Keynote Presenters

During stimulating keynote sessions, attendees will be inspired to tap into new energy and a sense of reinforced commitment for the work of serving community. Conference keynote speakers combine inspirational messages with outstanding content.  They are the foundation for a successful TLG conference and drive home the concepts explored each year.

Keynote presenters are joined by TLG Conference Theme Coaches.  The theme coach plays the role of  weaving themes together for conference attendees and driving key points home.

Kansas City, Kansas has a new Internet provider, one that operates a 1Gbps fiber-to-the-home network, provides "open access" to any ISP wanting to use the pipes, and charges fees in line with current rates for much slower connections. That new Internet provider? Google.

When Google announced in February 2010 that it would build and operate its own fiber test network, the company said it would "offer service at a competitive price to at least 50,000 and potentially up to 500,000 people." More than 1,000 US towns applied for the program, and Google chose one with around 150,000 people.

An important part of Google's test network is finding new ways to make use of 1Gbps speeds, and it hopes to spur development of next-generation applications. In announcing the Kansas City win, Google said it was especially pleased to "be working closely with local organizations including the Kauffman Foundation, KCNext and the University of Kansas Medical Center to help develop the gigabit applications of the future." Kauffman is a major financial backer of entrepreneurship programs; it's certainly too early to think that Kansas City will become the Silicon Valley startup capitol of the Midwest, though city backers certainly hope the project will benefit the region.

In this keynote Milo Medin, Vice President for Access Services will address some of the next generation applications and how cities and counties can use technology to better serve citizens.

Glen Heimstra

Glen Hiemstra is the Founder of Futurist.com. An internationally acclaimed expert on future trends, long-range planning and creating the preferred future, Glen has advised professional, business, and governmental organizations for two decades. Public sector projects include assisting state and local government in long-range planning, the FHWA in identifying advanced research needs, and the National Academies in identifying data intensive research needs for the a smart grid. Glen has served as a technical advisor for futuristic television programs.

He is the author of Turning the Future into Revenue: What Businesses and Individuals Need to Know to Shape Their Future. Previously he co-authored Strategic Leadership: Achieving Your Preferred Future. His website is regularly visited by people from over 120 nations. You can follow Glen at twitter.com/glenhiemstra as well as through his blog at Futurist.com.

In this keynote, Glen Hiemstra, will explore the knowable but often surprising nature of key trends as they impact the future of our communities and governance. The big trends – economy, population, energy, environment, technology, food security – influence the future of cities and communities in important ways, and offer both challenges and opportunities. How will aging and youth demographics, the great divides in our society, economic and environmental challenges, along with innovation in telepresence, 3D communication, nanotechnology, energy, housing, and more impact how we live? What is the future of cities, in a world where the biggest population trend continues to be movement toward cities? What is the future of governance in a world where the conflict between social and infrastructure needs, and money, seems unending? What options do we have to create a preferred future, rather than just waiting for the future to happen to us?

Neal Petersen, No Barrier - Only Solutions!

South African-born, Neal Petersen is a professional adventurer, world-class solo around-the-world racing yachtsman, global investor and international speaker. PBS airs a documentary about his life – “No Barriers – the Story of Neal Petersen”, and he wrote the award winning auto-biography, Journey of a Hope Merchant. Petersen has faced many challenges in life – poverty, discrimination and other insurmountable barriers – and he always responded by turning them into opportunities and solutions. His experience shows that imagination coupled with determination to achieve, can break through the toughest challenges. Neal completed the 1998-99 “Around Alone”, a 27,000 mile yacht race, 9 months at sea ~ alone; in a yacht he designed and built himself. In sharing his high-impact, unique and extraordinary adventure, Neal delivers a powerful message that “In Life There Are No Barriers – Only Solutions!”