Registration, Breakfast and Networking
Sponsor: Greektown Casino-Hotel
Detroit Experience Hall
Video Feature: Detroiters Defining Civility
Sound Board
Refreshment Break
Sponsor: ITC
Detroit Experience Hall
Concurrent Sessions: Examples of Civility
The Amazon Bid: Collaborating to Market Detroit
Detroit’s proposal for Amazon’s HQ2 represented an unprecedented level of local and regional collaboration between the public and private sector and state and local government. A high point for the region’s leaders, who set aside their differences and rallied around one common goal of attracting Amazon to Southeast Michigan, this panel will focus on the positive takeaways from this effort. Panelists will explore the steps taken to develop a unified message to promote Detroit’s key assets, share lessons learned through the bid process, and discuss how these lessons can be applied to positively benefit the region in the future.
Panel:
Basil Cherian, Senior Policy Advisor, City of Detroit
Jared Fleisher, Vice President, Government Affairs, Quicken Loans Family of Companies
Khalil Rahal, Assistant County Executive, Wayne County
Justin Robinson, Vice President, Business Attraction, Detroit Regional Chamber
Moderator: John Gallagher, Business Columnist, Detroit Free Press
Sponsor: Quicken Loans Family of Companies
Location: Room 1
Arts and Culture: Igniting Civility in Communities
The power of the arts to start conversations with others, change perspectives, and circumvent politics and ideology is vast. Whether it is attending an outdoor concert or visiting a museum, the arts bring people together. This panel will explore the role of Detroit’s arts and culture community in fostering civility and how public spaces allow people of all beliefs and backgrounds to come together, enjoy shared experiences, and put their differences aside.
Panel:
Christopher Collins, President and Artistic Director, Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation
Anne Parsons, President and CEO, Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Omari Rush, Executive Director, CultureSource
Salvador Salort-Pons, Director, President and CEO, Detroit Institute of Arts
Moderator: Katy Locker, Program Director, Detroit, Knight Foundation
Sponsor: Quicken Loans Family of Companies
Location: Room 2
Detroit ’67 Project: Commemorating History Through Civility and Collaboration
The Detroit Historical Society’s Detroit ’67 Project is a defining blueprint for collaboration, bringing together more than 100 civic, business, cultural and community groups to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Detroit’s historic summer of unrest. Under the lens of respect, collaboration and compromise, this panel will serve as a case study in how civility among the partners played a key role.
Panel:
Bob Bury, Executive Director and CEO, Detroit Historical Society
Melanca Clark, President and CEO, Hudson-Webber Foundation
Tricia Keith, Executive Vice President, Chief of Staff and Corporate Secretary, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Moderator: Rochelle Riley, Columnist, Detroit Free Press
Sponsor: Quicken Loans Family of Companies
Sound Board
Lunch
Visit the Detroit Experience Hall and pick up a gourmet lunch using the redeemable voucher provided upon arrival and return to the Sound Board.
Leading with Civility: Perspectives from James Craig and Nikolai Vitti
Refreshment Break
Sponsor: ITC
Detroit Experience Hall
What’s Driving Incivility? Traditional and Social Media’s Impact
In an age of 24-hour news cycles, the line between straight news and commentary is often blurred, both by traditional media outlets and newsmakers who only appear on the friendliest platforms when communicating their message. During a one-on-one conversation, Detroit’s most respected journalists will provide their perspective on media’s role in provoking incivility among audiences, what constitutes the proper presentation of news, and the role of journalism to inform rather than incite. Following the discussion, they will be joined on stage by social media experts, who will offer insight on the importance of accountability online as it pertains to protecting your personal and professional brand.
Session Leaders:
Nolan Finley, Editorial Page Editor, The Detroit News
Stephen Henderson, Host, Detroit Public Television and WDET 101.9 FM
Panel:
Mike Brownfield, Director, Communications, Goldwater Institute
Kerry Doman, Founder and CEO, After 5 Detroit
LaRon Johnson, Business Leader, LinkedIn Detroit
Debra Williams, Executive Vice President, Right Management
Sponsor: DTE Energy Foundation
Sound Board
National Civility: Perspectives From Bipartisan Leaders
Civility in national politics – or lack thereof – has become apparent in recent years as evidenced by rampant negative campaign ads and heated, partisan fighting from the Oval Office to the floor of Congress and beyond. This session will feature two of Michigan’s leading lawmakers who are known for producing bipartisan results through mutual respect and collaboration, for a discussion on civility at the highest levels of government. The discussion will explore where civility still exists in U.S. government, opportunities to restore civility for better decision-making in Washington, and how disagreeing without being disagreeable is key to moving the country forward.
Speakers:
Debbie Dingell, U.S. Representative (D-MI 12)
Fred Upton, U.S. Representative (R-MI 6)
Interviewer: Christy McDonald, Anchor, Detroit Public Television
Sponsor: Delta Air Lines
Sound Board
Reception and Detroit’s Last Word
New to the Conference, Nolan Finley and Stephen Henderson will moderate three dynamic and interactive 10-minute segments featuring differing perspectives on civility, what is driving incivility and how Detroiters can make a difference
Regional Transit
Speakers:
John Paul Rea, Director, Planning and Economic Development, Macomb County
Brad Williams, Vice President, Government Relations, Detroit Regional Chamber
Future Leaders’ Perspective
Speakers:
Dannis Mitchell, Diversity Manager, Barton Marlow Company
Jasmin DeForrest, Director, Sponsorship and Special Projects, Quicken Loans
Community Engagement
Speakers:
Jason Hall, Co-founder, Slow Roll Detroit
Jeanette Pierce, Executive Director, Detroit Experience Factory
Complimentary beer and wine will be served.
Sponsor: Wayne County Community College District
Detroit Experience Hall
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