China Town Hall Meeting


Sixth Annual China
Town Hall Meeting

State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota, an alliance member of Sister Cities Association of Sarasota, will present a town hall meeting Monday, Oct. 29 at the Lakewood Ranch campus to discuss Sino-American relations with leading local and international experts.

The SCF event will begin at 4:30 pm with registration and appetizers, followed by the local program featuring national committee speaker Leland R. Millier and panel discussions led by Allen Carlson, President and CEO of Sun Hydralics Corporation. Highlight will be a nationalwide webcast by former US Ambassador to the People's Republic of China, Gary Locke.

Along with his longstanding commitment to public service, Ambassador Locke has extensive experience working with China. As Secretary of Commerce, he co-chaired two sessions of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade that resulted in important changes to Chinese trade policy. As Governor of Washington, he successfully strengthened economic ties between China and Washington State, more than doubling the state's exports to China to over $5 billion per year.

Ambassador Locke is the first Chinese-American to serve as Ambassador to China, as Secretary of Commerce and as Governor. His grandfather emigrated from China to Washington State, initially finding employment as a servant, working in exchange for English lessons. His father, also born in China, was a small business owner, operating a grocery store where Ambassador Locke worked while receiving his education from Seattle's public school system. Ambassador Locke earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Yale University and a law degree from Boston University.

To RSVP or learn more about the event contact Marilyn Rouse, Information Technology Services, State College of Florida a
941-752-5694       or rousem@scf.edu