Connect Harford Symposium

FOR RELEASE: October
11, 2013

 Harford
County Leaders Sought for Input on the Future of Harford County at Connect Harford Symposium

Harford
Community College and The Dresher Foundation are bringing together leaders and
emerging leaders from the business, government, and education communities to
provide input on how to best to maximize the full potential of Harford
County.  The Connect Harford Symposium
will be held on November 1, 2013 at the APG Federal Credit Union Arena at
Harford Community College.

The day will
kick off with keynote speaker Admiral Mike Mullen, USN (ret.), who was the
principal military advisor to President George W. Bush and President Barack
Obama.  He served as the 17th
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (2007-2011).  Drawing on his own experiences, Admiral
Mullen will discuss how leaders can collaborate across community sectors to
spark new ideas, promote growth, and create a promising future. 

Jim Dresher, Trustee, The Dresher Foundation, stated, “The
Dresher Foundation is proud to partner with Harford Community College in the
first-ever Connect Harford symposium. 
Bringing together leaders in business, government, and education to
share ideas and work toward common goals will benefit our community. We are
fortunate to have Admiral Mike Mullen, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff, as our initial speaker. His presence highlights the importance of
Aberdeen Proving Ground and the entire defense industry as important elements
of our future. We hope this will become an important annual event in Harford
County.”

Dr. Dennis Golladay, President
of Harford Community College, said “We expect this symposium to be the first of
many.  Aptly named Connect Harford,
leaders from a wide swath of businesses and institutions will come together in
an interactive environment to exchange ideas on issues important to them and
the future of the county, while working together for the common good.”

During the day, there will be breakout sessions on topics
such as Harford Business: Building a Diverse Economic Base; Harford People:
Establishing Harford County as a Sought-after Place to Live, Work, and Play;
Harford Education: Accelerating STEM and Preparing K-20 for Citizenship,
Leadership, and Career; and Bridging the Silos: Removing Barriers to Open the
Lines of Communication.  In addition,
there will be information sharing between groups, as well as a discussion about
the future and what action needs to be taken to ensure that Harford County
becomes a destination for knowledge workers by 2025, and much more.

Registration and a continental breakfast will be held
from 7:15 to 8 AM.  The event concludes
with closing remarks at 1:45 PM.  Lunch
will be provided.  There is no charge to
attend the event, but reservations are required.  RSVP by October 15 to www.harford.edu/ConnectHarford
or call 443-412-2631.

Partnering organizations include APG Federal Credit
Union, Army Alliance, City of Aberdeen, City of Havre de Grace, Harford
Community College, Harford Community College Foundation, Inc., Harford County
Chamber of Commerce, Harford County Office of Economic Development, Harford
County Public Library, The Dresher Foundation, and Town of Bel Air.

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