The Spirit of Liberty Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation, was formed to raise funds and to assist in the restoration and maintenance of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.  Now that the restoration is complete, and as a result of 9/11, the Foundation’s mission is to share Liberty with America and to create high profile, educational programs to reinforce the meaning and symbolism of American liberty for all our citizens and the world.

Its headquarters are in New York City and is governed by an independent board of directors and trustees.  Many of the trustees are the original Official Sponsors of the 1986 Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Centennial effort, and expressed concern that the original efforts should be enhanced by ongoing educational programs.

The Trustees are successful Americans from all walks of life who believe Liberty is America’s and the World’s most promising asset.

Louis Bantle
Founding Sponsor of the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Foundation, Former Chairman UST

Rob Baskin
Founding Sponsor of the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island, Former Senior V.P./ Director of Client Services of Manning, Selvage & Lee

Richard Bizzaro
Former CEO of Unicity Network

Steve Brezzo
Director of Sotheby’s Institute of Art, New York, Former President of OPAR Media

Nick Cretan
President of the Spirit of Liberty Foundation

Walter Dunn

Founding Sponsor of the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Foundation, Former Senior V.P. of Coca Cola Company

Roger Fridholm
Founding Sponsor of the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Foundation, President of St. Clair Group, Former President of  Stroh Brewing Company

Craig Fuller
Executive Vice-President of APCO Worldwide, Former Chairman and CEO of The Fuller Company, Former President of National Association of Chain Drugstores, Former White House Chief of Staff to George Bush

William Harris
President of MITA Group

Donald P. Hodel
Secretary of the Interior during the Centennial of the Statue of Liberty, Former Secretary of Energy

Rafer Johnson
Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Special Olympics, Olympic Decathlon Gold Medalist

James K. Lang
Managing Partner of Bear Stearns

Peter N. Larson
Former Chairman & CEO of Brunswick Corporation, Former Director of the NY Stock Exchange

Edward McVaney
Founder and Former Chairman of J.D. Edwards

Ursula Meese
Social Activist

Molly Miles
CEO of Immerse Marketing, Former CEO of the Miss Universe Pageant

Steven Morrissey
Regional Account Director of TBWA/Chiat/Day

Anthony Pace
Senior V.P. of Subway, Former Executive V.P. of McCann Advertising

David S. Pottruck
Managing Director of Red Eagle Ventures, Former CEO of Charles Schwab Co.

Richard Rovsek
Chairman of M2000 Corporation

Ellen Beth Van Buskirk
Former Senior Vice President of IBM Corporation