2018 Summer Summit

Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

Anirban Basu is Chairman & CEO of Sage Policy Group, Inc., an economic and policy consulting firm headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland with offices in Pennsylvania and Cambodia. The firm provides strategic analytical services to energy suppliers, law firms, medical systems, government agencies, and real estate developers among others.

In 2014, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan appointed him Chair of the Maryland Economic Development Commission. He also serves as chairman of the Baltimore County Economic Advisory Committee. He is also the Chief Economist to Associated Builders and Contractors and Chief Economic Advisor to the Construction Financial Management Association. He serves or has served similar functions for Visit Baltimore, Maryland Realtors, and Marcum, LLC.

He lectures at Johns Hopkins University in Global Strategy and has also taught international economics, urban economics, micro- and macroeconomics at Hopkins. His radio show can be heard weekdays on 88.1FM, WYPR, Baltimore.

In both 2007 and 2016, the Daily Record newspaper selected Mr. Basu as one of Maryland’s 50 most influential people. The Baltimore Business Journal named him one of the region’s 20 most powerful business leaders in 2010.

Mr. Basu has been on many boards over time, including First Mariner Bank, the Baltimore City Public School System, Port Discovery, the Baltimore School for the Arts, and Union Memorial Hospital. He is currently on the boards of St. Mary’s College, the University System of Maryland Foundation, the Center for Emerging Media, the Lyric Opera House and the Archdiocese of Baltimore School System.

Mr. Basu earned his B.S. in Foreign Service at Georgetown University in 1990. He earned his Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and his Master’s in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park. His Juris Doctor was earned at the University Of Maryland School of Law. His doctoral work is in health economics and has taken place at UMBC.

Director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs

At Franklin and Marshall College, Dr. Madonna is Director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs, Professor of Public Affairs, and Director of the Franklin and Marshall College Poll. He joined F&M in May 2004.

For more than 30 years, Madonna has taught and written about his two academic specialties: the American presidency, and American political parties and political behavior. As a pollster in recent years, he has written extensively about voters and voting behavior. He holds a Ph.D. in political history from the University of Delaware.

Before joining the faculty at Franklin and Marshall, Dr. Madonna was Professor and Chair of the Government Department and headed the Center for Politics and Public Affairs at Millersville University.

Director and Adjunct Professor, University of Pennsylvania’s Harrisburg-based evening division, Master of Governmental Administration Program, 1980-1986. He administered the evening division graduate program of approximately 125 graduate students pursuing advanced degrees in government.

Madonna founded the Keystone Poll in 1992, the oldest survey produced exclusively in Pennsylvania. In 2008, the Keystone Poll was renamed the Franklin and Marshall College Poll. In this capacity, he is the pollster for the Philadelphia Daily News, Times-Shamrock Newspapers, WPVI-ABC6 (Philadelphia), WGAL-TV (Lancaster), Harrisburg Patriot News/Pennlive, LNP, The Pittsburgh Tribune Review, WTAE-TV (Pittsburgh), and The Reading Eagle - media partners for the poll. He has also polled for KYW-TV (Philadelphia), Fox, 29-TV (Philadelphia), CN8-The Comcast Network, WITF-TV (Harrisburg).

In 2008, Franklin and Marshall College began a partnership with Hearst TV to conduct national polls. Hearst owns 26 television stations, manages two others, and owns two radio stations. Madonna directs the poll.

He is also the host of Pennsylvania Newsmakers, a weekly statewide news and commentary program. From 2001 until 2016 he wrote (with Michael Young) a bi-weekly political commentary column, “Politically Uncorrected,” originally for Capitolwire.com and later for Politicspa.com, the state’s leading political website. The column appeared in many state and national newspapers and also was frequently appeared on two national websites: stateline.org and realclearpolitics.com.

