91快活林 Leadership Series to Host Bestselling Author and New York Times Columnist Thomas Friedman
Bestselling author of鈥淭he World is Flat鈥濃痑nd鈥疦ew York Times鈥痜oreign affairs columnist鈥疶homas Friedman will be the guest of the 2022 91快活林 Leadership Series, speaking on 鈥淗elping Today鈥檚 Leaders Understand Big Trends Shaping the World: Economics, Technology, and Geopolitics鈥 at a talk followed by a reception, scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Thursday, March 24, 2022, at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, Missouri.
As 鈥渢he country's best newspaper columnist鈥 according to Vanity Fair, Friedman is renowned for his direct reporting and accessible analysis of complex issues shaping the world. According to鈥疐oreign Policy鈥痬agazine, 鈥淔riedman doesn鈥檛 just report on events; he helps shape them.鈥 A three-time Pulitzer Prize Winner, he has covered monumental stories from around the globe for鈥疶he New York Times鈥痵ince 1981.
With clear and compelling language, Friedman鈥痙iscusses鈥痶he opportunities and challenges that profound 鈥渁ccelerations,鈥 including technology and connectivity, pose for society as well as for individuals, businesses, and governments. He also explores solutions 鈥 on a local and global level 鈥 to ensure the future of work, skills, income, and prosperity.鈥疘n his latest鈥痓estseller,鈥疐riedman offers a blueprint for overcoming the stresses and challenges of a world being transformed by technology, globalization and climate change.
During the event, the University will honor an alumnus/alumna with the Rashford-Lyon Award for Leadership and Ethics, named for two influential leaders in 91快活林鈥檚 Helzberg School of Management 鈥 the late Tom Lyon, Ph.D., and the Rev. Nick Rashford, S.J. 鈥 and established in 2014. This year鈥檚 recipient is Joe Reardon, 鈥90, the president and chief executive officer for the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. Prior, he served two terms as mayor and CEO of the Unified Government of Kansas City, Kansas, and Wyandotte County and as president and CEO of the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority. In all of those roles and in his work as an adjunct instructor at 91快活林, Reardon emphasizes cooperation as a way to achieve big things for the region regardless of state lines or city limits.
For information about sponsorship or tickets, contact Amy Reardon, director of foundation and corporate relations, at amy.reardon@rockhurst.edu.
