Pete Bleyler
|
Thursdays 9:00 - 11:30 AM |
March 24 through May 12, 2005 |
DOC House |
During this eight-week course we will explore some of the great issues of the day, and develop our individual positions on US Foreign Policy direction and actions. Each week participants will focus their broad range and depth of life's knowledge and experience on one of eight current foreign policy topics furnished by the Foreign Policy Association (FPA).
This is a very active discussion course. Each week, all participants will read the brief background material provided by the FPA, and one or two volunteers from the group will prepare a more in depth 10 minute introduction to the issue. This is then followed by a vigorous but controlled discussion of the background and options leading to positions on US policy actions. Guest specialists may also participate.
This year's topics are again most interesting: "U.S. Intelligence:" are U.S. intelligence agencies out of date for dealing with post-cold-war realities? "Russia:" are Putin's reforms a step backward for Russian democracy? "Outsourcing Jobs:" what effect does outsourcing really have on economies that are sending jobs overseas? "China:" what strategies can China adopt to sustain its economy while meeting the needs of its people? "Sudan's Crises in Darfur:" what role will the international community take in resolving the Darfur crises? "Widening Poverty Gap", what can be done to narrow the global poverty gap? "Middle East:" does the Iraq experiment create the potential for other Middle Eastern governments to adopt democracy? "Global Water Issues:" what policies should be adopted to ensure global water quality?
Class is limited to 20 members.
PETE BLEYLER has spent thirty years as a management consultant dealing with the broad human resource areas of employee benefits and compensation, and more specifically, corporate retirement programs. A mathematics major at Dartmouth, he entered the actuarial field after five years in the U.S. Naval Submarine service. After a few years with the Travelers Insurance Company in Hartford, Pete entered the consulting field and has worked for three different firms in Chicago, St. Louis, Washington, DC, Boston, and New York. He completed his career as the Chief Human Resource Officer of William M. Mercer, Inc. He and his wife Ruth moved to Lyme in 1998. Pete led the Actuarial and Financial Foundations course at ILEAD, and has co-led the "Great Decisions" course with Jim for the past four years.
JIM WOOSTER received his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College, as well as an M.S. degree in Engineering and Business Administration (The Tuck-Thayer Program). After serving in the Atlantic for several years on a destroyer, he left the Navy to join New England Telephone. A career with NET, and later NYNEX, provided opportunities to work on the operations side of the business, as well as in public relations, labor relations, marketing and human resources. He and his wife Betsy have retired to Norwich where they are enjoying family, travel and life in the Upper Valley. He has been involved with ILEAD for several years as a student, member of the Curriculum Committee, and co-leader of the "Great Decisions" course for the past five years.
