JOHN E. MROZ

MROZ--John Edwin. The EastWest Institute (EWI) Board of Directors is deeply saddened by the loss of John Edwin Mroz, founder, CEO and visionary leader of the institute. We salute this exceptional man, a major international figure of our times, who has made a real difference in the world for over 30 years. John's inspiration, boundless energy and creativity gave birth to new ways of reducing conflict that have stood the test of time. John embodied the values that have made EWI successful by bringing diverse people together to solve seemingly unsolvable problems. John was the recipient of numerous international awards, including the Order of Merit from the Federal Republic of Germany, for the role he and EWI played in facilitating German reunification. He was also awarded the highest civilian awards given to non-citizens by the presidents of Slovakia and Romania. Early in his career, John contacted the Reagan Administration and received approval to conduct a series of clandestine conversations with the Palestinian leadership, as there were no formal talks permitted at the time because of the PLO's failure to recognize the state of Israel. He met with PLO leader Yasser Arafat more than 50 times over three years. Moving quickly after the fall of the Berlin Wall in October 1989, John opened a European headquarters in Prague. He reinvented the institute to deal with the full array of challenges associated with the post-communist transitions of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, including political and economic reform and new arrangements of international security. John later opened satellite offices in Warsaw, Budapest, Kiev, and Moscow. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, he advanced the Institute's reach to Central Asia and China, anticipating the shift in global power. EWI's work now includes efforts to establish a stronger US-China relationship. EWI is pioneering a rigorous focus on the international challenges of cybersecurity, holding the first worldwide summit in 2010 in Dallas. Additional work focuses on the challenges of food, water and energy. We extend our deepest sympathies to his beloved wife Karen Linehan Mroz, President of the Middle East Children's Institute (MECI) and three children--Jonathan, Jessica and Jeffrey--and grandchild Noel Isabella Mroz. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be given in John's name to his beloved EastWest Institute: www.ewi.info/donate. The EWI Family