EVENTS

Governor Mark R. Warner Speaks to LMI Staff

Talks About Management Challenges for State Governments

McLean, Virginia, October 4, 2005—Gov. Mark R. Warner addressed the LMI staff today as part of the LMI Research Institute’s Distinguished Speaker series. The governor shared his experiences running the state of Virginia for the past four years, emphasizing the challenges of applying sound business practices to state government. When he took office in 2002, Virginia had a budget deficit of $3.8 billion, prompting him to launch an examination of state business operations. This effort led to the consolidation of state-wide information technology operations and to the treatment of the state’s real estate portfolio as a business. The governor repeatedly stressed the importance of using technology to enhance the efficiency of government operations.

At the end of his talk, Gov. Warner took questions from the staff, commenting on national issues, such as the government response to recent natural disasters, and local issues, such as transportation infrastructure in Northern Virginia. In response to a question on the lessons learned from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the governor returned to the use of technology, stressing the importance of a shared communications network for first responders. He closed with remarks on his belief that the American people are eager to help resolve the nation’s problems but that government needs to ask for their assistance.

Governor Warner became Virginia’s 69th governor in January 2002. In his campaign for election, he highlighted his business background and skills, which he now employs in the management of Virginia’s day-to-day operations. In 2004, Governing magazine named him one of its “Public Officials of the Year” and recognized Virginia as the only state in the country to earn straight A’s in fiscal management in 2005.  

LMI is a not-for-profit government consulting firm. The Distinguished Speaker series brings senior government officials to LMI to share their thoughts on critical issues facing government managers.