Former CIA director and retired U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus will be the keynote speaker at Judson University’s World Leaders Forum this fall, university officials announced.
“I think Gen. Petraeus will be a very compelling speaker,” said Gene Crume, president of the Elgin-based school. “He’s one of those individuals that when you read his background, he’s had some incredible experiences, he’s been a person of influence to people of different political thoughts and perspectives.”
Petraeus, 67, served more than 37 years in the U.S. military. His career included six consecutive commands, five of which were in combat, including command of coalition forces during the surge in Iraq, command of U.S. Central Command and command of coalition forces in Afghanistan.
Petraeus was director of the CIA under President Obama for a year, resigning in 2012 after an extramarital affair became public.
According to the World Leaders Forum, Petraeus currently serves as chairman of the KKR Global Institute, an arm of the global investment firm KKR. He is an honorary professor at the University of Birmingham in England and is a board member for the Institute for the Study of War, the Atlantic Council and more than a dozen veterans service organizations.
He is the recipient of numerous U.S. military, State Department, NATO and United Nations medals and awards, including four Defense Distinguished Service Medals, the Bronze Star Medal for Valor, the Combat Action Badge, the Ranger tab and master parachutist wings. He has been decorated by 13 foreign countries.
Crume said organizers wanted someone with a bipartisan perspective — Petraeus served under both the Bush and Obama administrations — who could give their take on the presidential election, which will be held just two weeks after his Oct. 20 speech at the Schaumburg Convention Center.
“We hope he can convey humanness, look at things from a bipartisanship approach and what we can anticipate over the next four years,” Crume said.
Now in its ninth year, World Leaders Forum organizers features well-known public figures who have included President George W. Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Mexican President Felipe Calderon and British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Former U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy was the keynote speaker at last year’s event.
Proceeds from the event go toward the Judson Leadership Scholars program, entrepreneurial activities, World Leaders Forum operations, and foster care youth programming and opportunities at Judson.
Judson alumnus and entrepreneur Mark Vargas will moderate the October program.
The forum’s other two speaker series — “Conversations with Mark Vargas” and “Inspirational Series” — will not be held this year, Crume said. The plan is to continue the two series in 2021.
“Trying to put something together in the spring, it would feel like we were rushing it,” he said.
This is the second time the World Leaders Forum will be held off campus in Schaumburg. Tickets can be purchased at judsonu.edu/wlf/.
raguerrero@tribpub.com
