Portland, ME. - May 4, 2009 - greaterthan > announces the launch of a new conference focused on cross-sectoral partnerships between businesses, non-profits, governmental organizations and institutions of higher learning. Bringing together a dynamic mix of the country's most innovative partnerships and thought leaders of today, the conference will be held July 26-28, 2009 in the coastal city of Portland, Maine.

"There has never been a more critical time or need for a gathering like greaterthan >," says Co-Chair of the greaterthan > National Advisory Board and Co-Founder and CEO of City Year, Michael Brown. "Given the multitude of challenges we all face in today's economic climate, we need to rely on the power of deeper partnerships like never before to extend both our resources and our stakeholder impact."

As organizations move beyond conventional philanthropy and cause marketing, they are beginning to form deeper, cross-sectoral partnerships to address the challenges associated with a broad range of societal issues, such as sustainability and social justice. The greaterthan > conference will provide a unique forum in which to examine these emerging trends, provide valuable insights, tools and techniques for creating new models of collaboration, and explore current examples of compelling partnerships in the corporate, non-profit and governmental sectors.

The content-rich two-day conference will feature a combination of keynote addresses, lively panel discussions and interactive brainstorming sessions covering important topics of relevance to attendees from all sectors. Confirmed speakers at greaterthan > include:

• Brian Dumaine, Global Editor, Fortune Magazine
  
• David Cohen, Executive Vice President, Comcast
  
• Michael Brown, Co-Founder and CEO, City Year
  
• Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, CEO, Green For All
  
• Randall Kempner, Executive Director, Aspen Network for Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE)
  
• Dr. Jonathan Fink, Director, Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University
  
• Maurice Bechard, Chairman, Global Environmental Management Initiative (GEMI) and Director, Global Environment Health and Safety, JohnsonDiversey
  
• Kyle Cahill, Director of Corporate Engagement, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)
  
• Jay Coen Gilbert, Co-Founder, B-Corporation
  
• Billy Connelly, Director of Corporate Communications, NativeEnergy
  
• Stephen Schuit, Executive Director, Institute for Civic Leadership
  
• Ann Houser, Vice President, US Human Resources, Unum
  
• Robin Sawyer, Vice President, Corporate Controller, Fairchild Semiconductor
  
• Paul Botticello, Manager, Leadership Development, L.L.Bean

Conference organizers are expecting a dynamic mix of senior executives from Fortune 1000 companies, and directors of marketing, finance and corporate sustainability, as well as executive directors, leaders and managers of non-profits, NGOs, governmental agencies and academic institutions.

For more information about the greaterthan > conference, including conference registration, speaker and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.greaterthanconference.com.

About greaterthan >

The mission of greaterthan > is to explore and foster new models of partnership between corporations, non-profit organizations, institutions of higher learning and governmental agencies to promote innovative solutions to the major challenges we face at home and around the world. Joining together for powerful results -- where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. www.greaterthanconference.com

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