Speakers
Keynote speakers include:
Andy Serwer, managing editor of Fortune
Andy Serwer was named managing editor of Fortune in October 2006, responsible for overseeing and directing the multi-media proposition, involving not only the bi-weekly magazine but its brand representations on the Internet, on television and radio, and wherever the reader wants his or her information. Founded in 1930, Fortune is a global leader in business journalism, known for its unrivalled access to industry leaders and has a worldwide circulation of over one million and a readership in excess of five million. The Washington Post recently called Fortune “the best business magazine in America.”
Previously, Serwer was editor-at-large at Fortune since 1998, he wrote the “Street Life” column as well as stories about the personalities and behind-the-scenes action on Wall Street. His work has ranged from his provocative column in every issue to major cover stories on everything from the young Michael Dell to Michael Price (“The Toughest S.O.B. on Wall Street”) to the business of the Rolling Stones to the first look inside the financial and philanthropic workings of America’s richest family, the Waltons.
In addition to his magazine work, Andy became one of the industry’s first Internet stars nine years ago with a daily market round-up called, “Street Life” that appeared on CNNMoney.com, Fortune’s online home, and generated more than 50,000 e-mail subscribers during its lifespan. He has also been the very successful business anchor of CNN’s American Morning news show.
Serwer joined Fortune in 1985 as an intern from the Columbia Journalism School, and was later promoted to associate editor. He quickly went on to become one of its most insightful, popular and productive writers. In addition to covering Wall Street, investing, information technology, and entertainment for the magazine, Serwer has also edited and written the front of the book section of Fortune, which includes breaking news and features focusing on business personalities, media, and technology.
Serwer was named 2000 Business Journalist of the Year by TJFR Business News Reporter, which called him "perhaps the nation's top multimedia talent, successfully juggling the roles of serious journalist, astute commentator and occasional court jester. He's a prototype and inspires others in business journalism to test their skills in other media." Marketing Computers also ranked him sixth on its "Top Ten Web" list of Internet journalists.
Mr. Serwer received a bachelor's degree in history from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, graduating with departmental honors in 1981. He received an MBA from Emory University in Atlanta and a master's in journalism from Columbia University.
Governor Phil Bredesen
Phil Bredesen took office as Tennessee's 48th governor on January 18, 2003, delivering on a promise to leave stale political debates behind and focus on achieving real results for families. In November 2006, he was re-elected in a landslide victory – reportedly becoming the first governor in over a century to win all 95 counties in Tennessee.
Now, Bredesen begins his second term as Governor with a focus on raising high school and college graduation rates, boosting the economies of Tennessee’s smaller and mid-sized communities, strengthening public education at every level and promoting access to health care and healthier lifestyles for all citizens, especially young Tennesseans.
Before serving as Tennessee's governor, Bredesen served as mayor of Nashville from 1991 to 1999, working with community leaders to chart a course that made Music City U.S.A. one of the best places in America to live, work and raise a family.
Before entering public service, Bredesen worked in the health care industry. Between research trips to the public library, he drafted a business plan at his kitchen table that led to the creation in 1980 of HealthAmerica Corp., a Nashville-based health care management company that eventually grew to more than 6,000 employees and traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The company was sold in 1986.
Bredesen and his wife, First Lady Andrea Conte, are active members in the community, locally and statewide. He is a founding member of Nashville's Table, a nonprofit group that collects discarded food from local restaurants and distributes it to the city's homeless population. He also founded the Land Trust for Tennessee, a nonprofit organization that works statewide to preserve open space and traditional family farms.