DEA's Gala Presents Lifetime Achievement Award to Walter Wang - Sponsor Sam Solakyan Comments

ANAHEIM, Calif., Sept. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 29th, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) held its annual Gala, presenting the DEA Educational Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award to Walter Wang. Sam Solakyan, CEO of Vital Imaging, was a presidential sponsor for the event. "It's great to see good men and women be honored for their work, but what's better is being witness to those men and women coming together and fighting for such an important cause," Solakyan says. "At the end of the day it's about the people we can reach and the message that gets spread." 

The DEA Educational Foundation, established in 2001, advocates educational outreach and program development. The Foundation supports the DEA Museum, which works for education and prevention through topics ranging from narco-terrorism to prescription drug abuse. Through the support of generous civic-minded people, corporations, and foundations, the public-private partnership allows the Museum to develop engaging and enthralling state of the art displays, outreach programs and exhibits like The RX Factor.

The RX Factor, which travels nationwide, offers a high-tech look at prescription drug abuse to the public. "Educating the public is a key tool in fighting this battle," Sam Solakyan states. "We can't turn a blind eye to this problem any longer." The exhibit goes into graphic detail, demonstrating the short and long term effects of prescription drug abuse while simultaneously opening up a trusting dialogue between students, teachers, and families. Housed in a double expandable trailer, The RX Factor has been provided a unique opportunity to deliver its message across the country.

Taking the message of the Foundation on the road isn't a new idea either. The Foundation also sponsors an overseas exhibit traveling through Afghanistan called The Informant, warning the Afghan society of the dangers and effects of opiate abuse which is plaguing the area.  Other programs sponsored by the Foundation include the DEA Youth Dance Program, a free after-school dance program started by Jill Roberts. The program was originally under the umbrella of D.A.R.E until 2011 when the DEA Educational Foundation took it under its wing; Target America, another traveling exhibition that offered an eye-opening look into the world of drug abuse (the exhibition closed in January of 2013); and Good Medicine, Bad Behavior, which explores the history of prescription drug abuse and the efforts to fight it throughout history. The exhibit takes visitors on a tour of the past by recreating period pharmacies and gives vivid depictions of how these drugs affect the human body by presenting specific and significant cases. "All of these programs and more aid in our fight against drug abuse," says Sam Solakyan. "Every single one is a vital component in the work being done at the DEA."

The Gala, held at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel, honored Walter Wang, President and CEO of JM Eagle, Inc., for his significant contributions in support of drug law enforcement and drug abuse prevention education. Mr. Wang started his career at Formosa Plastics in Taiwan as a factory machinery operator. He worked around the clock on all shifts at the factory and within two years was promoted to Internal Corporate Consulting Project Leader. He was transferred to J-M Manufacturing in 1990, and by 2005 under his leadership, the company was earning $1 billion in sales. In November of 2005, Mr. Wang acquired one hundred percent of J-M from Formosa Plastics, and less than two years later obtained PW Eagle, the second largest PVC pipe maker in North America—with J-M being the first—and formed what we know today as JM Eagle. JM Eagle is known and celebrated for its dedication to inspiring and helping others while always striving to make the world a better place for all who live here. Mr. Wang does his best to carry over his respect for the fragile beauty of this world into all he does. He is constantly striving to make a positive impact on the environment and encourages his company and the communities he serves to do the same. Over the course of his career, he has made significant contributions globally to initiatives in disaster relief, clean water, cancer research, education, and computer skills development. Through Mr. Wang's generous support since 2008, the DEA Museum has been able to launch new exhibits and programs that further the Foundation's cause and message to the country. "Mr. Wang is truly deserving of this award," says Sam Solakyan "It's people like him who remind us that we all call this world home and together we should do all we can to make it a better place." Wang, who is known for his philanthropic work, also received the Uni-Bell PVC Pipe Associations Humanitarian award in 2011.

The DEA Educational Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, which was established in 2006, is presented to an individual deemed by the Foundation's Board of Directors to have made an impact and long-term contribution to the DEA.  Past recipients of the award include former DEA Administrator, Peter B. Bensinger; Mrs. Betty S. Sembler; former DEA Administrator John C. Lawn; and Mr. James J. Cusack.  

Sam Solakyan, a lifelong proponent of anti-drug policies and law enforcement, was pleased to sponsor the gala, sharing, "It's wonderful to honor a champion of such a great cause." Solakyan was invited to join the DEA Foundation's prestigious Board of Directors following a visit to Washington, D.C. where he met with department heads of various government agencies including the DEA, the CIA, and the FBI. "We thank Sam Solakyan for his generous donations, which so far total $100,000.00 in contributions to the DEA Educational Foundation," says Bill Alden, Chairman of the DEA Educational Foundation. "With these donations, the DEA will be able to increase the number of students participating in the DEA Youth Dance Program and enhance the outstanding educational programs and initiatives for which we are known."

"The DEA Foundation is known for doing some amazing work," says Solakyan. "Being involved in such an endeavor is a very gratifying experience." He is not alone in his beliefs. Other supporters of the DEA Educational Foundation are Christian Dior of Christian Dior Couture, Victor Llamas the comic artist, and Vizio, Inc. Notable attendees of the gala included the present Los Angeles District Attorney, Jackie Lacey. 

The evening concluded on a positive note: with over five hundred men and women present, the Gala raised close to one million dollars, making it the single most successful fundraiser in the history of the Foundation. With the continued generosity of supporters like Mr. Solakyan and Mr. Wang, the DEA Foundation may continue to enrich American society with education on the history of drugs, prevention, treatment and recovery.

If you wish to donate to the DEA Educational Foundation you can visit: www.deaeducationalfoundation.com.

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