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2008 LEADERS EMERGING ISSUES PROGRAM

Asheville, North Carolina
March 6-9, 2008

What a wonderful time we had in this charming town tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Our Friday started with a tour of The Thomas Wolfe Memorial, childhood home of esteemed author Thomas Wolfe - it was such a special experience.  Wolfe spent his childhood here and describes it as “The Old Kentucky Home” and “Dixieland” in his novel, Look Homeward Angel.  Our next stop on the tour was the Basilica of Saint Lawrence, a National Historic Site -  very inspirational and such a lot to absorb.  Our last stop before lunch was the Grove Arcade.  A beautiful Neo-Gothic architectural masterpiece with dozens of unique shops.  After our shopping experience, luncheon took place at Stovetrotter’s Demonstration Kitchen.  Sounds strange I know but....it was fabulous.  This is a Culinary School Bistro owned by one of the Kennedy Family’s former chefs and it was a most pleasant experience.

Our final stop for Friday was the Biltmore Estate Winery.  The nation’s most visited winery which is housed in Biltmore’s original dairy.  It has been renovated into a modern facility producing award-winning wines.  Last on our agenda was a narrated drive through the Montford Historic District.

Our evening event at The Biltmore House was so much fun - from the tour of “The House” right down to the quartet playing Blue Grass Music.

Our Saturday morning Spouses program took us to Black Mountain, the Front Porch of Western North Carolina.  Our fabulous guide, Ken pointed out significant places to shop or visit such as the Art Center or the Swannanoa Valley Museum.  Our final stop was the town of Montreat.  We visited the Chapel of the Prodigal which houses the internationally renowned fresco “The Return of the Prodigal” by Ben Long.

It was a great program but nothing compares to the warm comraderie of the Spouses.  It is always a very special time for me.  I look forward to seeing each of you hopefully at our Chicago Program, June 5 -8, 2008.

Roberta G. Duane
Program Director

Calendar

December 4 - 7, 2008

Annual Winter Leadership Forum
America's Vote: The New Political Landscape
SLLF Board of Directors Me­eting 
Charleston, South Carolina
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January 16 - 18, 2009

New Speakers Orientation
University of Tennessee - Institute for Public Service
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Program Agenda (pdf)

March 5 - 7, 2009 

SLLF Issues Summit 
Building Strong Economies in a Globalized World 
The Wharton School
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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July 1 - 5, 2009

Transatlantic Leadership Forum
Celebration of the 10th Anniversary of European Operations
Bad Ragaz, Switzerland

July 12 - 15, 2009

Emerging Political Leaders Program
Darden Graduate School of Business Administration
University of Virginia – Charlottesville, Virginia