The Berkshire Forum’s “Cleantech: Building Sustainable Communities” panel will take place in Pittsfield, Mass on the Colonial Theatre stage at 8:20 am on Thursday September 16. The panel will be moderated by WAMC Berkshire Bureau Chief, Charlie Deitz, and Spencer Reiss of Wired magazine will serve as a commentator on the panel.
“Once upon a time, the Berkshires were the high-tech capital of the world. It could happen again.”
– Spencer Reiss, Contributing Editor, Wired magazine
Confirmed panel participants include; Alan Cummings, Co-founder and CEO of Seldon Technologies in Windsor, Vermont, Tyler Fairbank, CEO of EOS Ventures LLC in Hancock, MA, Steve Nelson, President and CEO of Solar Electric Service Corp in Washington, MA, and Stephen Sears, Principal of Berkshire Renewable Power LLC in Dalton, MA.
Cummings’s company, Seldon Technologies is the creator of world-leading nanotechnology filtration products capable of cleaning water, air and fuel without the use of heat, chemicals, power, ultraviolet light or contact time. Seldon’s water filtration products function at a high flow rate to EPA drinking water standards and are saving lives around the world.
Fairbank’s EOS Ventures is a renewable energy development company focused on solar and wind technologies. His team has completed the first and only privately owned megawatt class turbine in the nation for on-site energy usage.
Sears is working to build and operate a bio-fuel and electrical generation facility at Ashuelot Park located in the town of Dalton and City of Pittsfield. The bio-fuel created would be distributed for use locally to displace fossil fuels and provide electricity through diesel generators. And, Nelson’s Solar Electric Service Corporation is a start-up company launching in the Berkshires to make the benefits of solar power affordable to the average citizen.
music and film at The 2010 Berkshire Forum
The schedule for The 2010 Berkshire Forum also will include six short performances by local musicians, singers and dancers, and five film shorts by local directors have been added to the 2010 Berkshire Forum program.
Opening night of the Forum, Tuesday September 14, will close with a FODFest Youth Concert, produced by the Friends of Daniel Pearl, showcasing the talent of local music students.
In addition to being a journalist (North Adams Transcript, 1986; Berkshire Eagle, 1988), the late Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was a talented musician who believed in the power of music to bring people together. FODFest honors his memory. Proceeds from The Berkshire Forum FODFest concert will benefit local public school music programs.
The schedule for the remaining two day of the Forum is punctuated with additional performances, including Annie (performed by Berkshire Theatre Festival’s Children’s Theatre Company); John Williams’ Duo Concertante and Handel-Halvorsen: Pasacaglia Duo for violin & viola (performed by Victor Romanul and Michael Zaretsky of the Boston Symphony Orchestra); Cabaret-to-Go (featuring Sherri James Buxton and friends), The Kabbalah of Bob Dylan (performed by Seth Rogovoy); and a Youth Alive dance performance.
Berkshire Forum attendees will also be treated to screenings of film shorts by local filmmakers courtesy of the Berkshire International Film Festival (BIFF). This year’s film lineup includes, “Cowboy Yoga” (Hal Clifford, Lou Bendrick, Jason Houston), “Bach of Antarctica” (Ben Hillman), “Breaking Pattern” (Ryan Kampe), “Little Red Jiving Hood” (Ben Hillman), and “Stone River” (Hal Clifford, Jason Houston), all of which premiered at the BIFF.
“The Berkshire International Film Festival is thrilled to have a presence at The Berkshire Forum.”
– Kelley Vickery, Executive Director, BIFF
The 2010 Berkshire Forum will wrap on the evening of September 16, coinciding with downtown Pittsfield’s 3rd Thursday festivities.
An inaugural rate of $49.99 for the full three-day event is currently being offered to the community, with an additional discount available to members of all area Chambers of Commerce (by phone or in person at the Colonial box office). Educators and students will be offered complimentary seating with the presentation of a teacher/student ID, subject to availability.
Tickets are on sale now through www.TheBerkshireForum.com or by calling the Colonial box office at 413.997.4444.
About The Berkshire Forum
The Berkshire Forum is produced by Tina Chase and Mary Collins George, co-owners of Chasing George, LLC. Since 2000, Tina, an accountant and business manager, and Mary, a writer and technology analyst, have served various roles at Gilder Publishing, LLC in Great Barrington. MA. Together they co-produced a number of exclusive conferences around the U.S., including the internationally celebrated Gilder/Forbes Telecosm Conference, a technology-investment conference hosted annually by Forbes magazine Editor-in-Chief Steve Forbes and Berkshire-based Economist and Author, George Gilder. The Berkshire Forum is the Chasing George’s first event in the Berkshires; for the Berkshires.