On May 16, the National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership hosted An Evening of Honor, a private dinner made possible by the generous sponsorship of Veterans Help Group and Richard, a purpose-driven national general contracting firm. The event brought together Medal of Honor recipients Harvey C. “Barney” Barnum, Jr., USMC (Ret.), and Ryan M. Pitts, US Army (Ret.), for a candid leadership conversation with invited civic and business leaders.
The dinner wasn’t about hero worship. It was about responsibility, the kind that doesn’t end when the uniform comes off.
Through personal stories of combat and conviction, Barnum and Pitts challenged the audience to consider what moral courage looks like today: standing firm in a crisis, doing what’s right when it isn’t easy and committing to lead with values that endure.
“These evenings aren’t just ceremonial,” said Tom Hudner III, vice president for development and strategic initiatives. “They’re calls to action. They ask all of us: How will you meet your moment?”
The Medal of Honor is the nation’s highest award for valor in combat, and with only 61 living recipients, moments like this carry weight—because the message is not about the past, but about the future. What kind of leaders are we raising? What stories are we telling?
A Moment at Wrigley Field
One day later, on Armed Forces Day, that message echoed across a much larger stage. In partnership with the Chicago Cubs, the Center for Leadership helped organize a pregame recognition for Barnum and Pitts at Wrigley Field, where fans stood in applause not just for medals, but for the meaning behind them.
The crowd may not have known every detail of their military service. But in those few minutes, surrounded by cheers and flags, they understood what mattered: integrity, sacrifice, and the kind of service that strengthens a nation.
“This is more than a tribute,” said Thomas J. Mundell, president and CEO of the Center for Leadership. “It’s a way of showing that these values still have a place in public life—and that leadership is needed now more than ever.”
Leadership, Not Just Legacy
These two events, held in the same week, reminded Chicago, and the nation, that the Medal of Honor is not a closing chapter.
It’s a challenge to lead with purpose and a reminder that the most enduring legacies are built through everyday acts of courage and character. The National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership is building a movement around that invitation, helping young people, professionals and public servants lead with integrity and resilience. View the full gallery of the event here.
