DEA Educational Foundation newsletter
WWW.DEAeducationalfoundation.ORG
WINTER 2009, Volume 3 Number 2
Museum Fall Lecture Series Highlights Northern Border
Another season of the DEA Museum Lecture
Series featuring successful joint operations between
DEA and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
(RCMP) as well as various local and provincial law
enforcement agencies was held this past Fall.
The series kicked off with a presentation focusing
on DEA’s Operation Candy Box and the correlating Canadian Project Codi. DEA Special Operations
Division, Associate Special Agent in Charge Alex
Dominguez along with Royal Canadian Mounted
Police Sgt. Craig Sorrie and Ontario Provincial Police
Detective Sgt. Mike Brehmer provided a fascinating
overview of this highly successful crackdown on trafficking that dismantled a Canada based, family-run,
organized crime money laundering organization.
December featured a program on Operation
Sweet Tooth and the Canadian counterpart, Project
O’Skillet. This initiative dismantled two international
ecstasy and marijuana trafficking rings whose drug
smuggling and money laundering operations ranged
Retired DEA Agent Tom Slovenkay and RCMP Constable Sandra Basso.
DEA Special Agent Alex Dominguez (left) with RCMP
Sgt. Craig Sorrie and Ontario Provincial Police Detective Sgt. Mike Brehmer.
from the back alleys of the Far East to the neighborhood streets of Canada and the United States. Featured speakers included Retired DEA Special Agent
Tom Slovenkay and Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Constable Sandra Basso.
The U.S./Canada joint education program was conceived by Public Relations Officer Pam Lambo from
the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C. working
with Catie Drew and Sean Fearns at the DEA Museum with media support from the DEA Office of Public
Affairs. The Canadian Embassy streamed podcasts
with the featured speakers back to Canada on the days
of the programs. The Fall 2008 series was helpful in
educating employees and the public alike to the ongoing working relationships in drug law enforcement
across the northern border and would not have been
possible without the support and involvement of our
friends in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
The Spring 2009 Museum Lecture Series is in
development now and will feature a similar format
to the Fall programs, but this time will focus on our
southern border and the relationships between the
U.S. and Mexico, DEA and the Mexican Federal Police. Stay tuned for more details on these programs.
DEA Educational Foundation Newsletter | 1
The DEA Educational Foundation
Newsletter is published quarterly.
Editor
Catie Drew
Graphic Designer
Jonathan Kapaldo
Writers
Bill Alden
Bill Beach
Therese Cooper
Catie Drew
Sean Fearns
Vince Lutes
Dianne Martin
DEA Educational Foundation
Board of Directors
Bill Alden, President
James McGivney, Vice President
Christopher Egan, Secretary
Daniel Staffieri, Treasurer
Gustavo Arnavat
Jodi Avergun
Peter Bensinger
Charles Blau
Michael Emmerman
Mark Gold, M.D.
David Katz
Chin Ho Lee
Colleen Maloof
Carol Safir
Peter Schweitzer
Sue Thau
Larry Thompson
Michael Yamaki, Esq.
Director of External Relations
Bill Beach
Copyright ©2009
DEA Educational Foundation
c/o DEA Museum
700 Army Navy Drive
Arlington, VA 22202
(202) 307-3463
www.deaeducationalfoundation.org
www.deamuseum.org
Letter from the President
Ten years ago, the DEA Museum and Visitors Center officially opened to the public at DEA Headquarters. For those
of us that are at Headquarters on a regular basis, the evolution
of the Museum has been truly incredible to witness. From its
early days of illustrating the history of DEA, as well as the
history of drugs in general, the Museum has matured into an
environment where visitors can learn about the history of the
drug problem in America, and how drug law enforcement,
drug policy and drug trends have changed over time, both
in the United States, and throughout the world. The physical
exhibits, displays, education and outreach programs that the
Museum staff develops and implements makes the DEA Museum a unique institution; unlike any other in the museum field.
