This year's event, entitled "The Washington Perspective," will be on Monday, September 13th, and Tuesday, September 14th. Both days’ events will be held in Washington, D.C., in the Capitol Visitor Center Congressional Auditorium. This widely-attended summit draws more than 300 North Carolina business leaders. Please mark your calendars and make plans to attend!

On Monday the 13th, participants will gather for “The Military-Business Opportunity Panel,” a discussion panel meant to promote discussion about North Carolina’s military presence and the business opportunities it creates and sustains. Participants will also hear congressional briefings from our North Carolina Congressional delegation hosting the event.

On Tuesday the 14th, I will host officials from the Administration and Capitol Hill, as well as political commentators, for an informative discussion on various business, political, and economic topics. Last year’s speakers included Secretary Tom Vilsack, Secretary Ray LaHood, General Wesley Clark, former Governor Howard Dean, Admiral Gary Roughead, Representative Jim Clyburn, former Senator Trent Lott, CBS’s Judy Woodruff, and NBC’s Chuck Todd. In the past, we have been honored to have had speakers such as former Director of Office of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, then-Senator Joe Biden, New York Times Op-Ed Columnist David Brooks, and ABC News Correspondent George Stephanopoulos.