As Massachusetts prepares to emerge from the worst recession in decades, more than 200 executives from health care, life sciences, finance, technology, education and clean energy companies will gather with top state policymakers and nonprofit leaders to chart a course toward a more "sustainable economy." On Friday, Nov. 20, Governor Deval Patrick will kick off the Business Leadership and Public Policy Summit, which aims to foster lasting economic growth through business practices and public policy designed to benefit the economy, society and environment.

Candidates vying for the U.S. Senate seat of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy will also make a joint appearance at the Summit. The candidates will discuss their visions for creating a sustainable economy, and answer questions from the audience about how they would address challenges in health care, energy, education and financial policy. Currently scheduled to attend are U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano, City Year Founder Alan Khazei, Boston Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca, and attorney Jack Robinson. Attorney General Martha Coakley and State Sen. Scott Brown have also been invited. The forum will be moderated by Robert Kuttner, Founder and Co-Editor of The American Prospect.

"As the state works to recover from this difficult recession, the time has come to chart a new course toward a more sustainable economy," said Tom Dretler, CEO of Eduventures, Inc., and President of the Progressive Business Leaders Network. "Business is too often seen as standing in the way of solutions - on issues like climate change, health care and financial reform. We are a community of business leaders who believe in a 'triple bottom line' that values profits, people and the planet. This Summit will produce provocative ideas, innovative solutions - a new level of business leader engagement. PBLN is about CEOs and other senior executives partnering with the shapers of public policy to create progressive solutions to major public challenges."

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Aggressive Health Care Cost Containment. While Congress debates health care reform, Massachusetts is pursuing a far more ambitious restructuring of health care. Participants will discuss the next frontier of health reform "“ cost containment "“ including a move away from the traditional fee-for-service payment model toward a system of "global payment." Panelists include: James Roosevelt, Jr., CEO of Tufts Health Plan; Dr. JudyAnn Bigby, Massachusetts Secretary of Health & Human Services; Paul Levy, President & CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; and Robert Kuttner, Founder & Co-Editor of The American Prospect.

Putting a Real Price on Carbon. PBLN supports the "cap-and-trade' system proposed in federal climate change legislation - but business leaders are concerned with fairly accounting for the costs of carbon pollution under this new system. Panelists will discuss how to set a fair price on carbon - and the implications of this system for our businesses, communities and environment. Panelists include: Mitch Tyson, CEO of Advanced Electron Beams; Martin Madaus, President & CEO of Millipore Corporation; Pattie Prairie, CEO of Brighter Planet; State Rep. Jay Kaufman; and Nick d'Arbeloff, Executive Director of the New England Clean Energy Council.

Making Innovation the Norm in Education. As the state legislature debates the most sweeping education reforms in a generation, business and education leaders will gather to examine what it really takes to make innovation the norm in public education: charter schools, in-district schools, readiness schools, innovation schools, and longer school days. Panelists include: Paul Sagan, President & CEO of Akamai Technologies; Paul Reville, Massachusetts Secretary of Education; Christopher Gabrielli, Chairman of the Massachusetts 2020 Foundation; Anne Wass, President of the Massachusetts Teachers Association and Paul Grogan, President & CEO of the Boston Foundation.

PBLN is a non-profit peer-to-peer network of CEOs and top corporate officers committed to socially and environmentally responsible economic growth and the public policies that advance it. To learn more, see www.pbln.org

Progressive Business Leaders Network, Inc., The

Progressive Business Leaders Network, Inc., The

The Progressive Business Leaders Network ("PBLN") is a peer-to-peer educational organization for CEOs and top officers. Its mission is to promote the best practices of business leaders committed to socially and environmentally responsible economic growth and the public policies that advance it. Specifically, the PBLN highlights best practices in corporate social responsibility and the contribution from business leaders who share a commitment to practicing and sharing initiatives that promote environmentally sustainable economic development and greater social justice. Meeting twice a year for PBLN Summits on progressive business, members and policy-makers work together in industry-specific Working Groups to identify strategies and opportunities for progressive business leaders to contribute meaningfully to the development and implementation of effective public policy.

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