October 14, 2019
Please join Christopher Smith '83, President & Founder of Summit Global Strategies for this conversation on Capitalism.
Capitalism is part of the fabric of America. But it has also become tarnished and is increasingly in the crosshairs. It has a perception problem, and a performance problem. Increasingly, too many Americans don’t see the system delivering for them, the door of opportunity is closed, and they are looking for alternatives, giving rise to immediate, populist responses on both the left and the right. And it has created an opening for a discussion about socialism. This discussion will ask you to weigh in on how we should renew and reframe capitalism.
Readings:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-stakeholder-ceos-11566248641?mod=hp_opin_pos_2
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/04/28/im-proud-democrat-im-also-proud-capitalist/
Bio:
Christopher Smith is president and founder of Summit Global Strategies, a Washington, D.C. based public affairs consulting firm providing strategic advisory services to clients seeking to navigate the intersection of business, politics, and public policy. Mr. Smith specializes in taking complex public policy issues and finding ways to communicate them in clear and simple terms to the public, the media, and policymakers. He has spent over a decade advising executives from the Fortune 500, individual and family-owned businesses, sovereign governments, major business and government trade associations, and NGOs on financial services and markets, asset management, tax, economic, monetary, and international trade issues, as well as business development and strategy. Mr. Smith brings the unique perspective of having participated in government policymaking at the highest levels in both the Executive and Legislative branches, as well as internationally. Mr. Smith was previously Chief of Staff to U.S. Treasury Secretary John W. Snow in the George W. Bush administration, and also Counselor to the Treasury Secretary. He directed the Department’s day-to-day operations and the policy process for major tax and entitlement reform legislation, financial markets policy, housing finance reform, terrorism finance, as well as international economic diplomacy efforts in the G-8 and G-20. Mr. Smith received the Alexander Hamilton Award, the Department’s highest honor. Mr. Smith served on Capitol Hill for twelve years on the staff of the House Committee on Ways and Means, including as Chief of Staff for Chairman Bill Archer. He oversaw the committee’s operations and professional staff in developing major tax reform, international trade, welfare reform, Social Security, and health care legislation. He was a key participant in legislation implementing major trade agreements, including the Uruguay Round and North American Free Trade Agreements. Smith currently serves as a member of the Advisory Committee for the U.S. Export-Import Bank. Mr. Smith received a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from The George Washington University, received the program’s Distinguished Alumni Award, and is a member of it’s Advisory Board. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration. Mr. Smith received a BA degree in economics from Dickinson College.
Further information
- Location: Stern 102
- Time: 10:30 am - 11:30 am
- Cost: Free