"Please read this book by David Walker. No one has worked harder, been armed with more facts, written more clearly and been more dedicated to the mission of restoring confidence in our fiscal affairs and trust in government." - Paul Volcker, former chairman of the Economic Recovery Advisory Board under President Obama and former chairman of the Federal Reserve

While the nation's Comptroller General during the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations, David M. Walker played a crucial role in overseeing the spending activities of the federal government.

Ultimately, his experience as the top congressional watchdog led to his founding the Comeback America Initiative (CAI) and writing the best seller, "Comeback America" (Random House, 2010), subjects Walker will speak about at Fairfield University, on Wednesday, March 9. Presented by the Dolan School of Business, the free event - open to the public and campus community - will take place in the Dolan School of Business Dining Room at 4:30 p.m.

"He views his mission as turning the country around and restoring fiscal responsibility at a time when the deficit is increasing," said Norm Solomon, Ph.D., dean of the Dolan School of Business. "Central to his work now is making Americans well aware of what he saw firsthand."

Walker's role as president and chief executive officer of the Comeback America Initiative (CAI) involves promoting fiscal responsibility and sustainability by engaging the public. At the same time, he's assisting key policymakers on a non-partisan basis to help achieve solutions to America's federal, state, and local fiscal imbalances.

Prior to assuming his current position, Walker served as the first president and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation. Previously, he served as the seventh Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) from 1998-2008. This was one of his three presidential appointments, each by different U.S. presidents during his 15 years of total federal service.

Walker, who was a subject of the critically acclaimed 2008 documentary, I.O.U.S.A., has authored three books. Bill Bradley, former U.S. Senator from New Jersey, observed of his most recent book, "Comeback America:" "David Walker shows us how to regain fiscal sanity and why, if we don't, we're at risk of bequeathing a lower standard of living to our children and becoming a second rate power."

Walker has more than 20 years of private sector experience, including approximately 10 years as a partner and global managing director of Human Capital Services for Arthur Andersen LLP.

In addition to his leadership responsibilities at CAI, he serves on various boards and advisory groups, including as chairman of the United Nations Independent Audit Advisory Committee, as a member of the Boards for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, and the Partnership for Public Service, as well as a member of Advisory Committees for The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the Peterson Foundation, and Toffler Associates. He is also a member of the Trilateral Commission.

For more information about the Dolan School of Business and this event, call the Office of the Dean at (203) 254-4000, ext. 4070, or visit http://www.fairfield.edu/dsb/

Posted On: 02-17-2011 10:02 AM

Volume: 43 Number: 205