Mayors' Megaregion Meeting Series
Piedmont Alliance for Quality Growth: Macon, GA (March 2010)
Timeframe: November 15-16, 2010
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
More information coming soon!
Piedmont Alliance for Quality Growth: Macon, GA (March 2010)
Timeframe: March 10-11, 2010
Location: Macon, Georgia
Sponsor/Client: CQGRD, AECOM, MetroPower, Parsons Brinckerhoff, General Electric, North Carolina Municipal Power Agency 1, Georgia Power, HDR, Atlanta Regional Commission, Duke Energy, PBS&J, Clarke-Franklin & Associates, Inc., Metro Atlanta Chamber, Shook Kelley, and the Cities of Macon (GA), Greenville (SC), and Gastonia (NC)
Project Scale: southeast
Partners: CQGRD and the City of Macon (GA)
Program Areas:
Evolving from the previously established Mayors Megaregion Meetings headed by former mayors Shirley Franklin of Atlanta, GA and Pat McCrory of Charlotte, NC and conducted by CQGRD, the Piedmont Alliance for Quality Growth (PAQG) was established in November 2009 during a meeting of the group's members in Greenville, SC. The organization will seek to build alliances to build intellectual and support infrastructure - especially related around water, transportation, and energy - to enable the region to compete in the global market.
Symposium Information
Piedmont Alliance for Quality Growth (March 2010) Agenda
Ted Abernathy, Executive Director, Southern Growth Policies Board
"Strengths and Weaknesses of the Southeastern United States"
Ted Abernathy currently serves as Executive Director of the Southern Growth Policies Board, a public policy think tank that develops economic development policies for 13 Southern states. Southern Growth Policies Board specializes in the areas of technology and innovation, globalization, workforce development, community development, civic engagement, and leadership. The focus of his 28-year economic development career has been on strategic competitiveness and economic positioning. Abernathy has served as Executive Vice President and COO for the Research Triangle Regional Partnership, a private non-profit economic development organization. He has authored national recognized strategic plans and reports and speaks to over 150 groups annually. Born and raised in North Carolina, Abernathy received his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, his Master’s from Johns Hopkins University, and graduated from the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma.
Gene Conti, Transportation Secretary, NC Department of Transportation
"Transportation – NC’s High Speed Rail Plan— Implications for Other States"
Gene Conti has over 30 years of public service and private business management experience. From 2001-2003, Conti, 63, served as Chief Deputy Secretary for the North Carolina Department of Transportation. He was responsible for cash management, safety initiatives, transportation planning and programming, and technology. Before his appointment to Chief Deputy Secretary in 2001, Conti served three years as Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy at the United States Department of Transportation. He was a principal advisor to USDOT Secretary Rodney Slater on infrastructure, finance, transportation safety, environmental impacts, economic growth, technology and mobility, and strategic planning. Conti worked as District Director for PBS&J’s mid-South district, overseeing all business development efforts and community relations. Given his background and expertise, he consults nationally on transportation finance, programming, and management issues. This is Conti’s second cabinet level appointment. From 1995-1998, he served as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.
Tim Lowe, CEO, Lowe Engineers
"Water – Georgia Governor’s Committee Report— Implications for Other States"
T.M. Lowe III (Tim) is Lowe Engineers’ Chief Executive Officer. Lowe Engineers is based in Atlanta and has offices in Alabama, Louisiana, Texas and Washington D.C. The firm provides civil engineering, transportation engineering, surveying and geospatial services to a client base that includes both government and private entities with projects located throughout the United States, Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia, and the Far East. Clients include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Cousins Properties, North Fulton and Perimeter Center CIDs, Georgia Power, Georgia Department of Transportation, Alabama Department of Transportation, National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, and the City of Atlanta. A native of Atlanta, GA, Lowe has attended the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island and the London Business School. He holds a Bachelor degree from Auburn University and a MBA from Emory University. Lowe spent thirty (30) years of Active and Reserve duty in the U.S. Navy serving aboard ship and ashore, including four Commands. His final command was as Liaison Officer for the State of Georgia with responsibility for coordinating the Navy’s response and assistance in the event of both natural and manmade disasters including hurricanes, terrorist threats, and weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Lowe was recently appointed Co-Chair off the Governor’s Water Contingency Task Force, by Governor Sonny Perdue. He is also Chair of the Energy and Environment Committee of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Co-Chairman of the Coverdell Leadership Institute, Vice President of the Buckhead Coalition, Ft. McPherson Redevelopment Authority Board Member, Council for Quality Growth Board Member and Vice-Chairman of the Board of Governors for the Georgia World Congress Center Authority. He is a graduate of: Leadership Georgia, Leadership Atlanta, Regional Leadership Institute (RLI), and the Georgia Institute of Environmental Leadership (IGEL) and selected by GeorgiaTrend as one of “100 Most Influential Georgians” for 2010.