He is a regular analyst for WGAL-TV (Lancaster/Harrisburg). Madonna is a regular panelist on WPVI’s-TV (Philadelphia) commentary program, Inside Story. He is a frequent guest on many talk radio programs throughout the state and nation. He has also provided election coverage for WHYY-TV, public television in Philadelphia, WPVI-TV (Philadelphia), The Pennsylvania Cable Network, and WITF-TV. Madonna was also a regular panelist on The Peoples’ Business, a weekly news and commentary show broadcast throughout Pennsylvania on public television during the 1990’s.

A frequent political analyst and public affair's commentator, Madonna has also provided analysis to the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal, U.S.A.Today, Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News, the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, the Christian Science Monitor, National Public Radio, CNN, ABC News and CBS News, to name a few. Madonna has appeared on CNN's Inside Politics, CBS News, ABC News, C-Span, Fox News, MSNBC and NBC News. He has also contributed to political web sites for MSNBC, the Hill Newspaper, Real Clear Politics, Stateline, and Fox News.

The author of numerous publications in the fields of American history, American government, and American politics, Madonna has written Revolutionary Lancaster: The Leadership (1976); Reapportionment: A Primer for Pennsylvanians (1993); Merit Selection of Appellate Judges: Why Its Time Has Come (1994); Pennsylvania Votes, 1994, (1995) (with Berwood Yost); and Pennsylvania Votes: Presidential Primaries, 1972-1992: A Sourcebook (1996) (with Berwood Yost); Pivotal Pennsylvania: Presidential Politics from FDR to the Twenty-First Century (2008); Political Pennsylvania: The New Century (2014) with Michael Young) as well as chapters in books and articles in specialized publications. His writings have appeared in the Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, The Polling Report, Presidential Studies Quarterly, Pennsylvania History, Intellect, Academe, The Journal of Practical Politics, The American Philosophical Society Quarterly, and on the Fox News website, and The Hill Newspaper, as well as in many other places.

In 2015 and 2016 Madonna gave one of the Chautauqua Institute lectures in New York and in 2014 he delivered the Jefferson Educational Society lecture. In 2012 he gave the annual Edmund Notebaert Lecture at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. In 2010, he delivered one of the Jefferson Global Initiative lectures. In 2008, he delivered the annual Chautauqua Lecture at Gannon University, entitled “The Road to the White House.” In 2007, he gave two major lectures; the annual James Buchanan Foundation lecture, entitled “From Buchanan to Bush: Campaign Practices Then and Now,” and the annual Dwight D. Eisenhower Society Lecture, entitled, “The Political Skills and Leadership of Dwight D. Eisenhower.” In 2006, he gave the Neaman Foundation lecture. In 1992 at the annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, he gave the lecture, “Thaddeus Stevens: How He Would Have Viewed Contemporary American Politics.”

Madonna has served on numerous governmental boards and commissions: including former Governor Edward Rendell’s Higher Education Advisory Board, the Benjamin Franklin Partnership Board (appointed by former Governor Dick Thornburgh), and the Board of Embreeville State Hospital (appointed by former Governor Milton Shapp). He served in the early 1970's as a Lancaster County Commissioner. He served on the Education Policy and Leadership Center board from 2002 to 2013.

At the request of foreign embassies and the U.S. State Department, Madonna has appeared in seminars and discussions with diplomats and newspaper reporters from around the world.

In addition, Madonna has moderated gubernatorial, congressional, state legislative and school board forums, and debates for various organizations.

Dr. Madonna has received numerous awards and honors. He is the recipient of a Distinguished Professor award by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the President’s Medallion at Millersville University, and a special commendation for scholarship and leadership from the Board of Governors of the State System of Higher Education.

Additionally, he has been named an “Outstanding Speaker of the Year” by the Speech Communication Society of Pennsylvania, has been awarded a life time achievement award by the Central Pennsylvania Chapter, American Society of Public Administration, has served as a Commonwealth Speaker by the Pennsylvania Humanities Council, and was given the Daniel Roselle Award by the Middle States Council for the Social Studies.

