Keynote Presentation: Thoughts on Building Strong Towns
1:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Bayshore 1
Charles L. Marohn Jr., PE, AICP, Founder and President Strong Towns
Presiding: Gail Hamilton, President, Florida Redevelopment Association and CRA Director, City of Zephyrhills
CM I 1.0
Charles L. Marohn Jr. Charles is the Founder and President of Strong Towns. Marohn is the lead author of Thoughts on Building Strong Towns — Volume 1, Volume 2 and Volume 3 — as well as the author of A World Class Transportation System. He hosts the Strong Towns Podcast and is a primary writer for Strong Towns’ web content. He has presented Strong Towns concepts in hundreds of cities and towns across North America and in 2017 was named one of the 10 Most Influential Urbanists of all time by Planetizen. Marohn is a long-time commentator on KAXE Northern Community Radio. He currently co-hosts KAXE’s Dig Deep program, a monthly examination of public policy issues affecting Minnesotans. Chuck grew up on a small farm in Central Minnesota. The oldest of three sons of two elementary school teachers, he joined the Minnesota National Guard on his 17th birthday during his junior year of high school and served for nine years. In addition to being passionate about building a stronger America, he loves playing music, is an obsessive reader and religiously follows his favorite team, the Minnesota Twins. Chuck and his wife live with their two daughters in their hometown of Brainerd, Minnesota.
Gail Hamilton Ms. Hamilton is the CRA Director in Zephyrhills, Florida, and the current President of the Florida Redevelopment Association. Her experience with CRAs in large and small programs, Main Street programs, and other types of revitalization efforts have made her a recognized expert in Florida. In her year as President, the FRA is taking on several big projects to improve value to members, and her leadership in the legislative arena in 2019 was key to the successful passage of a bill supportive of CRAs. This is the second term that Ms. Hamilton has been elected to as the President of the FRA, and she has served in a leadership role in the Florida Main Street Program for many years.