John Sibley, Program Director, Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance
"Energy – Current Multi-State Relationships—Future Needs and Gaps"
John Sibley practiced law in Atlanta for 12 years before joining the staff of Governor Joe Frank Harris as director of Georgia’s Growth Strategies Commission in 1987. He has worked on public policy throughout his career as law clerk for the Georgia Supreme Court, counsel to committees of the state Senate, and chair of the State Health Planning Review Board and the Governor’s Commission on National and Community Service. He currently serves on the boards of the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority, Georgia Conservancy, and Livable Communities Coalition. In 1998, John turned to environmental advocacy full time when he became president of the Georgia Conservancy. Since retiring from the Conservancy in 2005, he has added advocacy efforts on energy issues in Georgia and the Southeast, particularly energy efficiency, to his ongoing interests in transportation, smart growth, and regional planning. He is currently Program Director of the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance.
Dr. Catherine L. Ross, Harry West Chair and Director, Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development, Georgia Institute of Technology
"Georgia Data—Availability, Gaps and Organization"
Dr. Catherine L. Ross is the Director and Harry West Chair at the Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development at the Georgia Institute of Technology. She was the first Executive Director of the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA). Dr. Ross attended Kent State University for her undergraduate degree, completed the Master's of Regional Planning Program and Doctoral Degree at Cornell University, and conducted post-doctoral work at the University of California- Berkeley.
Dr. Robert Becker, Director, Strom Thurmond Institute of Government & Public Affairs, Clemson University
"South Carolina Data—Availability, Gaps and Organization"
Dr. Robert Becker is Professor of Policy Studies and Director of the Strom Thurmond Institute of Government and Public Affairs at Clemson University. He has served as director since January 1992. He earned his BS degree from Penn State University and the MA and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Maryland. Prior to joining the Clemson faculty in 1981, Dr. Becker served as associate director for social sciences and economics of the Water Resources Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He teaches and conducts research in the areas of community and regional development, and natural resource policy.
Jeff Michael, JD , Director, Urban Institute, University of North Carolina- Charlotte
"North Carolina Data—Availability, Gaps and Organization"
Jeffrey Michael, J.D. is the Director of the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute, which provides a range of affordable fee based services to non-profit organizations, educational institutions, government, businesses, and citizens. Michael received a J.D. at the University of North Carolina School of Law, a M.A. in Regional Planning at University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill, and a B.S. in Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance.
Sponsors
ClarkeFranklin
Articles of Interest
Title
Author
Source
Date
America 2050
Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
February 6, 2010
Waco Chamber and Business Quarterly
Fall 2009
Mark Muro
The New Republic
February 19, 2010
US DOT
US DOT
ND
Researchers Measure Rail's Positive Impact in Millions of Dollars
Reconnecting America
January 25, 2010
Petra Todorovich
Regional Plan Association
February 8, 2010
Alexander Lew
Wired: Autopia
February 1, 2010
Larry Copeland
USA Today
Still Stuck in Traffic? It's time for Georgia's leaders to come up with some transportation fixes.
Ben Young
GeorgiaTrend
December 2009
Cynthia Tucker
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
February 3, 2010
Ariel Hart
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
February 3, 2010
Ben Evans
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
March 6, 2010
Perdue backs water conservation legislation, study of building new reservoirs
Jeremy Redmon
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
February 3, 2010
The Gadsden Times
February 6, 2010
Ashley Speagle
Chattanooga Times Free Press
February 4, 2010
Which States Could Supply Their Own Electricity with Renewables?
Andrew Price
GOOD
March 4, 2010
Atlanta Business Chronicle
January 26, 2010
Legislation: A split among utilities could doom renewed climate bill effort
Joel Kirkland
ClimateWire
March 3, 2010
Media Coverage
13wmaz.com
Title
Author
Source
Date
Chris Horne
Macon Telegraph
March 12, 2010
Bofta Yimam
13WMAZ
March 11, 2010
Josephine Bennett
Georgia Public Broadcasting
March 10, 2010
"Piedmont Alliance for Quality Growth to Meet in Macon March 10th and 11th"
City of Macon, GA
March 9, 2010
Ronnie Bryant
Charlotte Viewpoint
March 2010
Dan Chapman
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
January 29, 2010
Link to the organizational meetings-
Mayors Megaregion Meetings (2009).
