At the most recent AAF board meeting on June 3, 2026, longtime Chairman Thomas J. McGrath announced his retirement.
Together with Cyrus Vance, Tom was instrumental in drafting AAF’s incorporation documents. When Cyrus Vance became US Secretary of State, Tom replaced him on the AAF board, working with fellow founders Ambassador Milton Wolf and Ambassador William vanden Heuvel to bring the idea of an organization dedicated to exchanges between the United States and Austria to fruition.
Tom served as President of the AAF during Milton Wolf’s and William vanden Heuvel’s chairmanships, and then succeeded Ambassador vanden Heuvel as chairman. He also served as a Director of the Salzburg Stiftung der AAF since its inception in 1995. His invaluable leadership and guidance have been a huge factor in the AAF’s growth and success, and at the June 3rd meeting, the AAF board unanimously named Tom Chairman Emeritus.