Senior Vice President, Government & Regulatory Affairs

Senior Director, Sustainability Initiatives

James Bogdan is Senior Director, Sustainability Initiatives for the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA). He tracks market sustainability drivers and prepares NRMCA members to meet new requirements in green building standards such as LEED and Green Globes. Sustainability initiatives include product sustainability and transparency, supply chain sustainability and other environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices. James will develop strategies that will support concrete’s position within standards development and manage education and certification programs such as Whole Building Life Cycle Assessment, Environmental Product Declarations, Responsible Sourcing, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Ingredient Disclosure (Health Product Declarations, Cradle to Cradle, GreenScreen, etc.)

Mr. Bogdan has earned certifications including LEED AP, Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP), and Certified Sustainability/CSR Practitioner. Before joining NRMCA Mr. Bogdan led corporate sustainability initiatives for a leading NYSE-listed wholesale distributor of electrical, lighting and maintenance products and before that was Manager, Market Sustainability Initiatives for a NYSE-listed global coatings and glass company where he developed and implemented strategies to influence architect, engineer and contractor (AEC) specifications with a focus on the green building market. A professional with 25 years of experience, James also has environmental, health & safety (EHS) consulting expertise for an architectural and engineering firm. Mr. Bogdan has a B.S. in Environmental Science from Slippery Rock University, an M.S. in Environmental Management from Duquesne University and completed a MBA Essential certificate program through the University of Pittsburgh.

Keynote Speaker

Some of Hollywood’s most inspirational movies were born from the world of sports. One in particular inspired not only sports fans but anyone with a pulse. In 2006 Walt Disney Pictures continued their triumphant tradition of motivating sports stories with the release of INVINCIBLE. It’s a stirring football drama starring Mark Wahlberg as Vince Papale, an ordinary guy who, against all odds, takes his shot at every fan’s fantasy of going from the grandstands to the gridiron. It has been described that Papale’s odds of achieving his wildest lifelong dream of playing for the Eagles as “one in a gazillion!”

It was 1976 when this 30 year old, a teacher and coach at his HS Alma mater, part-time bartender and die hard Eagles fan decided to act on a whim and a dare and entered the unprecedented public tryouts for his beloved Eagles. Inspired by this quote from his high school coach mentor, “Happy are those who dream dreams and are willing to pay the price to make those dreams come true”, he figured he had nothing to lose. Papale, a ten year season ticket holder and former track star who did not play a down of college football, not only paid the price and made the cut . . . he made history!

It was a time when Philadelphia fans were buried in 11 years of defeat, when Americans were battling the lingering effects of Watergate, the Vietnam War and a sweeping energy crisis. Ordinary people appeared badly in need of a champion from their ranks and Vince answered the call. Now, in today’s challenging times, he continues to respond to the need for a motivating hero who knows what it’s like to battle and overcome adversity.

Instantly electrifying the fans and eventually winning over skeptical teammates with his gritty play, Papale helped the Eagles rediscover their winning ways. From being voted Special Teams Captain by his teammates to earning Eagles “man of the Year’ in 1978 for his numerous charitable activities Papale was an NFL sensation until a shoulder injury ended his playing career in 1979. Having now added “cancer survivor” to his bio, Papale continues to hold the record for being the oldest rookie in the National Football League (kickers excluded). He was recently honored by the Eagles and their fans and was named “Most Outstanding Special Teams Player” during a celebration of the Philadelphia Eagles 75th anniversary.

“Not often can a person see a film made about their own life’s journey,” Papale said of Invincible. “What’s even rarer is having that movie described as inspirational, motivational, and giving hope. There’s a feeling of intense pride and humility that, at times, is overwhelming.”

Vince is married to former US World Team Gymnast, Janet Cantwell, and they reside in Cherry Hill, NJ, with their two children Gabriella and Vincent. Today, he electrifies audiences and is regarded as one of the top motivational speakers on the country. The ultimate underdog continues to thrill audiences with his energy and humor.