From Staff Reports

The Leadership Asheville Summer Buzz Breakfast Series continues July 21, with a panel discussion, Asheville’s Direction, featuring Mayor Esther Manheimer, UNC Asheville Chancellor Mary K. Grant and The Collider CEO Bill Dean.

Jim Stokely, president of the Wilma Dykeman Legacy, will moderate the panel. The Summer Buzz Breakfast Series is presented by Ward and Smith, P.A. as a way to explore Asheville’s issues, meet community leaders, and get a taste of the Leadership Asheville experience.

The buzz breakfasts take place at the Renaissance Asheville Hotel at 31 Woodfin Street and begin with registration and breakfast starting at 7:30 a.m. The program starts at 8 a.m. and ends promptly at 9 a.m. Admission is $20, including breakfast, and is open to everyone; table sponsorships are available per event and for the series.

The series will conclude on Aug.24 with a program called Finding Shelter? Featured panelists will be Andy Barnett, executive director, Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity; Gene Bell, CEO, Asheville Housing Authority; Pat Carver, area executive, First Citizens Bank; Eddie Dewey, founder, Dewey Property Advisors. Kit Cramer, president & CEO of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce will be the moderator.

Leadership Asheville, the region’s foremost community leadership development organization since 1982, is a program of UNC Asheville and is supported by sustaining partnerships with BorgWarner, Mission Health and TD Bank. The Buzz Summer Breakfast Series presenting sponsor is Ward and Smith, P.A. – Attorneys at Law.

For more information, to purchase tickets or reserve corporate tables, visit leadershipasheville.unca.edu or call 255.7100.