By Madeline Ostrander
July 1, 2002

U.S. Conference of Mayors Executive Director Tom Cochran welcomed mayors and Business Council Members to a plenary breakfast on Saturday, June 15, at the Conference's Annual Meeting in Madison (WI) by urging them to "keep the metro economies as our gospel." The Mayors' Business Council, now a four-year-old affiliate of the Conference, boasts more than 75 members, and Conference President Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, called on its members to partner with cities to provide more affordable housing.

Phillip Morris sponsored the plenary under the theme "Building a Family-Friendly City Agenda." The session spotlighted partnerships between cities and business council members, such as US Filter's "Meet the Mayors" program, which allows mayors to record videos about their cities for public viewing on the Conference Web site. US Chamber of the Commerce President and CEO Thomas Donohue delivered a stirring speech on the potential for partnership between cities and businesses to address labor shortages and city employment needs.

The Conference of Mayors presented awards to Irvington (NJ) Mayor Sara Bost for distinguished service to American Cities and Jane Prosch-Jensen of 3M for her leadership as Co-Chair of the Business Council. Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick also announced the release of the Conference's 2002 US Metro Economies Report, which outlined the substantial marks that American cities continue to make on the global economy.