Speakers at the 31st Annual CGO Conference
Bloomington, Minnesota, August 2 - 6, 2011

  • Joe Bast is Director of the Heartland Institute.

  • Bill Batt is a retired university professor and NYS Legislative Staffer, Board member of three major Georgist organizations, researcher, writer, and advocate.

  • Polly Cleveland is Adjunct Professor of Environmental Economics at the Columbia School of International and Public Affairs. She is also Executive Director of the Association for Georgist Studies. Her work has focused on the economics of wealth distribution.

  • Mike Curtis is a longtime Georgist educator, and is currently a trustee of Arden, Delaware.

  • Lindy Davies is Program Director of the Henry George Institute, and publishes the Georgist Journal. A fencing enthusiast, "point-counterpoint" comes naturally to him.

  • Ed Dodson, current President of the CGO, retired in 2005 as a market analysis and business manager for Fannie Mae. He teaches political economy at the Henry George School in Philadelphia.

  • Jim Erkel MN Center for Environmental Advocacy, Land Use & Transportation Program Director since 2001, working on growth management, land use and transportation.

  • Greg Finzell Executive Director of the Rondo Community Land Trust since it was formed in 1993. Previously Director of the Summit University Planning Council in St. Paul.

  • Ted Gwartney is Town Assessor of Greenwich, Connecticut, and President of the CGO.

  • Toni Gwartney CGO Treasurer, former Robert Schalkenbach Foundation staff member.

  • Fred Harrison Author and Journalist, his most recent book is The Predator Culture.

  • Cay Hehner is Education Director of the Henry George School of Social Science in New York City and has taught languages and economics in Berlin, Milan, Rome and New York.

  • Erich Jacoby-Hawkins of the Barrie (Ontario Canada) Green Party has always been interested in social justice, a fair economy, and the sound environment that both depend on.

  • Jay Kiedrowski Senior fellow, Public and Nonprofit Leadership Center, Humphrey Institute. He teaches financial analysis and budgeting and was Minnesota Commissioner of Finance from 1983 to 1987.

  • Adeel Lari Director of Innovative Financing, State and Local Policy Program, Humphrey Institute; joined the University after 30 years with the Minnesota Dept. of Transportation.

  • Janet Lindbo Executive Director, West Hennepin Affordable Housing Land Trust.

  • Irene Marmi Activist; HGS-Chicago Board member

  • Lee Munnich Director, State and Local Policy Program, Humphrey Institute. His research includes congestion pricing, rural transportation safety, and economic development.

  • Rich Nymoen has worked in the areas of diversity and civil rights in the Twin Cities for 15 years.

  • Myron Orfield Director of the Institute on Race and Poverty at the University of Minnesota Law School, an expert on state and local finance, land use planning and civil rights.

  • Rick Rybeck Director of Just Economics, LLC in Washington, DC

  • Jeff Smith Director of the Forum on Geonomics; Editor of The Progress Report

  • Dan Sullivan Director of Saving Communities in Pittsburgh, PA.

  • Nic Tideman is Professor of Economics at the University of Virginia Blacksburg and a former member of the President’s Council of Economic Advisors.

  • Teresa vanderBent Executive Director, Two Rivers Community Land Trust.

  • Tony Vickers, from London, is Chair of the Liberal Democrats ALTER (Action on Land-value Taxation & Economic Reform) and lecturer on Green Taxes, Kingston University School of Surveying & Planning.

  • Frank Walker Attorney, founder of Prosper California.

  • Sue Walton CGO administrator; Henry George Institute Board member and instructor.

  • Jeff Washburne Executive Director of the City of Lakes Community Land Trust, since 2002; previously worked at Twin Cities Neighborhood Housing Services.

  • Dave Wetzel Interim Director, International Union for Land Value Taxation and Free Trade.

  • Adele Wick Economist, Robert Schalkenbach Foundation Board member.

  • Stephen Zarlenga Founder and President of the American Monetary Institute; author of The Lost Science of Money.

  • Jerry Zhao Assistant professor of public administration, Humphrey Institute. His research focuses on how state and local fiscal structures affect public service delivery.