October 2015 Program- Infrastructure

Our country’s Infrastructure is vital to continued growth and development and it is crumbling beneath us. Roads, bridges, rail systems, water and wastewater capacity and technology are all infrastructure that help drive the economy.

The article “Why can’t we move?”, by Rosabeth Moss-Kanter, in Harvard Magazine pointed to some very scary and thought-provoking ideas .

• During the past 25 years, the United States has had nearly 600 bridge failures. Federal officials have deemed a full quarter of U.S. bridges structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. By 2023, one in four U.S. bridges, which are typically designed to serve for 50 years, will be more than 65 years old.
• The average commuter wastes 38 hours a year sitting in unnecessary traffic.
• In May 2013, a commuter train crash injured 76 people. The problem was traced to a single broken rail, although that was just one of many trouble spots resulting from years of deferred maintenance of components dating to the late 1800s.
• It could take big bucks to repair, let alone modernize, existing infrastructure – almost $2 trillion during the next five years, according to estimates by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Delays in every transportation mode bring costs to the economy and lost opportunities for productivity and quality of life.
• The state of transportation infrastructure touches every important societal issues: health and safety, air quality, family budgets, productivity and use of time, inequality and social mobility, the nature of cities, jobs for today and jobs for the future.
• Change requires political will, public support and private sector savvy. In absence of a strong national will, governors and mayors are taking the lead.
• Beyond desperately needed modernization of physical infrastructure, we must invest to take advantage of new technological opportunities to improve transportation and enhance our economic prospects.

During our discussion, the panelists will discuss the state’s crumbling infrastructure and what is being done about it.

MODERATOR | Peter Zeiler- Economic Development Director for Mecklenburg County

Peter Zeiler is an economic developer with 16 years of experience whose focus is helping cities build sustainable economies by leveraging public-private partnerships and by making effective investments in job creation. Zeiler was named the Economic Development Director of Mecklenburg County in March 2015.  His focus is on the reorganization and expansion of County activities including increased emphasis on five key policy areas: Business Attraction and Retention; Commercial & Neighborhood Redevelopment; Small Business and Entrepreneurial Support; Workforce Development and Tourism. 

PANELIST| Matt Moyer – Senior Bridge Engineer with HDR

Matthew Moyer is a senior bridge engineer in HDR's Raleigh office and serves as the Bridge Inspection Program Leader for the South Atlantic Area. His 16 years of experience includes design of a wide variety of bridges as well as bridge inspection. Matthew has served as the Project Manager for inspections, deck evaluations and bridge preservation/rehabilitation plans, coordinating with NCDOT and managing activities of inspections crews for bridges throughout North Carolina. 

PANELIST| Warren Cooksey- Director of Outreach and Community Affairs for NCDOT Division 10

Warren Cooksey is a Graduate of Davidson College with a BA in History. Since Spring 2014, he has been the Director of Outreach and Community Affairs for the NCDOT Division 10 (Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Union, Stanly, Anson Counties).  He's been involved in the civic sector for 18 years, including: serving on the Charlotte City Council (2007-2013), representing District 7 in south Charlotte; Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Commission, including one year as Vice Chairman (2000-2007); Charlotte Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors, including one year as Chairman (1998-2004) and the Secretary/Treasurer of Carolinas 2000, Charlotte’s effort to host a Presidential Nominating Convention in 2000 (1997-1998).  Other activities, accolades include being recognized in the Charlotte Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” community leaders in 2009; E.A. Morris Fellowship for Emerging Leaders, 2006; Charlotte Observer community columnist, 2000; Teacher, Civics 101 (a program of the League of Women Voters), 1999-2007, and Fellow of the Institute of Political Leadership, 1998.

PANELIST| Barry Gullet - Director of Charlotte Water

Barry Gullet is the Director of Charlotte Water, a regional water and sewer utility, serving approximatley one million people in Charlotte and throughout Mecklenburg County in North Carolina. Since joining the Utility in 1978, Barry has served as a Civil Engineer, Assistant Chief Engineer, Interim Water Treatment Superintendent, Interim Wastewater Treatment Superintendent, Deputy Director, and was appointed to the Director position in 2010. He is a graduate of UNC Charlotte, and a Professional Engineer. He serves as Chair of the Catawba-Wateree Water Management Group, as a member of the Board of Trustees for the NC American Water Works Association – Water Environment Association, and is a Delegate to the Water Environment Federation. Barry has been awarded the George Warren Fuller Award and the Arthur Sidney Bedell Award.

PANELIST| Mary Ellen Player - Local City Operations Manager for Google Fiber

 Mary Ellen Player serves as the Business Operations Lead for Google Fiber in Charlotte. As part of her duties, Mary Ellen is responsible for managing key local relationships including city staff, officials and key business partners. She also is responsible for developing the business and sales strategy for the Charlotte Fiber rollout as well as providing cross-functional leadership across Outside Plant, Marketing, Business Development, Sales, & the external construction vendor. This is Mary Ellen's third role in her seven years at Google, serving first in a marketing capacity and later working in financial operations for the CFO of Motorola Mobility, a former Google owned subsidiary. Mary Ellen began her career as a management consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton where she did strategy work for the United States Army. She received her undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from Harvard College and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business where she attended as a Google Fellow. In Charlotte, Mary Ellen is a member of the Center City Rotary, the Charlotte Global Vision Leaders Committee and a choir and church member at Caldwell Presbyterian Church. She is a native of Lake City, South Carolina (neither a Lake, nor a City!) She is also a 17 year volunteer of the Palmetto Girls State program, where she has been musical director and senior staff member for 17 years. She now lives in the Dilworth neighborhood.

PROGRAM SPONSOR

If you have any questions, please contact Sara Riggenbach at 704.594.8968 or [email protected].

Cancellation/Refund Policy
Cancellations made 72-hours prior to the event will receive a refund. Due to our commitment with the meeting facility for food and beverage quantities, all other cancellations or no-shows will be invoiced for the full cost of the event.