My most exciting new engagement continues to be The Center for Business Education, Innovation and Development (CBEID).  An outgrowth of Geneva Learners' World Affairs and World Business forums, CBEID is an all-volunteer initiative to help encourage and enhance small business and start-up success in the Geneva-St.Charles-Batavia area.  Organized as a not-for- profit corporation late in 2008, CBEID has conducted six (6) educational programs and organized a large network of people with experience and interest in small business innovation. 

Several years ago I helped organize a  broad educational and networking initiative - Geneva Learners - to be composed of study groups meeting in downtown Geneva.  I co-facilitate the World Affairs group, which meets weekly at the Geneva History Center. 

Also, I remain on a sub-committee of the Geneva Strategic Plan Advisory Committee (SPAC).  The International Cultural Exchange Committee (ICEC) has developed an exciting collaboration with a dynamic partner in Croissy sur Seine, France.  We have exchanges on many levels - artists, students, musicians, museum directors, city leaders, etc .  While we look for other cities interested to do the same, ICEC has developed a relationship with international families at FermiLab.

Executive Service Corps of Chicago (see updates) remains in my experience THE most impressive organization for its ability to develop and engage retiree talent in meaningful ways.  I am now engaged in my fifth or sixth project.

At Erie Neighborhood House I am still serving on an ad hoc executive committee where I'm encouraging the enhancement of retiree tutor/mentoring programs and developing lifelong learning groups in Erie neighborhoods.   I participate in the TEAM-AMP (Tutoring to Educate for Aims and Motivation - Alumni Mentoring Program) and will join certain initiatives which come out of a recent MacArthur Foundation tour to Guanajuato, Mexico (see Updates)!

I remain on the Executive Committee of The Global Chicago Center, an outreach initiative to Chicago ’s immigrant leaders.   The task forces in which I participated have published reports - "A Shared Future: The Economic Engagement of Greater Chicago and Its Mexican Community" and Chicago's Global Future 2007.  I highly commend CCGA's task force - Strengthening America: The Civic and Political Integration of Muslim Americans, 2007, parts of which I observed.

I continue to support Eckerd College programs helping retirees to make significant contributions to society while enjoying a healthy lifestyle and  and ASPEC. I still enjoy co-hosting ASPEC's Discussing Differences Online learning group, an outgrowth of which is ASPEC's African American Student Support Program, whereby ASPEC mentors help Eckerd College recruit and retain high-achieving minority students.  AAASSP is celebrating its tenth year! I also started a new on-line learning group - RethinkingRetirement. 

Eckerd College sponsored the Third Annual Positive Aging Conference December 7-9, 2009, which I attended.

European Commission - sponsored
“SUSDIV” Network

"Sustainable Development in a Diverse World" (SUS.DIV) is a network of European scholars and practitioners with whom I've been associated for about five years.  The current series of workshops and research initiatives that I've joined, along with University of Illinois Chicago's College of Urban Policy and Planning, is working on Ethnic Entrepreneurship - what makes ethnic businesses work and how to encourage, sustain and increase their income-generating opportunities.  As part of this, and also in response to the current economic crisis, I presented a paper on Entrepreneurship in Stockholm.