Convocations Series Provides Unparalleled Opportunity

Convocations Series Provides Unparalleled Opportunity

Paul Hawken, best-selling author and entrepreneur who has influenced CEOs and heads of state internationally, will speak about "The Dream of a Livable Future" at Utah State's Convocations Series Oct. 9 at 12:30 p.m. in the Taggart Student Center Stevenson Ballroom.

Hawken has presented keynote addresses to several hundred audiences, including Apple Computer, Citicorp, the Commonwealth Club, the Department of Commerce and Yale, Harvard and Cambridge universities.

Lynne Goodhart, language professor at Utah State, said Hawken is a phenomenal speaker who has helped transform corporate culture toward environmental responsibility.

"To have Mr. Hawken here in Logan is an unparalleled opportunity for all of us," Goodhart said. "He is doing absolutely fundamental work showing us how the most powerful force in the world — commerce — is also doing huge environmental damage, which can impact our global ecology."

Hawken's writings have been published in 27 languages in more than 50 countries and have sold over 2 million copies. One of his books, Growing a Business, became the basis of a 17-part PBS series, which Hawken hosted and produced. The program, which explored the challenges and pitfalls of starting and operating socially responsive companies, was shown on television in 115 countries and watched by more than 100 million people.

Hawken's latest book, Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution, with Amory and Hunter Lovins, has been published in 13 languages and has been read and referred to by heads of state, including President Bill Clinton, who called it one of the five most important books in the world today.

Besides his work as author, Hawken has founded several companies, including Metacode, a software company specializing in proprietary content management tools; Groxis, a graphic information delivery provider for search engines, libraries, scientific repositories, and databases; Smith & Hawken, the garden and catalog retailer; and several of the first natural food companies in the United States that relied solely on sustainable agricultural methods.

Utah State's Arts & Lectures series brings speakers and performers to campus throughout the year. Admission for lectures is free. For more information about upcoming speakers, contact Bethany Youngs at (435) 797-1722 orbkyoungs@cc.usu.edu.