Robber Bridegroom) and Paul McGill (of The Legend of Georgia Mcbride). Nominees in this category included: Joshua Bergasse(Cagney); Martha Clarke (Angel Reapers); Connor Gallagher (The Robber Bridegroom); Paul McGill (The Legend Of Georgia Mcbride); James Ortiz, Claire Karpen & Will Gallacher (The Woodsman); Sergio Trujillo & Darrell Grand Moultrie(Invisible Thread).

The performance “A Humble Tribute” was then performed by dancers (and also choreographed by) Leo and John Manzari.

Next, Choreographer Maurice Hines, who appeared Off-Broadway this season in his show Tappin’ Through Life, was recognized with a special recognition award for Outstanding Body of Work in Dance. In his remarked he told the audience of how “my final work was choreography of ballet dancers for Stevie Wonder and I was working through the project a life-time of memories and experiences came flooding back.”

This was followed by two back-to-back performances. First, “Where Do I Begin”, choreographed by Spencer Liff, followed by “Dr. Jazz”, choreographed by Warren Carlyle.

The third special award recipient of the evening was Nigel Lythgoe, Creator & Executive Director of So You Think You Can Dance. In accepting the award for Outstanding Contribution to the Field of Dance he noted self-deprecatingly that, “I was the original Billy Elliot. I could take dance lessons only if I took boxing lessons also – after three broken noses dance and choreography became my true focus”.

The performance “For a Sophisticated Lady” was then held by Francesca Harper and Desmond Richardson, staged by Chet Walker and with music by Duke Ellington. After this, an excerpt from CRY (1971) was performed, choreographed by Alvin Ailey and restaged by Masazumi Chaya.

The fourth and last special award of the evening, presented by Patricia Birch and Joel Gray, was given to Judith Jamison, Artistic Director Emerita at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. When awarded the Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award she noted that, “People always ask me ‘why did you want to be a dancer?’ to which I reply that I always felt I needed to be a dancer.”

Thereafter, the award for Outstanding Ensemble in a Broadway Show was presented by Christopher Gattelli, and included: Bright Star, Dames at Sea, Fiddler on the Roof, Hamilton, On Your Feet, School of Rock, She Loves Me, Shuffle Along and Spring Awakening, with the Award being presented to Shuffle Along.

Phillip Attmore (of Shuffle Along) won the award for Outstanding Male Dancer in a Broadway Show, which was presented by Leanne Cope and Tony Yazbeck. Nominees included: Phillip Attmore (Shuffle Along); Alex Brightman (School of Rock); Daveed Diggs (Hamilton); Carlos E. Gonzalez (On Your Feet); Curtis Holland (Shuffle Along); Kendrick Jones (Shuffle Along); Luis Salgaldo (On Your Feet).

The category Outstanding Female Dancer in a Broadway Show, presented by Charlotte d’Amboise and Terrence Mann, included nominees: Mara Davi (Dames at Sea); Deanna Doyle (Tuck Everlasting); Sandra Mae Frank (Spring Awakening); Jane Krakowski (She Loves Me); Eloise Kropp (Dames at Sea); Ana Villafañe (On Your Feet); Adrienne Warren (Shuffle Along). The award was won by Jane Krakowski (She Loves Me).

The last award of the evening for Outstanding Choreographer in a Broadway Show, presented by Sandi Duncan and Don Correia, resulted in a three way tie between Andy Blankenbuehler (Hamilton), Savion Glover (Shuffle Along) and Sergio Trujillo (On Your Feet). The nominees were: Andy Blankenbuehler (Hamilton); Warren Carlyle (She Loves Me); Savion Glover (Shuffle Along); Lorin Latarro (Waitress); Spencer Liff (Spring Awakening); Casey Nicholaw (Tuck Everlasting); Josh Rhodes (Bright Star); Hofesh Shechter (Fiddler on the Roof); Randy Skinner (Dames at Sea) and Sergio Trujillo (On Your Feet).

The Awards Ceremony concluded with the performance “Gloria”, featuring a mix of Gloria Estefan music and choreographed by Justin M. Lewis and Mark Orsborn.

The Off-Broadway Committee was comprised of Andy Sandberg (Chair), Jonathan Herzog, Michael Milton, Nikki Feirt Atkins, Judith Jamison, and Lee Roy Reams. The winners were announced on May 16th at the annual Astaire Awards ceremony alongside the 2015-2016 Broadway and Film Awards.

