17^th Annual Mardi Gras Gala

The 17th Annual Mardi Gras Gala black tie event was held on March 8, 2011 at the Westin Convention Center in Pittsburgh. This year’s event honored Dr. Freddie and Mrs. Hilda Pang Fu as the “King and Queen of Mardi Gras.” They were joined by event Dinner Chairs Craig Cozza of Cozza Enterprises; Joanie Kamin a Civic Strategic Planner; Rob Rogers of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; and Dr. Lawrence Wechsler of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine to celebrate Fat Tuesday the “N’awlens” way.

Once upon a time the King and Queen of the 17th Annual Mardi Gras Carnival lived across that vast body of water known as the Pacific Ocean in a land far, far away. Then known simply as Freddie Fu and Hilda Pang, they embarked on a long journey from their native land venturing forth to Dartmouth, Providence and other exotic locations in the New World, before settling in the small kingdom at the head of the Ohio River in Pennsylvania, known as Pittsburgh...

Since making Pittsburgh home more than thirty years ago, Dr. Freddie and Hilda Pang Fu’s lives have been a rich gumbo of professional, civic and personal achievement in education, community, diversity and development. Fortunately for us, a great many of their contributions benefit this scenic river valley we call home.

As the David Silver Professor and Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Dr. Fu has educated a generation of orthopaedic surgeons, many of who still contribute to the international renown of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. A prolific author, Freddie has written more than 370 groundbreaking scientific papers, over 100 book chapters, and has edited two dozen textbooks on the management of sports injuries. By launching and building Point Park University’s “Summer in the City” and its “Downtown Vibrancy Project,” Hilda originated innovative educational opportunities for over 2000 students and professionals throughout Western Pennsylvania.

In her roles as founding director of the Pittsburgh Regional Champions, publisher of the Pittsburgh Regional Brag Book, and director of external relations for Pitt Health Sciences, Hilda led a high-spirited band of Mardi Gras runners, wearing the traditional costumes of community opinion leaders, to spread word of Pittsburgh’s livability and workability. And as Executive Board member of Dick’s Sporting Goods City of Pittsburgh Marathon and Company Physician and member of the Board of Trustees of the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Freddie has devoted his boundless energy in helping to shape Pittsburgh’s renaissance.

While Freddie’s and Hilda’s own biographies alone exemplify the patois of cultures that make our region so resilient, the two have actively promoted diversity through their work so as to ensure strong professional, economic and community developments in the region. As founder and president of the non-profit Luminari, Hilda is broadening the world outlook and maturing the cultural sensibilities of scores of Pittsburgh youths and adults, helping them to prepare for an increasingly multi-cultural world. Since 1998, when Dr. Fu became Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh, his search for talented individuals without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, nationality, socio-economic background, Creole or Cajun, has resulted in classes of orthopaedic residents and fellows at the University of Pittsburgh significantly more diverse than the national average and a faculty that also reflects such diversity.

Freddie and Hilda Pang Fu’s myriad of accomplishments display their determination to build institutions of permanence that strengthen Western Pennsylvania. Dr. Fu is primarily responsible for the conception and oversight of the design and construction of the $80 million UPMC Sports Performance Complex, a 60-acre state-of-the-art sports medicine complex that has been recognized as one of the top ten sports medicine centers in the United States and is a model for similar facilities throughout the world. Hilda is one of the founding members and past Chairwoman of the Board of the Women and Girls Foundation of SW Pennsylvania, an organization that focuses on advancing gender equity. Hilda also is a founding board member of the ToonSeum, which while celebrating the zany worldview of cartoonists has taken its place as one of the rising stars of the Pittsburgh Cultural District.

A parade of Pittsburgh community organizations have recognized Hilda and Freddie for their contributions to the region’s transformation and growth. Of particular note is the “Pearl of Excellence Award,” with which the Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania honored Hilda in 2007 and the Distinguished Service Professor Award conferred by the University of Pittsburgh on Dr. Fu, an award previously bestowed upon such Pittsburgh luminaries as Dr. Thomas Starzl, Dr. Bernie Fisher and Dr. Tom Detre.

Though they may be King and Queen of the 17th Annual Mardi Gras Gala for just one day, the work that earned them this wonderful honor continues ...

Our Pittsburgh Mardi Gras is a fun and upbeat black-tie (or costume) Gala which takes place every year on “Fat Tuesday” and mirrors the celebrations of the New Orleans Mardi Gras festival. Roaming musicians, jugglers, and magicians entertain guests, and decorations, beads, and masks enhance the festive atmosphere. The Gala features a French Creole-style 5 course dinner followed by a fabulous night of dancing to the John Parker Band. The highlight of the evening is the entrance and crowning of the “King of Mardi Gras,” a notable Pittsburgh celebrity who has worked to help the Pittsburgh community.

Be A Vice Chair Be a King’s Court or Table Sponsor

For more information, please contact the EFWCP special events coordinators at 1-800-361-5885 or via email at staff@efwp.org.

Prior EFWCP Mardi Gras Kings include:

	Greg Babe (2010) President and Chief Executive Officer of Bayer Corporation and Senior Bayer Representative for the United States and Canada
Diane Holder (2009) Executive Vice President of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and President of the UPMC Health Insurance Division and President and CEO of UPMC Health Plan
	Michele Fabrizi (2008) President and Chief Executive Officer of the nationwide advertising division of MARC USA
James E. Rohr (2007) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PNC Financial Services Group
	Murry S. Gerber (2006) Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Equitable Resources
Hoddy and Mary Anne Hanna (2005) Howard Hanna Real Estate Services
	Ronald L. Violi (2004) President and Chief Executive Officer, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
Dr. Kenneth Melani (2003) President and CEO, Highmark, Inc.
	John A. Brooks (2002) Executive secretary treasurer of the Western PA Regional District of Carpenters
Thomas H. O'Brien (2001) Chairman of the board of PNC Financial Services Group
	Jeffrey Romoff (2000) President of UPMC Health System
Martin McGuinn (1999) Chief executive officer of Mellon Financial Corporation
	Thomas J. Usher (1998) Chairman and chief executive officer of the USX Corporation
Mark Nordenberg (1997) University of Pittsburgh chancellor
	Kevin McClatchy (1996) Chief executive officer and managing partner of the Pittsburgh Pirates
Hartley King (1995) Founder of King’s Family Restaurants

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