Written by From Staff Reports Monday, 13 May 2013 00:00
WHO: Raúl L. Madrid is Associate Professor in the Department of Government at the University of Texas, Austin. He specializes in Latin American politics, comparative ethnic politics, and comparative social policy. He is the author of The Rise of Ethnic Politics in Latin America (Cambridge University Press 2012) and Retiring the State: The Politics of Pension Privatization in Latin America and Beyond (Stanford, 2003) and is a co-editor of Leftist Governments in Latin America: Successes and Shortcomings (Cambridge, 2010). His articles have appeared in Comparative Politics, Electoral Studies, Journal of Latin American Studies, Latin American Politics and Society, Latin American Research Review, Political Science Quarterly, and World Politics, among other scholarly journals. He received his Ph.D. in political science from Stanford University and his B.A. in political science from Yale University.
WHEN: Thursday, May 16; Membership Social at 7:30 p.m., Program at 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: Coastal Georgia Center, 305 Fahm St. Savannah, GA 31401
COST: Open to the public. Free for members, students and accompanying family members, educators and active military and their dependents. $10 for non-members.
Written by From Staff Reports Wednesday, 08 May 2013 00:00
May 8, 2013 – The Savannah Economic Development Authority will host its annual meeting and luncheon on Thursday, May 23 at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center, One International Drive with keynote speaker Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed. Networking is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. with the luncheon beginning at noon.
Mayor Reed was inaugurated as the 59th Mayor of the City of Atlanta on Jan. 4, 2010. Since then, he has hired more than 700 police officers, re-opened all of the city’s recreation centers as safe havens for young people and improved core city services such as fire-rescue response times and sanitation operations. Working with the Atlanta City Council and the city’s employee unions, he successfully initiated a series of sweeping reforms to address the city’s $1.5 billion unfunded pension liability. Mayor Reed began his term facing a $48 million budget shortfall; under his leadership, the city has had three years of balanced budgets with no property tax increases, and its cash reserves have grown from $7.4 million to more than $126 million.
Mayor Reed has received numerous accolades since taking office and has been nationally recognized for his civic leadership on programs such as Meet the Press and on news outlets such as MSNBC, CNN, FOX and CNBC. Prior to his election, Mayor Reed established a track record of leadership during his 11 years as a member of the Georgia General Assembly. He was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1998 and served two terms. From 2002 to 2009, he served in the Georgia State Senate, where he was vice chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus. He is a former partner of Holland and Knight LLP, an international law firm.
During the SEDA meeting and luncheon, Mayor Reed will speak about the collaborative efforts among state, regional and city leaders to secure federal approval and funds for the deepening of the Savannah Harbor and the continued growth of the Port of Savannah. Mayor Reed also will share his perspective on the economic challenges and opportunities facing the city of Atlanta, the metropolitan Atlanta region and the state of Georgia. He will touch upon recent economic initiatives led by Invest Atlanta, the city’s economic development agency, including the final approval of hotel-motel tax funds for the construction of a new Falcons stadium in downtown Atlanta.
“Strong cities are the building blocks of strong regions, which in turn, are essential for a globally competitive America,” said Mayor Reed. “My Administration has set a tone of collaboration with our regional partners and the state, from working together to recruit companies, growing our entrepreneurial and start-up ecosystem and supporting the deepening of the Port of Savannah. I look forward to sharing my thoughts and engaging in a robust dialogue on these issues at the annual SEDA meeting and luncheon.”
The cost is $40 per person or $320 for a table of eight. For more information and to reserve seating visit seda.org or contact Lory McDaniel at 912-447-8450.
May 2, 2013 – The Savannah Downtown Business Association (SDBA) May Luncheon will feature Adam Van Brimmer, reporter for the Savannah Morning News. The luncheon will take place at B&D Burgers, 209 W. Congress Ln., on Wednesday, May 8. Networking will begin at 11:30 am followed by lunch at noon. The price is $25 for members and $35 for non-members. Reservations required by Friday, May 3 for discounted rates. All reservations must be made via the Web site at www.SavannahDBA.com.
April 22, 2013 – Get ready to “Swing into Spring” with the Savannah Downtown Business Association for another party in the streets. The spring edition of Blues on Broughton will take place Friday, April 26, 6-9 pm. Bob Margolin, former guitarist for Muddy Waters, will be taking the stage on Broughton St. between Drayton St. and Bull St.
