BUILDING COLLABORATION TO PRODUCE A GLOBALLY PREPARED STUDENT, TEACHER AND WORKFORCE

2010 NCBCE Annual Meeting
Letter from Executive Director,
Tricia Willoughby

Thanks to all of you who attended yesterday’s very exciting NCBCE annual meeting! Our Chair, Albert Eckel, and the team who planned the meeting made it a very productive day. With about 120 attendees, it was one of our largest meetings. Governor Perdue’s remarks about her education agenda---and her positive comments about the work of NCBCE---were well received by the group. We’re grateful that she made the time to be with us. First Gentleman Bob Eaves thanked NCBCE for partnering with him in the Students@Work initiative----see his website (www.governor.state.nc.us/studentsatwork) for more information. He looks forward to continued work with NCBCE.

The Friday Institute at NC State University was a generous host for the event---and what a wonderful facility it is for education research and innovation! Glenn Kleiman (Executive Director of the Friday Institute) and his staff went above and beyond their jobs to ensure a successful meeting for us. Golden Corral’s lunch was delicious and enjoyed by all! Thanks to Dale Whitworth and the Golden Corral staff for the food that reenergized everyone for the afternoon session. And thanks to Jena Collins (Apple) for her support of the meeting.

State Board of Education Chair Bill Harrison and State Superintendent June Atkinson had a demanding day at the General Assembly but also made time to speak to us about the importance of the business voice in education. Education Cabinet Executive Director Howard Lee stayed for a portion of the day---before being called away for a meeting. We’re pleased that several members of the Governor’s Cabinet were in attendance----Secretaries Linda Hayes (Juvenile Justice), Alvin Keller (Correction), Linda Carlisle (Cultural Resources) and Dee Freeman (Environmental and Natural Resources).

NCBCE members Jeanene Martin (WakeMed) and Francisca Yanez (Inspire) gave tremendously important information about requirements of the new economy----and the final panel of Abel Real, James Blackwell and Hiller Spires was inspirational and gave us ideas for the questions posed to attendees.

NCBCE’s role in bringing together business leaders, education leaders, policy makers, Governor Perdue’s advisors, education resources and other state leaders is a significant one----we are the organization that creates communication across all of those sectors of North Carolina.

Look for action steps that will result from the tremendous brain-power in that room as North Carolina continues to move forward in education!

Again, thank you for the support and energy you bring to the Business Committee for Education.

It is my pleasure to work for you!

 NCBCE Chair, Albert Eckel, welcomes members to the Annual Meeting held at The Friday Institute on May 20, 2010.
Photos courtesy of NC State University's Friday Institute for Educational Innovation

 Governor Bev Perdue addresses NCBCE members.
Photos courtesy of NC State University's Friday Institute for Educational Innovation

NCBCE Education Resource Guide