AAA® Donates $20,000 to AAA-ICDR Foundation® in Memory of Gerald Aksen

Latest News

AAA® Donates $20,000 to AAA-ICDR Foundation® in Memory of Gerald Aksen

The AAA-ICDR mourns the loss of Gerald Aksen, its former General Counsel, who passed away on January 29, 2024.

Gerald Aksen

 

The AAA-ICDR mourns the loss of Gerald Aksen, its former General Counsel, who passed away on January 29, 2023.


Gerald Aksen served as the American Arbitration Association’s first general counsel, a position he held for nineteen years. During that time, his work had a significant and lasting impact on the field of both domestic and international arbitration, including serving in an advisory role with the US State Department. After leaving the AAA, Mr. Aksen continued to demonstrate leadership in the field. He joined Reid & Priest, leading their international arbitration practice, and served as an arbitrator in over 300 cases. Additionally, he taught international arbitration at NYU School of Law for decades.

Gerry’s obituary can be accessed HERE.
 

News

Foundation Podcast

The MRU is an innovative alternative response program that dispatches trained community mediators to handle lower-level emergency 911 and police calls across the City of Dayton. Since 2022, the AAA-ICDR Foundation has supported the creation and expansion of the MRU, funded a professional program evaluation, and helped develop an implementation guide for communities interested in launching similar initiatives.

Announcement

The Foundation is pleased to announce two new grants approved in February 2026

Report

This evaluation highlights the Dayton Mediation Response Unit development, implementation, and early impacts. Findings show that mediation-based response offers an effective, humane alternative to traditional enforcement models, with early evidence of increased community trust and more equitable access to services. The evaluation identifies the MRU as a viable, scalable model for other communities to consider.