The Nominating Committee Chair was Wendy Federman, supported by committee members: Nikki Atkins, Ted Chapin, Pat Collins, Don Correia, Sandy Duncan, Jonathan C. Herzog, Judith Jamison, Anna Kisselgoff, Pia Lindstrom, Donna McKechnie, Bruce Michael, Mary McColl, Michael Milton, Mary Beth O’Connor, Laura Penn, Wendy Perron, Lee Roy Reams, Andy Sandberg and Harry Haun.

The Honorary Committee for the 34th Annual Fred & Adele Astaire Awards was comprised of: Karole Armitage, Rob Ashford, Hinton Battle, Bob Balaban, Marisa Berenson, Anna Bergman, Patricia Birch, Chase Brock, Tricia Brouk, Ron Brown, Jeff Calhoun, Warren Carlyle, Marge Champion, Wayne Cilento, Louis Hirschfeld Cullman, Arlene Dahl, Jacques D’Amboise, Graciela Daniele, Peter Darling, Marguerite Derricks, Kelly Devine, Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Eve Ensler, Daniel Ezralow, Jules Fisher, Roberta Flack, Wilhelmina Frankfurt, Mario Fratti, Christopher Gattelli, Mitzi Gaynor, Kearran Giovanni, Savion Glover, Joel Grey, Peggy Hickey, Steven Hoggett, JoAnn Hunter, Anne Jackson, Susan Jaffee, Denis Jones, Paul Katz, Larry Keigwin, Daniel Knechtges, Spencer Liff, Michele Lynch, Kathleen Marshall, Rob Marshall, Julie McDonald, Donna McKechnie, Joey McKneely, Stephen Mear, Liza Minnelli, Jerry Mitchell, Bebe Neuwirth, Phyllis Newman, Casey Nicholaw, Marsha Norman, Kenny Ortega, Robert Osbourne, Jeffrey Page, Daniel Pelzig, Jane Powell, Josh Prince, Ann Reinking, Michael Rubenstein, Wendy Seyb, Lisa Schriver, Randy Skinner, Victoria Traube, Sergio Trujillo, Anthony van Laast, Chet Walker, Patti Wilcox and Matt Williams.

This year’s nominations were announced on Monday May 2nd, 2016.

About The Fred & Adele Astaire Awards
The Fred & Adele Astaire Awards were established in 1982 to recognize outstanding achievement in dance on Broadway and in film. The annual awards were established with the cooperation of Fred Astaire to also honor his sister Adele, who starred with her brother in ten Broadway musicals between 1917 and 1931. The Fred & Adele Awards remain the gold standard for excellence in dance and choreography on Broadway and film. Since 1982, additional awards have been added, including the award for best choreography in film, the lifetime achievement award, and a unique award determined annually for exceptional contribution to the field.

For more information and tickets, visit www.theastaireawards.org/

To download high resolution images from the event, please visit http://bit.ly/1XjVdaD
(Photo Credit: Patrick McMullan)

WHEN: Monday May 16th, 2016
6:00 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. – Red Carpet & VIP Cocktail Reception
7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – Performances & Awards Ceremony
9:45 p.m. – VIP After Party at the Hebrew Union College (1 W 4th St)

WHERE: Skirball Center for the Performing Arts
566 LaGuardia Place
(Between W 3rd and W 4th Sts)
New York, NY 10012
www.skirballcenter.nyu.edu

PRESS ENQUIRIES:
Norah Lawlor | Lawlor Media Group | www.lawlormediagroup.com
RSVP@lawlormediagroup.com | Tel: (212) 967-6900

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Services will be held on Thursday, July 2nd at 10am Riverside Memorial Chapel, located at 180 West 76th Street, New York, NY 10023, then at Beth David Cemetery 300 Elmont Road, Elmont, Queens. Our family will receive friends after 3:00pm at The Friars Club at 57 East 55th Street, New York, NY 10022.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to The Scholar Rescue Fund (at the Institute of International Education, 809 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017), a cause that was extremely dear to Fred.

The family will also sit Shiva on Friday from 1-4pm at Lois & Fred’s home

With sad hearts,
The Tarter Family

Fred Tarter is the Chairman of The Lakeside Group, which he founded in 1980. He is a serial entrepreneur with over 40 years of experience developing unique financial products and services, producing television features & building media companies. Tarter has been recognized continuously for over 30 years in Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in the East, and Who’s Who in Entertainment.

Tarter is currently the President & CEO of The Reader’s Guild, formed in 2014 and founded upon Tarter’s history in the publishing industry dating back to 1963, when he published the largest selling folk music magazine, Hootenanny. The Reader’s Guild now holds an exclusive, long-term licensing agreement with the celebrated Reader’s Digest to market the iconic brand, Reader’s Digest Condensed Books – Classic Editions in print and ebook formats.

