New State Advisory Group to be Announced in Support of International Affairs Efforts

Washington, DC — Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command, will sit down with CNN contributor Frank Sesno to talk about the challenges the U.S. faces and how our civilian-led tools of development and diplomacy are integral to our strategy for global engagement.  Hosted jointly by the Tampa Bay Council on World Affairs and the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC) this Wednesday evening, February 3, 2010, Petraeus will also discuss how important U.S. international affairs efforts are to Florida’s security and economy.

USGLC’s is also launching its Florida State Advisory Committee, which is comprised of government, military, business and faith-based leaders from across the state committed to putting smart power to work for Florida, many of whom will also be attending the event.

Who: Gen. David Petraeus, Commander, United States Central Command
Frank Sesno, CNN Contributor and Director of the School of Media and Public Affairs at the George
Washington University
Dick Batchelor, Batchelor Management Group
Betty Castor, Executive Director, Patel Center for Global Solutions, University of South Florida
Ken Hagan, Chairman, Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners
Richard Wainio, CEO, Tampa Port Authority
Stephen Albee, President, Tampa Bay Council of World Affairs and Commerce
Liz Schrayer, Executive Director, U.S. Global Leadership Coalition

What: A Conversation with General David Petraeus: 21^st Century Security: The Role of Our Civilian Tools

When: February 3, 2010
6:00 p.m.

Where: Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza
4200 Jim Walter Boulevard
Tampa, Florida  33607

The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (www.usglc.org) is a broad-based influential network of 400 businesses and NGOs; national security and foreign policy experts; and business, faith-based, academic and community leaders in all 50 states who support a smart power approach of elevating development and diplomacy alongside defense in order to build a better, safer world.

###