If you haven’t attended the Joseph Wharton Awards Dinner, then consider doing so. You will listen to great humor, honest perspectives and deep insights, most of which don’t get printed here, from people at the top of their industries, perhaps in your industry. Plus professors, staff, and the Dean are on hand and happy to engage you. This year, four spectacular alumni were honored:

Joseph Wharton Award for Young Leadership
For alumni who, early in their careers, have demonstrated the greatest potential for leadership and lasting impact
SLAVA RUBIN, W’00
Co-Founder and CEO of Indiegogo

Joseph Wharton Award for Social Impact
For alumni who have had the greatest impact in public service, social enterprise or philanthropy
MICHAEL A. NUTTER, W’79
Mayor of Philadelphia

Joseph Wharton Award for Leadership
For alumni who embody the highest standards of leadership in both business and society
KEN MOELIS, W’80, WG’81
Founder, Chairman and CEO of Moelis & Company

Joseph Wharton Award for Lifetime Achievement
For alumni who have had a tremendous positive and sustained impact on business and society over the course of their careers
HOWARD S. MARKS, W’67
Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of Oaktree Capital Management

This year’s Dinner Chair was Andrew G. McMaster, Jr., WG’76, Deputy CEO and Vice Chairman of Deloitte & Touche USA. Reflecting on the WCNY’s status as a former Club President, McMaster said, “In 1991, the WCNY had 1,000 active members and 20 volunteers. Today, the Club includes all 30,000 alumni in the New York region and 250 active volunteers. We felt proud of the 40 events we hosted in 1991. In 2015, over 240 events were held. And regarding finances, whereas we frankly struggled, today, the Club enjoys a very strong financial footing. I’m thankful to see the development of our alumni doing all this, over the years.”

Club President, Kenneth Beck, WG’87, encouraged all gathered to recognize this community. “Wharton is all of us. If we don’t get involved and use this asset for the rest of our lives, we’re not getting the return on the investment that we made by getting that education, paying for that education and taking the time to do so. So let me ask you: Who has hired an alumnus? Raise your hands! Who has bought something from an alumnus, invested in an alumnus and helped a fellow alumnus? That’s the power of this community, what we all have in common, and that’s what Wharton is all about. Thank you for taking the call, and I encourage you to keep taking the call.”

Following are excerpts from a few of the night’s speeches. Also, see excerpts of the honorees’ speeches at the conclusion of their interviews in this magazine.

Alex Gorsky, WG’96, Chairman of Johnson & Johnson, introduced Ken Moelis: “When I was listening to Slava, what he’s done for crowdfunding, it reminded me of Ken Moelis, who helped democratize access to capital to companies, years ago, through private equity. He took ideas of private banking from A to Zed, in ways that likely he could not have imagined. Today, Ken helps clients create something they couldn’t imagine was possible before. In the past few months, he’s touched sports companies, energy industry and food companies that impact our lives.”

Arthur Bass, W’73, Managing Director of COEX Partners, in his remarks on Mayor Michael Nutter, who was not able to attend: “Mayor Nutter is three years into his second term, guiding the country’s fifth largest city through the recession. Mayor Nutter devised the city’s innovative school reform strategy, strengthened community policing and made Philadelphia one of the greenest cities in the country. He maintained core services, reducing the budget gap by over $2.4 billion, without reducing police or fire forces.”

Randall J. Weisenburger, WG’87, Founder and Managing Member of Mile 26 Capital, introduced Howard Marks: “We strive to dedicate ourselves to the Wharton standard of excellence. Tonight’s recipient Howard Marks embodies that commitment. Over a career of 50 years, Howard distinguished himself as an outstanding executive, a remarkable investor, a successful entrepreneur and a best-selling author. In addition to being the world’s largest distressed-debt investor, Oaktree engages in U.S. and European high-yield bonds and senior loans, domestic and international convertibles, real estate, private equity, mezzanine financing, and emerging-market equities and debt. His memos beat the Berkshire Hathaway notes, hands down.

“Most important for us, Howard served on the University of Pennsylvania’s Board of Trustees, successfully chairing the Investment Board from 2000 to 2010. If we want to thank Howard for one thing, it should be for saving Penn’s endowment during that exceptional time.”

Geoffrey Garrett, Dean and Reliance Professor of Management and Private Enterprise, confided that alumni are the school’s greatest asset, “I love my job, because otherwise, I wouldn’t get to interact with people like you!” He also shared a recent story of one of the night’s honorees. “I saw Howard Marks do an amazing thing at an event to celebrate the Penn Wharton China Center in Beijing last month. He maintained his cool and continued to deliver incredibly insightful content not only on the U.S. economy but also on global economies, in a difficult environment where a former Chinese foreign minister banged his fist on the table about geopolitics.”

Andrew Stern, W’10, attendee: “After learning more about his path building Indiegogo, I was inspired by CEO Slava Rubin’s vision for the future of education, specifically the need to grow more entrepreneurs in our schools. After the dinner, I found myself reflecting on the role companies must play in this mission as well.”