IN ONLY FIVE YEARS, Seattle Pacific University's annual Greater Seattle Community Breakfast has become a "tradition" for business leaders. "We are very pleased that it's such a premiere event," says Dean of the School of Business and Economics Alec Hill, one of the SPU leaders who helped establish the event.
Part of the Breakfast's success has been the appearance of outstanding keynote speakers such as columnist George Will; former Time magazine correspondent David Aikman; former Senator George Mitchell; and this year, the well-known author, former secretary of education and "drug czar" William Bennett.
In his introductory remarks at the Breakfast, President Philip Eaton said, "Let's show our younger generation that we can grow up and have a talk about things that really matter."
"We look for speakers who are leaders, opinion-shapers, people of stature who have something to say about the issues of our day," says Seattle Pacific President Philip Eaton.
This strategy has been an effective way to communicate with an off-campus and often-secular audience, says David Justin Ross, CEO of RAF Technology, and new member of the SPU School of Business and Economics Executive Advisory Council. "As a businessman who is also a Christian, it's important for me to see a high-quality Christian organization like SPU actively engage the general community."
Precisely the point, notes President Eaton. "This is not a fund-raising event. Our purpose with the breakfast is to engage the culture, reflect on the issues, and build toward a better community."
It's an effort that is well-received by hundreds of people every year, including Frederick Weiss, president of Weiss-Jenkins Development Company. "We've been treated to messages of common sense and wisdom on a variety of topics," he says. "Sometimes it's a bit controversial, but it's always thought-provoking."
One benefit of the Breakfast for SPU has been the establishment of positive, lasting relationships with guest speakers. According to Bennett, "The event at Seattle Pacific was perhaps the best event of its kind that I have ever attended."
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