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Ira Lechner '55 and President Robert R. Lindgren |
Randolph-Macon College held its annual International Studies Program dinner on Tuesday, March 30, 2010. A reception took place in the Worsham Room and dinner followed in the Trustees Room. Ira Lechner ’55 was this year’s guest speaker.
Lechner currently serves as chairman for Council for a Livable World, replacing Senator Gary Hart, who remains on the Council’s Board of Directors. He presented “Nuclear Proliferation: The Challenges Ahead in a Dangerous World.”
Click here for a slideshow of photos from the event. Lechner stressed that the opportunity now exists to reduce substantially the amount of nuclear weapons in the U.S. and Russian arsenals. Both nations are working to forge an agreement to decrease nuclear weapon stockpiles by 30 to 50 percent. Such a pact would send a powerful message to the world, especially nations seeking nuclear warheads, that the U.S. and Russia are serious about creating a safer, more stable world order. Lechner noted that to ratify this treaty will require 67 votes in the U.S. Senate, which may be difficult to achieve. He urged his audience of students, faculty and alumni to contact their senators to encourage their support of the new SALT Treaty.
Lechner is a lawyer in San Diego, California who has long been involved in nuclear non-proliferation issues and politics. He has traveled extensively on study tours and for international seminars. He is chair of the Board of Directors of his family foundation, Project High Hopes, which has initiated sustainable development projects in South Africa. Lechner intends to travel widely to meet with Council supporters and build support for the 67 votes needed for ratification of our nuclear treaties. He has been a member of the Council's board of directors since 2008.
Lechner has been involved in Democratic politics since 1960. He practiced labor law for over 40 years in Washington, D.C., representing federal employees and local labor unions. He now lives in San Diego but remains involved in Democratic political campaigns and continues to practice law in Washington. He was the original organizer of the Obama for President campaign in San Diego and later served as a fundraiser.
In his early career, Lechner served as an enlisted man in the United States Army at Fort Dix, and later as an officer in the Defense Appellate Division of the United States Army (JAG) at the Pentagon.
Lechner was elected to the Virginia State Legislature from Arlington/Alexandria, 1973-77. Thereafter, he was a Democratic candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia, and was the Democratic nominee for Congress in the Tenth Congressional District of Virginia in 1982 vs. Republican incumbent Frank Wolf.
Formerly, Lechner served as counsel to the Employment and Productivity Subcommittee of the United States Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources as a member of the staff of former United States Senator Paul Simon. Lechner previously served as counsel to the National Association of Police Officers (NAPO); as associate general counsel, UFCW & Retail Clerks, AFL-CIO; and litigated in the Federal courts as an attorney in the Appellate Division of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
Lechner was elected in a national referendum of America’s colleges and universities to the National Board of the Council On Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). He served as its treasurer as well as on its executive committee. He served as vice-chair of the Board of Trustees of Randolph-Macon College, chair of its Development Committee, and chair of the Academic Affairs Committee. In 1988 he established the Ira M. Lechner Public Service Scholarship, which provides a full-tuition scholarship for students interested in pursuing careers in public service following graduation. Lechner earned a B.A. in history from Randolph-Macon College and a J.D. from Yale Law School.
For more information, contact R-MC Director of Marketing and Communications Anne Marie Lauranzon at (804) 752-7317 or
alauranz@rmc.edu.