One of the first events I attended when I moved to Akron in 1993 was Akron Roundtable. It was a bargain at $6 for a great lunch, great speaker, and we even had a silent prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. I lived in the DC area for 12 years and never started a program with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Now, 20 years later I serve on this great board. Akron Roundtable was started in 1976 as a community forum to encourage and bring bold, creative, and new ideas to the region. To date, more than 400 major corporate executives, writers, government officials, artists, and civic leaders from around the country have addressed the Akron Roundtable audience.

And, on April 18th, we will have David Adkins, Executive Director of the Council of State Governments, as our speaker. CSG is the country’s only organization serving all three branches of state government. It is a region-based forum, which fosters the exchange of insight and ideas to help state officials shape public policy. David is a former Kansas state senator and served as vice chancellor for External Affairs at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Many of us know David from our work with State Government Affairs Council and being a CSG Associate. This is the first time CSG has been represented at Akron Roundtable.

State and Federal Communications will hold a reception for David Adkins and the CSG family after the Akron Roundtable program. Its offices are across the street from the event. For more information about attending the program go to www.akronroundtable.org.

Until next month, make your reservations to be in Akron on April 18th. It will be a great day with David in town. And, if you have to spend the night—and who wouldn’t want to—John Lithgow is part of the University of Akron’s speaker series that evening at EJ Thomas Hall. If we can be of assistance in planning your day, please do not hesitate to contact me at ebartz@stateandfed.com.

Thank you.

Elizabeth Bartz

President and CEO, State and Federal Communications

Elizabeth Bartz, President and CEO of State and Federal Communications, has been appointed to serve as a member of the Associates Advisory Committee of The Council of State Governments (CSG) for 2012/2013 term.

CSG is a region-based forum that fosters the exchange of insights and ideas to help state officials shape public policy. It is our nation’s only organization serving all three branches of state government.

According to their website, “The [Associates Advisory Committee] consists of public and private representatives who assist CSG in identifying and recruiting potential associate members, provide advice on development and marketing techniques for the program, and make recommendations to the CSG Executive Committee for promising new public/private partnership opportunities. The committee also assists CSG in identifying key policy issues and state trends.”

Congratulations to you, Elizabeth, for this honor and service!

Attending from 11 Midwestern states and four Canadian provinces, legislators have gathered in Cleveland for the 67^th annual meeting of the Midwestern Legislative Conference of the Council of State Governments from July 15 through the 18. The conference is being held in the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, giving legislators a taste of Cleveland.

Elizabeth Bartz, President and CEO of State and Federal Communications, Inc. is attending the meeting to observe as legislators discuss the need for regional and economic improvements.

According to the Cleveland brochure for the 2012 conference, five political speakers will give presentations at the meeting, including the host, Ohio representative Armond Budish. The reception took place at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Events in the evening will give the attendees the opportunity to bond and participate in discussions, while the Family Night at the FirstEnergy Powerhouse building allows time for family fun.

Referring to the annual meeting of the Midwestern Legislative Conference, Senator Kate Sullivan of Nebraska was quoted in the brochure, stating that it is “a time for networking with colleagues, learning from each other, listening to great presenters, all with the overarching reminder that we, as legislators, have been elected to ‘govern’ and that it is done best in the spirit of bi-partisanship.”

Through a variety of activities and events, the 67^th annual meeting of the Midwestern Legislatives Conference in Cleveland will bring together legislators to expand on regional matters while enjoying the sites of the city.

July 13-15, 2012   National Governors Association Annual Meeting, Williamsburg, Virginia

July 15-18, 2012   The Council of State Governments [CSG] Midwestern Legislative Conference, Cleveland, Ohio

August 6-9, 2012   NCSL (National Conference of State Legislatures) Booth 923, Chicago, Illinois

Elizabeth Bartz, President and CEO of State and Federal Communications, is attending the Council of State Governments’ National Leadership Conference 2012.

She was appointed to CSG’s Intergovernmental Affairs Committee for the 2011/2012 term.

The event is being held in La Quinta, California, and runs from May 17-20.

Elizabeth Bartz, President and CEO of State and Federal Communications, is attending the Council of State Governments 2011 National Conference & North American Summit in Bellevue, Washington.

This year’s National Conference is being held from October 19-23 and for the first time will include representatives from Canada and Mexico.

Elizabeth Bartz was recently appointed to CSG’s Intergovernmental Affairs Committee for 2011/2012 term.

According to the CSG website: “The Intergovernmental Affairs Committee is the primary policy body for CSG and the primary body setting the federal-state relations agenda for CSG. It is particularly concerned about federalism issues and other issues impacting states’ rights … The mission of the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee is to serve as CSG’s monitoring and advisory arm on major federal issues before Congress and the Administration.”

Congratulations to you, Elizabeth!