Tarter served as Chairman of Screenvision for over 28 years, building the company into the largest cinema advertising network in the world & delivering an audience of almost one billion viewers annually. As owner of Cinema Events, Tarter was the Executive Producer of a number of movies & made-for-television movies and pioneered the production of non-theatrical programming produced exclusively for the cinema. Since 1974, Tarter has also served as Chairman of The Rainbow Group, which distributes award-winning programming for children including the Academy Award-Nominated Film, Sounder.

Tarter’s non-profit activities include serving as Chairman of the Freedom Broadcasting Foundation (formerly Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Foundation) since 2002. RFE, founded in 1950, now broadcasts in 28 languages in 20 countries around the world. Tarter also serves as a member of the Board of the Scholar Rescue Fund, a non-profit organization administered by IIE that’s devoted to the relocation of recognized scholars residing in untenable surroundings, permitting them to continue their teaching, research & study at campuses worldwide.

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‘The Man in the Red Bandana’
By Jefferson H. Crowther

Please excuse these ramblings of a proud, old father who lost one the
brightest lights in his life. This light was my dear, dear son, Welles
Remy Crowther, who at age 24 was killed when the South Tower of the
World Trade Center collapsed on him and so many other innocent victims
of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Welles was an equities
trader with Sandler-O’Neill and Partners working on the 104th floor of
WTC2. He was also a volunteer firefighter and member of Empire Hook &
Ladder Co. #1 in Upper Nyack, NY. Somehow he made his way to the 78th
floor Sky Lobby after the plane had impacted his building, and there
he found a group of people who were afraid to move. They had huddled
together and were waiting for the rescue workers to get to them. They
felt if they moved around they might fall through a hole in the floor
and be lost as the visibility was almost nil due to the dust and
smoke.. There were many injured people around them, screaming with
pain, unable to extract themselves from under the slabs of marble that
lined the hallways that had them trapped. My son, Welles, wearing a
red bandanna (which he always carried in his back pocket) to protect
himself from the dust and smoke, found them and told them that he knew
where the only open stairway was and if they could walk they should
get up now, help those whom they could, but that there were people
they could not help and that they had to go right away. His words as
quoted to us by some of the individuals who were there and survived
were “follow me, I know the way”. Welles made three trips from the
78th floor down to the 61st floor where the lights were still on and
the air was clearer. He told them to keep going down the stairs, but
he kept going back up to escort more people down. In all we have
confirmed three trips he made between the floors before he went all
the way down to the lobby. He was in the lobby ready to go back up
with a fire lieutenant and two other firefighters with the tools
necessary to lift some of the heavy debris in order to rescue more
victims. But the building did not stand and we lost our beautiful son
who cared more for others than for his own life.

There is so much more I could tell you about him, and you can read
about Welles at CrowtherTrust.org., a website for the Welles Remy
Crowther Charitable Trust, a charity we set up in his memory as a
memorial to a young man who saw his duty and did it. You can also
Google “the man in the red bandanna”.

People tell us that we raised our son too well. I respond that he was
born with the software installed. The good Lord put Welles on this
earth knowing that he would have to call on him. Unfortunately, it was
just 24 years into so promising a life.

But, we started The Welles Remy Crowther Charitable Trust to bring
some good out of a terrible tragedy. Through it we have been able to
work with many other agencies by making grants and gifts to help young
people become exemplary adults, whether for educational, health
related, or recreational needs. Again, I refer you to our website to
find out more about the incredible work we have accomplished. And this
proud, old father thanks you for having read about a true civilian
hero of 9/11/01.  May God bless America.

Fred C. Klein, Esq.

Managing Partner

Klein Zelman Rothermel Jacobs & Schess LLP

Representing Management in Labor/Employment Law for Over 40 Years

NY Super Lawyer 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013

AV rated for years by Martindale Hubbell

Co-Founder

Gotham City Networking, Inc.

“It’s Better to Give Than Receive”

485 Madison Avenue – Suite 1301

New York, NY  10022

Tel:  212-935-6020

Fax: 212-753-8101

email:  fklein@kleinzelman.com

www.kleinzelman.com

This e-mail is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. Secs 2510-2521 and is legally privileged. This e-mail, and any documents attached, may contain confidential information belonging to the sender which is protected by the work product and/or other privileges.  This email is intended only for the use of the individual(s) named, and may contain confidential and/or legally privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this email is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please delete the email and notify the sender if we are sending you materials in error.  Any unintended transmission shall not constitute a waiver of the attorney-client or any other privilege.

