Annapolis will receive golden exposure this summer, when the nation's top executives gather for a week of high-powered meetings and schmoozing by the bay, local officials said yesterday.
Forbes magazine has chosen Annapolis as the site of its first Forbes CEO Forum, a gathering of the nation's top chief executives, said Mike Lofton, who heads the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corp.
"It's an extraordinary opportunity to showcase our community to the most senior business executives in the country," Mr. Lofton said.
State, county and city economic development officials said they spent several months lobbying Forbes to choose Annapolis. Chief executive officers from 120 businesses were invited to the conference at Loews Annapolis Hotel on July 11 through 15, he said.
"I'm on cloud nine," Mayor Alfred A. Hopkins said. "This is going to mean prestige for the city."
Forbes magazine will hold a news conference in a few weeks. "It's still in the planning stages," Forbes spokeswoman Elizabeth Ames said. "But yes, it's coming, and it's coming to Annapolis."
Beyond the week of activity, the hope is that the conference will bring long-term business to Anne Arundel County.
"The relationships which grow out of this increase the likelihood that we'll both get the chance to compete and be successful in becoming the site of future operations by those companies," Mr. Lofton said.