In the last ten years, what were once lofty goals are now reality. During its first year of
operation, close to 3,000 guests visited the museum and toured its exhibits. By last year,
that number had climbed to 10,000, with another 213,000 guests visiting the Museum’s web
page, www.deamuseum.org
Yet for me, the “crown jewel” of the Museum is its traveling exhibit, Target America:
Opening Eyes to the Damage Drugs Cause. This exhibit has been seen by more than nine
million people, and as I mentioned last issue, is now on its seventh stop; premiering this
past fall at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, CA. Hundreds of school children,
teachers and parents visit the exhibit each week, where they have an opportunity to learn
about the destructive effects of drug abuse. I recently received a letter from Edna Schumacher, who is the Principal of Hickory Elementary School in Torrance, California. She
writes:
“We feel very fortunate to have been included in this new project designed to teach
students about making good choices and avoiding drug abuse through education and the use
of a multimedia delivery. Parents and teachers appreciated the opportunity for discussion
that was a direct result of some of the graphic displays and unbelievable statistics that were
made available in the exhibit. The exhibit truly captured the students’ attention and the
message was loud and clear.”
Loud and clear! This is what we are all about; fighting drug abuse through education. It
is why the DEA Museum exists, and it is why the DEA Educational Foundation is striving
to make the next ten years more powerful than the first. It is why in each city that hosts
Target America, we assemble an Advisory Committee, whose members are some of the best
and brightest in the fields of enforcement, prevention, treatment and education, like United
States Secretary of Education Arnie Duncan, a member of Chicago’s Target America Advisory Committee. Yet most of all, it is why we need your continued financial support. For
without you, none of what we have done, or hope to accomplish, would be possible.
The reality of what is happening economically in the world must be acknowledged, and
for many, the current financial pain is real. But so is the need to continue to educate children and their families on the real dangers, costs, and consequences of drug abuse. It is
why we must move forward with determination and optimism.
You have played a tremendous role in our past, and it is my sincere hope that your generosity, at any level, continues in our future.
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Thank you.
Bill Alden
Foundation President
DEA Educational Foundation Inner Circle
The DEA Inner Circle is a program that supports
the DEA Educational Foundation’s Annual Fund. The
Inner Circle allows us to keep the history of DEA
alive through exhibits, displays, lecture series, an
active archive, and dynamic educational programs.
The Foundation supports all of these efforts through
advocacy, outreach, and fund-raising.
Membership in the Inner Circle represents a commitment of $100 per year and provides the donor with
regular newsletters, an individual membership card,
invitations to Museum special events, a discount at
the Museum Gift Shop and other special offers. We
are very grateful for those who have chosen to join
this important group keeping the stories of DEA’s history alive!
The 2009 Foundation
Inner Circle
George Auflick
Norbert Adamski
AFFNA San Francisco
Bill Alden
Christopher Allan
Myles Ambrose
Mel Ashton
Abraham Azzam
James S. Bailey
Frank Balazs
Joseph Barrett
William Beach
Marcelino Bedolla
Morty L. Benjamin
Joseph C. Braddock
George Brosan
John Buckley
W. Barry Carew
Thomas Cash
Raymond Chemes
George Y. Clemente
Lloyd Clifton
Richard Compton
Joseph Coons
Glennon Cooper
Irene Corbit
Frankie Crosby
Robin E. Cushing
Robert J. DeFauw
Stephen Delgado
Paul Doyle
Chris Egan
Francis Elliot
Sean Fearns
Richard Fiano
W. Gordon Fink
Michael E. Fredericks
Diogenes Galanos
Kevin Gallagher
Emilio Garcia
Jerome H. Gershman
Albert Glover
Floyd Goff, Jr.
Richard Gorman
Peter Grant
James Green
Edward M. Guillen
Garfield Hammonds
Philip Hanson
Michael T. Hurley
Thomas Hurney
Richard Jarrett
Scott Jarvis
Raymond Justinic
Michael F. Kane
Mr. & Mrs. David Katz
Leslie C. Kenney
Constantine Kritikos
Douglas Kuehl
John Lee
Gary Liming
Jack Lloyd
Leonard Luke
Charles Lutz
Harold R. MacKenzie
Martin Maguire
Kelley McCullough
John McCurnin
Lawrence P. McElynn
Donn Miller
J. Taylor Monfort
Mortimer D. Moriarty
Dennis A. Morton
Francis Mullen
John Nattinger
Al Nedoff
Robert Nickoloff
Robert Nieves
Douglas O’Brien
George O’Connor
Robert Palombo
Vernon P. Parker
John Peoples
James B. Porten
Ronald E. Provencher
Joseph Quarequio
John Raftery
M.S. Ramey
Jose Ramirez-Castro
Frank D. Rodriguez
Alan T. Rose
Marion Saez
Jack & Donna Salter
James L. Seay
Milton E. Shoquist
Fred Smith
Dan Staffieri
Robert Stutman
Joseph Summa
Mark & Linda Surks
Leo A. Thomas
Rupert H. Thomas
John Thompson
Michael Vigil
Peter Vinton
Delphin von Briesen, Jr.
