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Grand Rapids Economic Club to host Condoleeza Rice in June

By Jenny Whalen GVL Managing Editor
3/15/2009

Bill Clinton, Dan Quayle, Madeleine Albright and Tom Brokaw are only a few of the speakers who have been featured by the Grand Rapids Economic Club.

In June, Condoleezza Rice will join their elite company.

On June 22, former Secretary of State Rice will serve as the annual speaker for the Economic Club of Grand Rapids' annual dinner.

"Typically for our annual dinner event - our signature black tie dinner event - we host a world leader," said Lorna Schultz, executive director of the Economic Club. "We have hosted two or three of the past secretaries of state, such as Colin Powell. (Rice is) keeping with the type of speaker we try to get for this event."

Mandi Bird, an event planner for the Grand Valley State University Hauenstein Center, said she is a great fan of Rice, and admires her as a woman, scholar and political leader.

"She is obviously highly educated in international security, so she is an expert in that realm," Bird said. "Everything that she does she knocks everyone out of the park. When she speaks, everyone listens. She really does her research and should not be taken lightly."

Bird is the author of "Our First African American President?" a research-based article that focuses on Rice - her background and politics.

"(Rice) is definitely a great role model for women," Bird said. "She definitely lets her thoughts evolve. She doesn't allow herself to pick one view and never change. She will admit when she is wrong, which is great for a leader."

Jeanine Anderson, Student Senate vice president of Political Affairs, shares Bird's high opinion of Rice.

"I think she is a very intelligent woman and she is a minority," Anderson said. "I think she was a very good secretary of state. She was very diplomatic, but I'm not sure if we are able to judge her without separating her from the Bush administration."

Shultz said she expects some of the Rice's discussion will cover women's rights on a global scale, the need to support arts in world communities and continuing economic issues.

"I'm certain she will make her remarks as timely as possible considering global scenarios," Schultz said. "She can talk on a variety of topics and as we get closer to the event, (we can) focus more (on specific issues).

Rice does not fit the Republican mold, being pro-choice, and Bird said she admires Rice's adherence to her personal beliefs and overall independence in the political arena.

"She'll stand by her values and won't let herself be pigeonholed," Bird said. "I really look up to her and I'd love to see her."

Though the annual dinner is closed to the public, Economic Club members are allowed to bring guests to the event.

The Grand Rapids Economic Club was instituted in 1976 hosts about 18-20 luncheon meetings throughout the year, which feature various high-profile speakers.

"We are a speaker organization," Schultz said. "The purpose of the club is to provide a forum for members and their guests to hear a variety of speakers on a diverse array of topics and become more informed."

The Economic Club will host author and former NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw on May 28 and Rice will speak on June 22.

For more information on the Economic Club or its events, visit http://www.econclub.net/.

managingeditor@lanthorn.com

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