Clinton, Rice, Brown and CEOs Wow Packed Outlook Conference
California will come “roaring back,” but it “will happen much faster if we work together.” That was among the messages President Bill Clinton delivered to a captivated audience of 1,100 top executives, elected and other public officials during the Bay Area Council’s 2012 Outlook Conference on Thursday at the California Theatre in San Jose. Clinton also offered some insights on what he thinks it will take for President Obama to win in November and he answered a question from Marcus & Millichap Founder and CEO George Marcus about Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s future plans.
Governor Jerry Brown talked about the California budget, his plans for opening a California trade office in China and the tax measure he’s seeking to qualify for the November ballot. Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice focused on the global and political landscape and education and answered a question from Visa CEO Joseph Saunders about whether she would consider being Mitt Romney’s running mate. Anthony Earley, in his first major address since becoming Chairman, CEO and President of Council member PG&E Corp., spoke about the imperative for California to invest in core energy infrastructure – a subject he acknowledged does “not typically fire the public imagination,” but which he stressed “is one of the golden threads that keep the fabric of our economy strong.” DuPont CEO Ellen Kullman talked about her company’s focus on the long-term megatrends of feeding the world, reducing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting people and the environment. Kaiser Permanente CEO George Halvorson, who is leading the Council’s push to increase healthcare affordability and improve quality, outlined the “four elements of care” that he sees transforming the delivery of healthcare in the future. And LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner discussed the untapped power of social networking to connect unemployed Americans with unfilled jobs. Full remarks for all Outlook Conference speakers will be posted to the Council’s YouTube channel over the coming days.
