U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan Headlines 2011 BHEF Summer Member Meeting

Washington, DC (June 14, 2011) — U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan addressed BHEF membership at the 2011 BHEF Summer Meeting in Washington, DC. Duncan was joined by BHEF members Wes Bush (CEO & President, Northrop Grumman Corporation), Roger Ferguson (President & CEO, TIAA-CREF), Bill Green (Chairman, Accenture), and David Skorton (President, Cornell University) on a panel that discussed supporting state and national efforts to improve education and workforce outcomes.

Secretary Duncan engaged BHEF’s business and higher education leaders in a conversation that served as a basis for a discussion of BHEF’s agenda for the upcoming year. He encouraged BHEF members to actively support the reforms underway, stating that business, in particular, needs to demand more of education as the U.S. is being out-educated by a host of countries. Duncan also requestedthat business and higher education leaders work to actively support reforms that tackle public complacency surrounding student achievement.

The Secretary’s suggestions align closely with BHEF’s action agenda for the coming year.  By bringing to bear national resources and expertise to influence education and workforce outcomes locally, BHEF is well-positioned to be a key national partner in building the higher levels of education attainment needed to fuel the American economy.