CG/LA Infrastructure, through its flagship Blueprint 2025 initiative, has launched the National Infrastructure Performance Council, a new, wide-ranging group of national leaders focused tackling the country's infrastructure development and investment. Maurice R. "Hank" Greenberg, chairman and CEO of C.V. Starr & Co. Inc. and General (Ret) David Petraeus, are founding members of the Council.
The Council was recently announced during the 11th Annual North American Infrastructure Leadership Forum in Washington, D.C.
The National Infrastructure Performance Council is a high-impact steering committee — comprised of some of the nation's most accomplished leaders in business, finance, policy, and academia — and focused on doubling the annual level of investment in infrastructure and sustaining that level of investment through 2030. Achieving these goals are central to the U.S. national interest, hence the involvement of transformative leaders such as Greenberg and Petraeus.
"With the participation of members such as Hank Greenberg and General Petraeus, the U.S. National Infrastructure Performance Council has an opportunity — for the first time — to ensure the country is on the right course to sustain its infrastructure and make the right investments in the country's future," said Norman Anderson, chairman and CEO of CG/LA Infrastructure. "Especially as an extension of our Blueprint 2025 initiative, this council will leverage some of the country's top voices and is poised to provide critical insights into the approach needed to double our annual infrastructure investment."
Petraeus, who oversaw the Surge in Iraq, agreed that America urgently needs a surge in infrastructure investments that will increase productivity in the United States and substantially increase potential GDP growth. During his recent keynote address, he noted the need for a very senior official in the White House, ideally the President or someone supported and empowered by the President, to drive the effort.
Drawing a comparison to then-President Bush's personal weekly teleconferences with Ambassador Crocker and General Petraeus during the Iraq Surge to ensure executive branch focus, this person would work with members of Congress, as well as state and municipal leaders and private sector firms, to develop a comprehensive approach, bringing together various appropriated funds, tax incentives, regulatory assistance, state and local support, as well as private investment.
Additionally, he agreed with leading economists on the importance of such initiatives when interest rates are so relatively low and likely headed lower.
"This is a golden opportunity for our country," Petraeus said, "and it is an urgent and hugely important one, as well. Indeed, it is something on which bipartisan support in Washington could undoubtedly be achieved."
To achieve its mission, the National Infrastructure Performance Council brings together the nation's infrastructure expertise to collaborate with the Administration and Congressional leaders on the development and implementation of a national infrastructure strategy. Greenberg punctuated this point: "Our country needs an infrastructure stimulus from the public and private sector in order to grow. The decisions we make now will represent long-term investment that will serve our country for the next 30-40 years."
Under the overall theme of "The Infrastructure Renaissance: Creating the Future with Great Projects, Partnerships, and People," the 11th Annual North American Infrastructure Leadership Forum focuses on three critical sub-themes: Technologies Defining the Future; The Coming Infrastructure Surge; and Private, Long-term, Investment Strategies.
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