Contact: Carrie Blewitt
Qorvis Communications
(202) 683-3216
cblewitt@qorvis.com

The Horatio Alger Association’s New Ambassador;
International Tenor Mario Frangoulis to Perform in Vancouver
The Association Also Announces Scholarship Programs in All 50 States

WASHINGTON, DC – December 4, 2008 – The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans announced today that its new representative for young scholars will be in Vancouver. World-renowned tenor and humanitarian, Mario Frangoulis, recently appointed “International Ambassador for the Horatio Alger Association,” will be in Vancouver promoting the Horatio Alger mission, while in town performing duets with Sarah Brightman as part of her winter tour.

“We are pleased to have Mario represent the Association in Vancouver and as he tours North America,” said Terrence J. Giroux, Executive Director of the Horatio Alger Association. “Mario’s ability to relate to young and talented scholars is fitting to our mission, and we are thrilled to have him as Ambassador.”

Several international Horatio Alger Members reside in Canada including Jim Pattison of Vancouver, class of 2004. Pattison serves as chairman, CEO, and sole owner of The Jim Pattison Group, Canada's third largest privately held company. His business interests include TV and radio stations, car dealerships, grocery store chains, magazine distribution, advertising, real estate development, fishing, financial services, and entertainment, including Ripley's Believe It or Not!-all of which employ 28,000 people. He was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame in 1996.

Other Canadian Members include G. Wallace F. McCain, 2008, Dominic D’Alessandro, 2005, Wayne Gretzky, 2003, and David E. Ritchie, 2006. The Association will announce a 2009 Member from Canada in the coming weeks.

Frangoulis is in Vancouver to perform a concert with Sarah Brightman at General Motors Place on Friday, December 12, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. The pair will perform duets together in 28 North American cities through the end of the year as part of Brightman’s winter tour.

In addition to being a classical crossover tenor with a diverse musical range, Frangoulis is recognized for his global philanthropic and humanitarian efforts. Since April of 2006, Frangoulis has helped raise awareness of the mission and programs of the Horatio Alger Association. Like characters in Horatio Alger books, Frangoulis has overcome challenges in his own life, including being separated from his parents at age four. He speaks of how music has been a source of healing and expression throughout his life. Frangoulis is not a member of the Association or one of its scholars, but he believes enthusiastically in its mission and in encouraging people to strive for their full potential.

“No matter what your background is, no matter how much trouble you have in your life, no matter what your parents do or how much money they have, you can come out of it ahead. Never give up. Keep your passion going,” Frangoulis urges youth audiences across the world.

The Horatio Alger Association has conducted special concert events with Mario Frangoulis in Chicago in October 2006, Boston in November 2007, and most recently in Omaha in November 2008. The tenor, who started his career at age 17, began recording for Sony Classical in Greece in 1998, and his recordings consistently topped the international charts. The release of Sometimes I Dream tapped a global audience, with material that draws freely on opera, rock, film and pop music. For more information on Mario Frangoulis and his upcoming winter tour, please visit www.mariofrangoulis.com.

Members of the press who wish to learn more about Mario Frangoulis can schedule an individual meeting with him. Please contact Carrie Blewitt at (202) 744-5270.

The Horatio Alger Association is proud to report another important milestone. It will offer state scholarships in all 50 US states beginning in 2010. The Association currently sponsors State Scholarship Programs in 26 states with awards ranging from $2,500-$10,500. In addition to state scholarships, the Association also awards National Scholarships and scholarships to recent military veterans.

In 2009, with support from its Members and friends, the Horatio Alger Association will have awarded more than $73 million in need-based college scholarships to deserving young people across the country. To learn more about the Horatio Alger Scholarship Programs, visit https://www.horatioalger.org/scholarships/index.cfm.

About The Horatio Alger Association

Founded in 1947, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans continues to fulfill its mission of honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals in our society who have succeeded in spite of adversity and of encouraging young people to pursue their dreams through higher education. The Horatio Alger Association offers three annual scholarship programs: the National Scholarship Program and state scholarship programs, available to high school seniors in all 50 states, and the Horatio Alger Military Veterans Scholarship Program for U.S. veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts. The Association awards more than $10 million annually in college scholarships and has given over $63 million to deserving students since 1984. The Association is a 2008 Combined Federal Campaign participant, ID# 77062. For more information about the scholarships, please visit www.horatioalger.org.

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