January 1998
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City to City Exchange Sends Boston Leaders to Atlanta Five UMass Boston representatives were among more than 40 Boston leaders who traveled to Atlanta Nov. 15-18 for "City to City: Boston's Leadership Exchange" to learn how other metropolitan cities advance economically, while still addressing theneeds of their citizens.
UMass Boston was the major organizer, sending the following: Sherry H. Penney, chancellor; Hubie Jones, special assistant to the chancellor for urban affairs; Ismael Ramirez-Soto, dean, CPCS; Henry Turner, director, Minority Business Center; and Robert Woodbury, director, McCormack Institute.
The program focused on four objectives: civic decision-making, revitalizing the inner city, regional cooperation and globalism.
The Boston delegation, led by Mayor Thomas Menino, spoke with 26 Atlanta leaders on how the southern city has overcome economic, social and racial differences to achieve many economic and social accomplishments, as well as deal openly and honestly with race relations.
Among the speakers were Mayor Bill Campbell; former mayors Maynard Jackson and Sam Massell; Duane Ackerman, president and CEO of BellSouth Corporation; Shirley Franklin, partner with A. Brown Olmstead Associates; and Dr. Walter Massey, president of Morehouse College.
According to Hubie Jones and Paul Guzzi, president and CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, two lessons were learned that are vital to Atlanta's moving forward: 1.) Atlanta expects strong community leadership from every business leader, and 2.) The city practices intentional racial inclusion.
Atlanta was selected because business leaders work effectively with political, academic, not-for-profit and religious leaders for economic development and social change. Co-sponsors were the city of Boston and the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce