WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle hosted their last State Dinner on Tuesday for Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife Agnese Landini, with many Chicagoans on the guest list.
Mrs. Obama wore a gown by Atelier Versace.
Guests to State Dinners get to bring a “plus one.”
Chicagoans on the invite list include Chance the Rapper who took his father, Ken Bennett. Both are well connected. Chance was at Obama’s birthday party in August and will perform at the White House’s National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony on Dec. 1.
Bennett is on the Obama Foundation’s new Inclusion Council and was deputy chief of staff to Mayor Rahm Emanuel and a deputy to the president at the White House.
Others with Chicago or Chicago area connections . . .
Ms. Susan Berghoef, Attorney
The Honorable Anita Breckenridge, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, The White House
The Honorable Ertharin Cousin, Executive Director, The United Nations World Food Programme
Ms. Kelly Dibble, Senior Vice President & Director of Public Affairs, Northern Trust Corporation
Mr. Ken Ehrlich, Producer
The Honorable Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor & Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs & Public Engagement, The White House with her daughter, Laura Jarrett
Mr. Cornell McClellan, Fitness Coach, Trainer & Member of The President’s Council on Fitness Sports & Nutrition
Ms. Cindy Moelis, President, Pritzker Traubert Family Foundation and her husband, a former Obama Transportation Department official, Robert Rivkin
Mr. James Montgomery Sr., Principal, James D. Montgomery & Associates
Mr. Clarence Page, The Chicago Tribune with his wife, Lisa Page
Mr. Michael Polsky, President & Chief Executive Officer, Invenergy LLC
Ms. Tanya Polsky
Mr. Richard Price, Chief Executive Officer, Mesirow Financial with Ms. Eva Tyree
Mr. Matthew Pritzker, Chief Executive Officer, The Matthew Pritzker Company
Ms. Cristina Curcio
The Honorable Penny Pritzker, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, U.S. Department of Commerce
Mr. Donald Traubert
Mr. Carl Ray, Makeup Artist
Mr. John Rogers Jr., Chairman, Chief Executive Officer & Chief Investment Officer, Ariel Investments
Ms. Marion Brooks
Mr. Alan Solow, Partner, Resolute Consulting
Ms. Andrea Solow
The Honorable Tina Tchen, Assistant to the President & Chief of Staff to the First Lady, The White House
Ms. Emma Tchen
Mr. Johnny Wright, Hairstylist
Ms. Jacqueline Tarrant`