Wilmington Downtown, Inc. (WDI) is pleased to announce the keynote speaker for their 2012 Downtown Economic Series luncheon: Mitchell Silver, President of American Planning Association (APA). Mr. Silver will speak on Emerging Trends for Downtowns. Mr. Silver is the Chief Planning and Economic Development Officer in the City of Raleigh, North Carolina. Silver is an award-winning planner with more than 25 years of planning experience. He is nationally recognized for his leadership in the profession and his contributions to contemporary planning issues. Before coming to Raleigh in 2005 as planning director, Silver worked as policy and planning director in New York City, a principal of a New York City-based planning firm, a town manager in New Jersey and deputy planning director in Washington, D.C. He has taught graduate planning courses at Hunter College, Brooklyn College, Pratt Institute, and North Carolina State University. As planning director in Raleigh, he led the comprehensive plan update process. He is now overseeing a rewrite of the city's Development Code.

Seats for this event are $50 per person, or $450 for a table of 10. Sponsorship opportunities are also available; please contact WDI President & CEO John Hinnant at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call (910) 763-7349 for more information.