Gary E. Wade
G. Robert Warren
Ronald Wentz
Dave Westrate
Dave Willis
John H. Windham
Samuel F. Wolfe
D. Lynn Wood
Publicly acknowledging the members of the Foundation’s Inner Circle at the entrance to the DEA Museum.
DEA Educational Foundation Newsletter | 7
DEA Museum News
Cannabis, Coca, & Poppy: Nature’s Addictive Plants
Cannabis, Coca, & Poppy: Nature’s Addictive Plants is a new lobby exhibit under
construction at the DEA Museum. The museum staff is hard at work compiling text,
graphics, and objects to tell the story of the three addictive botanicals that produce
marijuana, cocaine and opium. The exhibit will explore the origins, history, medical
use, other forms, production & distribution, and effects on the body of these natural
botanicals. The exhibit is scheduled to open in the Spring of 2009.
Counterclockwise from left: Cannabis Sativa, Erythroxylon coca, & Papaver somniferum.
IACP Conference
DEA Museum staff members participated in the
International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
annual conference in San Diego, CA. Pictured left to
right are Dianne Martin, Bill Beach, Lois Ludwikowski, Ryan J. Taylor (National Youth Representative for
Law Enforcement Exploring), Cindy Ashford, Sean
Fearns, Debbie Augustine and Carolyn Brown.
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Museum Mystery Object
The DEA
Museum has a
large collection of
objects, some of
them very unusual.
In each issue of the
newsletter, we present a mystery object
from our collection
to stump our readers with the winner being announced in the following
newsletter. If you think you know what this object pictured above was used for, send your response to Vince
Lutes, the Museum’s Collections Manager. Vince can
be contacted via email at: vince.lutes@deamuseum.
org or by phone at 202-307-3670.
There were no correct answers for
the mystery object featured in the
last issue, a hot box (right).
Target America News
Science Matters
Science Matters is a free, public, adult education
program series held at the California Science Center (CSC) where nationally renowned experts from
diverse perspectives discuss science issues at the
forefront of public concern. This spring, the Science
Matters presentations at CSC dovetailed with the Target America Exhibit on display through May 3, 2009.
On February 7th, the subject for Science Matters was
Prescription Drug Abuse: Good Medicine - Bad
Behavior. A panel of experts representing differing
viewpoints discussed the science, policy, and ethics of
this current hot-button issue at the forefront of public
concern. Moderated by Conan Nolan, a reporter for
NBC4 in Los Angeles, the panel included Francine
Haight, R.N., Founder of RYAN’S Cause: Reaching
Youths Abusing Narcotics; Marsha Stanton, Ph.D.,
R.N., Director of Scientific Communication, Alpharma/King Pharmaceuticals; Karen Miotto, M.D., Med-
ical Director, Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Substance
Abuse Programs; and Kenneth Schell, PharmD, President, California State Board of Pharmacy. The next
scheduled Science Matters presentation, Eye Witness
Testimony: Perception and Memory on Trial, will be
held on April 18, 2009.
Shaquille O’Neal Visits Target America
Target America visitors got a rare treat this past October when Shaquille O’Neal visited the exhibit at the California Science Center. The
NBA basketball star toured the exhibit, signed autographs and interacted with a visiting school group.
Left: Shaquille O’Neal perusing the graphic rail in front of the Opium/Heroin Lab in Target America. Above: The NBA start tries his hand at the Hoops
Nightmare section of the exhibit.
