Media Contact:
Shellie Jennings, Institute for Emerging Issues, 919/513-0749
Mick Kulikowski, News Services, 919/515-3470

Feb. 3, 2006

Newsmakers to Discuss ‘Financing the Future’ at Emerging Issues
Forum

National and international policy-makers in finance, business and government will convene at North Carolina State University for the 21st annual Emerging Issues Forum, titled “Financing the Future,” on Monday, Feb. 6 and Tuesday, Feb. 7 at the Jane S. McKimmon Center.

Media coverage is invited. The forum is a credentialed event. Reporters covering the forum must have credentials issued by the Institute for Emerging Issues. Contact the institute at 513-0749 or NC State News Services at 515-3470 to reserve a credential.

The forum opens with a welcome from former N.C. Gov. James B. Hunt, NC State Chancellor James L. Oblinger and Institute for Emerging Issues Director Luke Bierman at 8 a.m. Monday. Paul O’Neill, former U.S. treasury secretary, will deliver a speech, “Financing the Future: A World View,” at 8:30 a.m. O’Neill will be on a strict time schedule and will not be able to speak with reporters before or after his speech.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson will discuss “Success Out West” at 10 a.m. He will be available to speak with media at 9:30 a.m. Paul Krugman, professor of economics at Princeton
University and op-ed columnist for The New York Times, will speak during lunch at 12:10 p.m.
Steve Forbes, president and CEO of Forbes Inc., will speak at 1:45 p.m.

Other speakers on Monday include Ken Thompson, president and CEO of Wachovia Corp., who will speak at 9:15 a.m.; Henri Meier, chairman of HGM Partners AG and HBM BioVentures AG, and Kip Thompson, vice president of global facilities for Dell Corp., who will speak at 3:50 p.m; and Texas state Sen. Rodney Ellis and former Colorado state Sen. Norma Anderson, who will speak at 4:35 p.m. There will also be a 10:40 a.m. roundtable on financing options for the future, with experts including NC State’s Dr. Michael Walden, William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor and Extension Economist.

On Tuesday, headline speakers include former Va. Gov. Mark Warner at 12:35 p.m.; Yegor Timurovich Gaidar, former prime minister of Russia, at 8:15 a.m.; Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore’s minister for community development, youth and sports and second minister for trade and industry, at 8:55 a.m.; and Hunt, chair of the forum, at 2:05 p.m.

In addition, there will be a roundtable discussion featuring North Carolina leaders, reports on paying for education, and other presentations.

The Institute for Emerging Issues is a “think and do” tank at NC State. The institute is a catalyst for innovative public policy through its research, ideas, debate and action that encourages civic leadership in business, government and higher education. For the forum’s full agenda and to learn more about the institute, visit its Web site at www.emergingissues.org.

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Note to editors: Media credentials must be picked up at the McKimmon Center. A photo ID and an ID card from the journalist’s news organization will be needed.