An always-ready business card, a deep admiration of Bill Clinton and a desire to tackle tough issues — while making some good connections on the way — was the common currency of the people attending the Clinton Global Initiative America conference downtown Tuesday.
The conference, focused on issues of education and economic development in the United States, entered its second day at the downtown Sheraton.
“It’s a little intimidating, so many luminaries I find myself tending to keep my mouth shut more often than saying anything,” said James Eklund, the director of Colorado’s Department of Natural Resources Water Conservation Board, who was discussing water issues with fellow experts at the conference.
“Intimidating in a good way,” he clarified.
Experts from non-profits, businesses and government agencies attended networking and policy-discussion sessions Tuesday, punctuated by a lunch attended by Chelsea Clinton, who spoke about new programs and partnerships CGI is undertaking. The night before, former President Clinton spoke at a dinner for attendees at the Oceanaire Seafood Room.
“I like it more each year,” said Janet Davas, a New Orleans-based social enterprise consultant attending the conference for the third time. At last year’s conference she met both former President Clinton and Hillary Clinton, an experience she described as “thrilling.”
The marathon networking and business-card trading was yet to wear on many by Tuesday afternoon.
“Actually not as stuffy as one might think,” Jarvez Hall, an outreach manager for the Small Business Majority, said of the conference. Hall’s group, based in Washington, D.C., works in 12 states to advocate for small-business owners.
“I go to some knock-down, drag-out water conferences, so for me this is great,” Eklund said.
Beyond Clinton appearances and time with like-minded experts and thinkers, attendees were wowed by the host city. This is Denver’s second consecutive year hosting the conference. Attendees from the east coast, like the Manhattan-based Stacey Bossard, whose organization works to find jobs for veterans, were especially struck.
“I needed this,” she said, noting the thrill of waking up to see snow-capped mountains in the distance.
Matthew Nussbaum: 303-954-1666, mnussbaum@denverpost.com or