DEA Educational Foundation Newsletter | 5
Tax-Free IRA Charity Distribution Extended
An interesting by-product of the recent economic stimulus package is the renewal of a popular vehicle for
charitable giving. People over age 70 ½ can again donate as much as $100,000 from their individual retirement
accounts to charity tax-free. The original Pension Protection Act of 2006 expired Dec. 31, 2007, but has been
extended to December 31st, 2009.
If you meet the age requirement, you can make charitable donations this year and next using IRA assets. These
distributions are tax free and can count toward the minimum distribution that IRA holders who are 70 ½ and older
must take from their accounts each year.
By way of example, say you are required to withdraw $12,000 from your IRA prior to Dec. 31, 2008, and you
wish to give $10,000 to various charitable organizations. If you instruct your IRA custodian to send $10,000 to the
charities, that money would count toward your required distribution for the year, and you would end up reporting
only $2,000 in IRA distributions, instead of $12,000, on your tax return.
Because the DEA Educational Foundation is a tax-qualified nonprofit group, it is an eligible charitable organization that could be a recipient of your generosity. However, it is important to give clear instructions to your IRA
custodian. The DEA Educational Foundation would issue you a letter acknowledging the gift, the date of receipt
and amount, and language specifying that it came from your IRA.
As always, if you have any questions as to making a gift to the DEA Educational Foundation, please contact Bill
Beach, Director of External Relations at 202-307-3463 opt. 5, or at 312-925-1251.
6 | DEA Educational Foundation Newsletter
Board Member
Spotlight
Foundation Board Member Peter Schweitzer
Peter Schweitzer has held many executive positions during his career and retired
Winter 2009
as Chairman of J. Walter Thompson Company in 2005. Even though Peter has officially
retired it hasn’t kept him from remaining involved
with the many charitable organizations and civic causes
he has volunteered for over the years.
Peter is one of the original members of the DEA Educational Foundation Board which was established in 2001. He continues to work closely
with many other foundations and organizations such as: The DEA Survivors Benefit Fund; CATCH, a children’s charitable organization; the
Multiple Sclerosis International Federation; the American Cancer Society; the American Red Cross; the
Women’s Committee for Hospice Care and Oakland Family Services. He also serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council at Wayne State University Business School and is a member of the University of Michigan,
College of Literature, Science and the Arts. Peter was born in Chicago and raised in Battle Creek, Michigan, graduating from the University of Michigan. He earned his MBA from Western Michigan University
and is also a recipient of WMU’s Distinguished Alumnus Award.
Peter is married to his wife Elaine and has six children and three grandchildren. We are so proud to
have Peter as a board member on the DEA Educational Foundation and wish him success with his many
charitable causes.
Foundation to Launch New Web Page
In order to better serve its loyal supporters and to continue establishing a stronger presence as the fundraising arm for the DEA Museum, the DEA Educational Foundation is preparing to launch its own web
page.
According to Bill Alden, retired DEA Special Agent and President of the DEA Educational Foundation,
“the new web page will convey several of the key messages of the Foundation in a timely manner. It will
allow us to not only make philanthropic opportunities available to our existing and potential donors, it will
answer frequently asked questions about our mission and how we can best continue to educate children,
families and communities on the devastating damages caused by drugs.”
“Giving to the DEA Educational Foundation is an important way to increase the visibility and understanding of DEA’s mission,” said Peter Bensinger, former DEA Administrator and Chair of the DEA
Educational Foundation’s Development Committee. “This is particularly true for those who are retired
from active service and who care about the sacrifices made by so many to protect and defend this country
and its young people from drugs. The web page will communicate effectively with real time information
and news; it will serve DEA and the public and also help raise awareness and money for educational programs that make a difference.”
The web page, which is scheduled to launch in early March can be found at:
www.deaeducationalfoundation.org
DEA Educational Foundation Newsletter | 3
DEA Educational Foundation newsletter
WINTER 2009
The mission of the DEA Museum and Visitors Center is to educate the American Public on the history of drugs, drug
addiction, and drug law enforcement through engaging exhibits, interactive stations and educational outreach programs.
Inside this Issue
New Lobby Exhibit
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Target America News
DEA Educational
Foundation
Foundation Spotlight:
Peter Schweitzer
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DEA Museum & Visitors Center
700 Army Navy Drive
Arlington, VA 22202
Museum Lecture Series.
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www.deaeducationalfoundation.org
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