Minnesota Chamber of Commerce

Olson re-elected chair of governing board for state colleges, universities

Minnesota Chamber President David Olson was re-elected chair of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees on July 16. His second one-year term begins August 1.

“I am pleased and honored to have been elected chair of the system's Board of Trustees for a second year and pledge to continue forging partnerships between the business community and our state colleges and universities,” Olson said. “Building a quality workforce is essential to a vibrant economy, and our state's colleges and universities play a vital role in that effort by delivering the best possible education while making effective use of sources.”

Among the board’s initiatives for the coming year, Olson said, “We must make sure that more students from groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education complete a post-secondary program to ensure their own financial stability as well as contributing to the economic vitality of the state.”

In addition, Scott Thiss of Edina was re-elected treasurer of the Board of Trustees. Thiss is president and chief executive officer for Sailforth, Inc., and a past chair of the Minnesota Chamber Board of Directors.

The Board of Trustees governs the largest system of higher education in the state. The network of 32 state universities and community and technical colleges serves about 242,000 students per year in credit-based courses and an additional 140,000 students in noncredit courses.

Stephanopoulos to address Annual Meeting

George Stephanopoulos, chief Washington correspondent for ABC News and host of its Sunday morning news show, ‘This Week,” will deliver the keynote speech at the Minnesota Chamber’s Annual Meeting. He will share his predictions on the November 2008 presidential election as well as key congressional races including Minnesota’s U.S. Senate contest.

The event is from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. October 1 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel St. Paul-Riverfront and will follow the Issue Conference which runs from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Prior to joining ABC News, Stephanopoulos was a senior political adviser to the 1992 U.S. presidential campaign of Bill Clinton and later became his communications director. Stephanopoulos is author of “All Too Human: A Political Education,” a memoir published in 1999 after he left the White House during Clinton’s second term. It quickly became a #1 New York Times best-seller.

Mark your calendars now for the Minnesota Chamber’s 2008 Issue Conference and Annual Meeting. Check back here for additional registration details. Sponsorships are now available for the event by contacting Joan Rausch at (651) 292-4654, (800) 821-2230 or jrausch@mnchamber.com.

Members advance priorities for 2009

The 2009 Legislature is still months away, but the statewide business community is already sending a collective message: “Hold the line on spending.” The sentiment was underscored as the Minnesota Chamber conducted 30 policy meetings in May and June across the state. The policy sessions are the first step in framing member priorities to advance next year.

“The 2009 session already looms important, especially if the economic downturn continues and there is pressure to raise taxes,” Chamber President David Olson said.

A quality workforce remains a major concern, and employers underscored that the current K-12 school system needs to be reformed in order to educate and train students for the global economy. The Minnesota Chamber’s education reforms under discussion for next year’s initiatives were viewed as important steps to begin the discussion.

Among other issues, businesses continued to express frustration with the numerous mandates that result in higher health care costs. Greenhouse gas emissions are a global issue and should be addressed at the international or national level, they said. Cap-and-trade proposals for reducing emissions were viewed with skepticism and concern, especially due to the increasing cost of energy. Members also suggested private-sector business practices that the Minnesota Department of Transportation might implement to obtain the greatest value for tax dollars.

Feedback from the policy sessions, as well as a formal member poll, will be considered by the Minnesota Chamber Board of Directors in August when it begins to draft policies to present to the 2009 Legislature. To ensure that your priorities are on the Minnesota Chamber’s radar, contact Jennifer Byers at (651) 292-4673, (800) 821-2230 or jbyers@mnchamber.com.

Pictured above: Bill Blazar (far left), senior vice president of public affairs and business development at the Minnesota Chamber, moderated the regional policy session at Monticello. Among the participants were (from left) John Chadwick of OtterCreek LLC, Lloyd Hilgart of H Bros. Painting and Jim Bakula, a candidate for the House District 19A seat.

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