7A SUN-Speakers Forum preview
By Staff Reports
Published in News on January 11, 2009 2:00 AM
The Seventh Annual Speakers Forum will be held at noon on Thursday at the Paramount Theatre and will feature guest speaker William H. Hudnut III of the Urban Land Institute.
Hudnut is a former U.S. representative and former mayor of Indianapolis, who earned national recognition for revitalizing the city. He is also an author, public speaker, TV commentator, think tank fellow and member of the clergy.
He currently holds the Urban Land Foundation/ Joseph C. Canizaro Chair for Public Policy at the Urban Land Institute in Washington, D.C.
The Urban Land Institute is a non-profit research and education organization that looks at land use and real estate development principles, working both in private enterprise and public service. The institute's mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide.
The forum is sponsored by the city of Goldsboro, the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. and Wayne County Development Alliance Inc. The event is free and is open to the public.
The speakers forum began in 2002.
Former guest speakers include Charleston, S.C. Mayor Joseph Riley in 2002; Main Street consultant Don Rypkema in 2003; Metropolis Development Co. Principal and former Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and the Director of Housing and Community Development for the District of Columbia Merrick Malone in 2004; comedian, game show host and TV personality Ed McMahon in 2005; and Morganton, N.C. Mayor Mel Cohen in 2006.
4th Fighter Wing Commander Col. Steve Kwast spoke at last year's forum and charged listeners to continue to build Wayne County and Goldsboro up for the sake of future generations and those who will fight to keep them free.
"Why are you here?" Kwast asked then. "Well, to put it simply, you are here because you care about your community. You are here because you care about your downtown. It means something."
He asked that each person walk away committed to rallying more people behind what he called "noble" and "outstanding" work.
"(At this event next year), this room won't be big enough. We're going to have to go down to the Paramount Theatre," Kwast said then. "Because we are a community that cares. We are a community that really gets it."