Special Invitation

Invited Participant!

G. W. Peoples’ Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Melvin E. Clark, Jr., participated in a two-day business summit in Chicago on June 7-8, hosted by President Bill Clinton, founder of the Clinton Global Initiative-America (CGI) group. This working meeting brought together leaders from the business, foundation, non-governmental organization (NGO), and government sectors to develop solutions that address unemployment, prepare Americans to be competitive global citizens, and rethink current models that shape our economy and society.

Melvin participated in a number of plenary sessions and breakout meetings, including a working group on Entrepreneurship, with the goal of identifying optimal strategies for creating a supportive, high-growth entrepreneurship ecosystem. The Entrepreneurship Working Group members’ role was to explore what lessons can be learned from successes across the country and how organizations from a variety of sectors can help start-ups in their communities flourish. It also examined the role of business in the next generation of entrepreneurs, the role of universities, financial capital challenges, human capital challenges, and under-represented populations, such as minorities and women.

President Clinton welcomed participants that included Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis, U.S. Small Business Administrator Karen Mills, M&T Bank Corporation CEO Robert G. Wilmers, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, Tennessee Governor Bill Halsam, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, New Orleans Mayor Mitch J. Landrieu, and many other prominent business and government leaders.