The obverse is the work of sculptor Gladys Gunzer, who has the distinction of being the first woman chosen to sculpt the Official Inaugural Medal. The native North Carolinian studied fine arts at the Women’s College of the University of North Carolina. She began her career as a medallic sculptor at the Medallic Art Company. Her career at this venerable institution exposed her to some of the leading lights of the American medallic sculpture community. Robert Weinman, Mico Kaufman, Frank Eliscu and Marcel Jovine were early influences in her maturation and helped her to develop her own style. Eventually she became Senior Sculptor at the firm and manager of the art department. In 1990, she resigned to work as a free-lance medallic sculptor. Ms. Gunzer, the mother of five children, now resides in Arizona with her husband, Richard.

In preparing for her portraits of President Bush and Vice President Cheney, Ms. Gunzer sought out images which would convey a feeling of “looking forward,” both in a futuristic sense and in an anticipatory one – to finish what we have started. She combed newspapers, magazines and the internet until, she finally found several different likenesses which she drew from to create the finished portraits.