Journalist/Financier Steven Rattner To Headline RI Fiscal Summit

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

GoLocalProv Business Team

Journalist, financier, Brown alum, Steve Rattner will appear at Brown University on February 23 as part of the RI Fiscal Summit, an event organized by university students.

Noted economic observer Steven Rattner will speak at Brown University on February 23 as part of the RI Fiscal Summit, an event organized by Common Sense Action, a student group that is competing in a nation-wide competition called “Up to Us.”

The event aims to be an educational experience, a networking event, and a call to action, according to the student organizers. Participants, particularly youth, will learn about fiscal challenges facing the United States and what must happen to build a more sustainable future. Participants will connect with the speakers and fellow student leaders. These connections could serve as the launch point for student action statewide, the organizers hope.

Ratter, Paxson, + more

Brown University’s President Christina Paxson will introduce the keynote speaker, Rattner, a Brown alumnus, media contributor, former Counselor to the Secretary of the Treasury, and Steering Committee Member for the Campaign to Fix the Debt. The event will discuss two central questions: How can Americans from both parties come together to build a prosperous and sustainable economic future? And what lessons can Rhode Island teach the nation about solving a debt crisis?

After Rattner’s keynote, attendees will participate in a roundtable lunch discussion, followed by a panel moderated by WPRI's Ted Nesi and featuring former Congressman and current VP of Finance and Administration Bob Weygand, Cranston Mayor Allan Fung, and Laurie White, President of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce.

Youth in the house

The Summit will bring together student leaders from Rhode Island’s college campuses. Brown University, the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, Providence College, and Roger Williams will all be represented at the event.

The event has been cosponsored by the following organizations at Brown: the Office of the President, the Office of the Dean of the College, the Political Theory Project, the Taubman Center for Public Policy, the Swearer Center for Public Service, the Brown Undergraduate Council of Students, the Brown Democrats, and the Brown Republicans.

Common Sense Action

Common Sense Action is a grassroots student organization that mobilizes a bipartisan network of youth voices who demand that society open the gateways of opportunity for our generation. Common Sense Action is led by Brown University students Sam Gilman, Andrew Kaplan, and Heath Mayo. More information about the organization is available at www.commonsenseaction.org. Representing Brown University, Common Sense Action is a participant in the national Up to Us competition, which is sponsored by a partnership between the Clinton Global Initiative the Peter G. Peterson Foundation and Net Impact.

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Comments:

jon paycheck

11:48am on Wednesday, February 20, 2013

he will fit right in with the ri crowd.....

In 2005, Quadrangle made payments to private placement agent Hank Morris to help Quadrangle raise money for its second buyout fund.[11] Morris had come highly recommended to Rattner from U.S. Senator Charles Schumer.[12] Hank Morris was also the chief political advisor to Alan Hevesi, the trustee of the New York State Common Retirement Fund (CRF). Morris told Rattner he could increase the size of the CRF investment in Quadrangle's second buyout fund. Rattner then agreed that Quadrangle would pay Morris 1.1% of any investments greater than $25 million from the CRF. [13]

In 2009, Quadrangle and a dozen other investment firms, including the much larger Carlyle Group, were investigated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for the payments to Morris. The SEC viewed the payments as "kickbacks" in order to manage money for the New York State Common Retirement Fund since Morris was also a consultant to New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi, who controlled the Retirement Fund.[14] Quadrangle paid $7 million in April 2010 to settle the SEC investigation. In November, Rattner personally settled for $6.2 million without admitting or denying any wrongdoing.[15]