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Fred Klein, of the Gotham City Networking, Inc. introduces Good News to Jack at the Friars Club in New York City. 

Jack has leveraged his networking and client development skills to build a substantial, highly diversified career. Jack currently manages the Eagle Rock Diversified Fund, a successful fund-of-hedge funds, that he launched in 2001. Previously Jack started and/or headed companies in: multi-media consumer and business to business publishing (Harpers, Country Music Magazine and Wireless For the Corporate User); venture capital and industrial equipment manufacturing sectors. He partnered to develop commercial real estate properties in Florida. Early in his career Jack worked in the UK for a British technology company as head of one of their divisions and consulted with the heads of Fortune 500 type organizations while with McKinsey & Company, the leading international management consulting firm.

Jack has developed profitable business operations in various parts of the world including Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Personal Highlights

Jack’s giving back started while a graduate student at MIT when he served as a Big Brother. Over the years Jack has served and continues to serve on the boards of various non-profit organizations including Medical Missions for Children, the Garden State Woman Education Foundation and the Park Avenue Club that is owned by 11 charities.

For over 20 years Jack has taught at the MBA level at Rutgers, Montclair State and Fairleigh Dickinson Universities.

Jack has a BSME degree from Yale University and a MS degree in Industrial Management from MIT. Jack is the co-founder of the Northern New Jersey MIT Sloan Business School Networking Group and is extending this networking concept globally.

Jack and his wife Judy live on Walnut Farm which they developed into one of New Jersey’s top thoroughbred race horse breeding and training programs. Their son Jonathan graduated from Georgetown University and is pursuing a career in corporate turn-around management.

Jack served in the U.S. Army.

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[Fredslist] The Penultimate Blog on Happiness

Share with Fred at http://www.gothamnetworking.com/blogs/entry/The-Pursuit-of-Happiness

The Pursuit of Happiness

11 hours ago 8 comments Categories: Lifestyle Tags:

Jefferson’s three examples of our unalienable rights in the Declaration of Independence are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Happiness is the state of Felicity.

It has been said that it’s not how much we have but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness (Charles Spurgeon).

Lincoln added most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.

The top 10 things that come mind that make me happy are (not necessarily in the order of importance):

1) French Champagne
2) Family
3) Gotham
4) Winning (fun is more fun when you win)
5) Key West
6) Charcoal
7) Psychic compensation (from Giving)
8) Home made Ice cream
9) Uncontrollable laughter
10) Dreaming up things and seeing them through to creation

Did I miss anything? If so, pursue them!

Fred Klein –  Founder of Gotham City Networking, Inc.  Klein Zelman Rothermel LLP is a labor and employment law firm representing management in all the areas of responsibility facing Human Resource Directors and related responsible parties.

Our clients are nationwide and include unionized and non-unionized companies in many different industries. I am rated “AV”, the highest Martindale-Hubbell attorney rating for legal ability and ethical standards and have been designated a Super Lawyer the past 3 years..

For more information, please see our web site at WWW.KZRD.com.

Please know that we are “service obsessed”. Firm partners who are Gothamites are co-founder Nancy Schess, Joan Rothermel and Jane Jacobs.

Fredslist mailing list
Fredslist@gothamnetworking.com

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Michael Fred Phelps II (born June 30, 1985) is an American swimmer and the most decorated Olympian of all time with 19 medals. Phelps also holds the all-time records for gold medals (15) and gold medals in individual events (9). In winning eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Games, Phelps took the record for the most first-place finishes at any single Olympic Games. Five of those victories were in individual events, tying the single Games record. In the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Phelps has won two silver medals and one gold through July 31.

Phelps is the long course world recordholder in the 100 metres butterfly, 200 metres butterfly and 400 metres individual medley as well as the former long course world recordholder in the 200 metres freestyle and 200 metres individual medley. He has won a total of sixty-six medals in major international competition, fifty-four gold, nine silver, and three bronze spanning the Olympics, the World, and the Pan Pacific Championships. Phelps’s international titles and record-breaking performances have earned him the World Swimmer of the Year Award six times and American Swimmer of the Year Award eight times. His unprecedented Olympic success in 2008 earned Phelps Sports Illustrated magazine’s Sportsman of the Year award. The same magazine said that he is “universally recognized as the greatest swimmer in history”.

After the 2008 Summer Olympics, Phelps started the Michael Phelps Foundation, which focuses on growing the sport of swimming and promoting healthier lifestyles. He expects to do further work with his foundation after the 2012 Olympics, which he has said will be his last.

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