U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-New York) will address The Council Friday, Sept. 21, during its Annual Meeting at the Sagamore in Bolton Landing.

Sen. Clinton is expected to discuss a range of policy issues in Washington that relate to the economy and business climate of New York State. Her remarks are tentatively scheduled for 9 a.m.

The Friday morning agenda at the Annual Meeting also includes a panel discussion on how business can help schools meet higher standards.

Business leaders who work on education initiatives will join education officials in the session.

The representatives of business scheduled to participate on this panel are among most visible and influential executives working on education in New York State and the nation.

For example, Stanley S. Litow oversees all philanthropic activities for IBM, whose chairman, Lou Gerstner, has made education the focus of IBM's public policy and community activities.

Through its $70 million Reinventing Education program, IBM has partnered with school districts worldwide to develop technology solutions to support school reform efforts and raise student achievement.

Business and education leaders scheduled to participate in this panel discussion include:

• Todd Feigenbaum, managing partner of Exemplar LLC of Glens Falls.
  
  
• Steve Kussman, executive director of the Utility Business Education Coalition of Virginia.
  
  
• Renee Young, principal of C.S. 21 in Brooklyn.
  
  
• R. Carlos Carballada, chair of the Rochester Fund of Manufacturers and Traders Trust. Carballada, former chancellor of the state Board of Regents and the chair of The Business Council's education committee, will moderate the discussion.
  
  
• And Litow, vice president of corporate community relations for IBM and president of the IBM International Foundation.

The session is designed to generate discussion of specific things business and industry can do to help schools meet the new challenges posed by higher standards.

Many states, including New York, have enacted tough new academic standards and embraced rigorous standardized tests based on them.

In New York, new standards were embraced with strong support from The Business Council.

The Annual Meeting, The Council's top annual event for members, attracts New York's top business and government leaders. Members interested in attending are urged to register early. Members' registration fee increases from $375 to $425 after Aug. 31.

Click here for Annual Meeting Information and Registration.