In July 2008, the nation’s governors and many former governors gathered in Philadelphia for their annual meeting and 100th anniversary celebration. Group Inc was hired as executive producer of NGA’s centennial day and by Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell to serve as managing director of the state’s Host Committee, designing and implementing special programs for governors and their families.

The centerpiece of the centennial celebration was a two-part discussion on Innovation and Leadership among the governors, held at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. The unprecedented four-hour program, headlined by President Bill Clinton and termed a “vigorous discussion” by the Washington Post, touched on education, health care and the balance between state and federal power, among other issues. The event was broadcast live to 12 million homes via CN8, amplified by video segments on a range of issues to deepen the discussion, along with interviews with policymakers and journalists, including David Broder and Newt Gingrich.

Acting as the Host Committee’s managing director, Group Inc was also responsible for designing and implementing a series of social events and activities that showcased Philadelphia’s historical landmarks, cultural attractions, neighborhoods and nightlife. These included an opening night reception at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, a patriotic dinner celebration featuring the Philly Pops at the National Constitution Center, a Mural Arts tour, a Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park, an American Bandstand-style dance party at the Grand Hall of the Pennsylvania Convention Center and a tree-planting in honor of the governors at Fairmount Park.

All of these programs required meticulous coordination among a range of groups, including NGA, governors’ and venue staff; vendors and transportation providers; the Pennsylvania State Police; and event volunteers. Group Inc also designed and fulfilled sponsorship arrangements with General Motors, Apple and Comcast, among other corporations, for transportation and communications services. Finally, we created a wealth of digitized material from the four-day event, adaptable to a variety of formats, to serve as a permanent historical record and provide valuable communications content for ongoing use by the NGA.