View David Bahnsen's blog post about the dinner

About Rev. Sirico

Rev. Robert A. Sirico is known by many as a public intellectual.  He is often in the pages of prominent newspapers or on the radio or television, being called upon for statements regarding economics, civil rights, and issues of religious concern.  In addition to his 20 years of leadership as president of the Acton Institute in Grand Rapids, Rev. Sirico is a parish priest with responsibility to St. Mary's parish in Kalamazoo and is the founder and leader of a new religious order in formation.  As president of the Acton Institute, Fr. Sirico lectures at colleges, universities and business organizations throughout the U.S. and abroad.  His writings on religious, political, economic, and social matters are published in a variety of journals, including: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The London Financial Times, The Detroit News, and National Review.

About Mr. DeVos

In 1959, Mr. DeVos co-founded Amway, one of the world’s largest direct selling businesses that offers consumer products and business opportunities in more than 80 countries and territories worldwide. Mr. DeVos was company president until his retirement in 1993 and is currently chairman of the Orlando Magic. In addition to being one of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs, Mr. DeVos is the author of four books and a well-known speaker, having appeared before hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. His recorded talk, “Selling America,” has received many awards, including the Alexander Hamilton Award for Economic Education from the Freedoms Foundation. Mr. DeVos and his wife, Helen, have generously supported hospitals, colleges and universities, arts organizations, and Christian causes in their hometown of Grand Rapids and in Florida, where they are now residents.

About Kate O'Beirne

Kate O'Beirne is president of the National Review Institute. Before joining the Institute, O'Beirne was National Review magazine's Washington Editor where she directed the magazine's political coverage and wrote principally about Congress, politics, and domestic policy. She spent ten years as a member of CNN's Capital Gang and was a frequent panelist on NBC's Meet the Press. She is currently a contributor to Bloomberg Television. Before joining National Review in 1995, O’Beirne was vice president of government relations at The Heritage Foundation, where she previously served as deputy director of domestic-policy studies, supervising research in the areas of health care, welfare, education, and housing. From 1986 to 1988, she served in the Reagan Administration as deputy assistant secretary for legislation at the Department of Health and Human Services. A native of New York, O’Beirne began her political career when she worked on James Buckley’s successful U.S. senatorial campaign and served as a staff assistant in his Senate office. O'Beirne also worked for the New York State senate, received her J.D. degree from St. John’s University, and practiced law in New York. She is the author of Women Who Make the World Worse and How Their Radical Feminist Assault Is Ruining Our Schools, Families, Military and Sports, published by Sentinel Press in December 2005.

About Tony Sirico

Tony Sirico, brother of Rev. Robert Sirico, is a Brooklyn-born character actor with over 40 film credits to his name. Though he has appeared in such films as The Godfather, Goodfellas, and many other high profile films, Tony is most famous for his role as Paulie Gaultieri in the television series The Sopranos. Tony Sirico's other passion includes helping raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children's Hospital. In 2004, along with Sopranos costar James Gandolfini, he took part in a USO tour to visit troops stationed in the Persian Gulf.