Art Ryan delivered a convincing presentation from the perspective of a successful CEO who has had a long commitment to social issues, both personally and on behalf of the corporations he has served. His belief is that companies and the people within them can make a tremendous impact to improving societal issues. "We can really make a difference," he said. "The skills that you and I use every day in our business can be applied to solve problems in our communities and around the world."

For more than 25 years, Ryan has served as a supporter and a champion of public education. He has seen encouraging progress, but he says much work remains to be done. Years ago, he believed that providing funding was the key to improvement. Now he advocates having businesses become actively engaged in supporting the schools. The key, he said, is to provide that support without pointing fingers when addressing what is wrong.

"The new era of community investment isn't about leaving a check," he said. "It is about using the talent and skills in your organization to solve a social problem."