The first Hispanic mayor of a major U.S. city, Henry Cisneros, will be the guest speaker for the third annual Arthur A. Blumenfeld Memorial Lecture. The lecture will be held Wed., Sept. 22 at 6 p.m. at the Sheraton Old Town Hotel.
The Arthur A. Blumenfeld Endowed Lecture Series honors the life and work of the late Arthur Blumenfeld, former national president of the Government Finance Officers Association and former chief administrative officer for the City of Albuquerque.
During his visit, Cisneros will also meet with specially invited students and faculty at the University of New Mexico to talk about public administration.
The main mission of the Blumenfeld Lecture Series is to facilitate excellence in public administration. Cisneros will speak on Leadership and Diversity in Public Administration at the UNM Student Union Building, Ballroom A at 12:30 p.m. Invited students and faculty at UNM's School of Public Administration and ASM will be in attendance. UNM President Louis Caldera will introduce Cisneros. The luncheon is provided through contributions to the UNM Foundation/Arthur A. Blumenfeld Lecture Series.
Cisneros’ evening lecture on the Future of America’s Cities is open to the public. The event will feature a cocktail reception beginning at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and the keynote speech. Tickets for the event are $75. Tables of 10 are available for $750. E-mail Lisa McHale at mchale@mgt.unm.edu or call 277-0880 to RSVP.
Cisneros served as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from 1993-1997. Starting in 1981, Cisneros served four terms as mayor of San Antonio, Texas, where he was able to help revitalize the city’s economic base and create jobs through massive infrastructure and downtown improvements, making the city one of the most progressive in the nation.
“One only needs to look at his extensive background in government to see Cisneros’ commitment to the ideal of public service,” said David Campbell, chair of the Blumenfeld Lecture Steering Committee. “It is so important that those who are thinking about careers in public administration get a chance to see how a person can make a difference in a community. That’s essentially what the Blumenfeld Lecture Series is all about.”
Cisneros has also served as president of the National League of Cities, chairman of the National Civic League and deputy chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning, a master’s in Public Administration from Harvard and a Ph.D. in public administration from George Washington University.
Contacts: Susan Wilson, Hirst Córdova Public Relations, (505) 266-5637; Steve Carr, UNM, (505) 277-1821