I have a business career that spans 33 years, 6 continents, and more than 125 countries as well as our own. A developmental economist by trade and education, I have worked as a corporate officer in various Fortune 500 companies. It has been my experience that business, like life, is about relationships. In business I call them "Strategic Relationships," and when I opened my own consulting practice nearly 17 years ago, I decided that aligning common interests among different companies was the key to success in bringing new products to market, developing a strong corporate culture, and expanding into new markets. The same can be said for politics, both are about bringing people together, reaching consensus, and engaging the strategic task at hand. We need more of that in the government sector if we are to fix a broken Washington DC.

My company, Suasor Consulting Group, has been a pioneer in the public/private partnership industry both domestically and internationally. We have worked to privatize telephone companies, electric companies, sewer and water companies, and various government services as well. This concept works well in both developed and underdeveloped countries by reducing the size of government, making it more efficient, and increasing the revenue stream to the government.

In addition to utility partnerships, I have worked in the environmental sector almost exclusively for the past 10 years. This is fulfilling work as it not only accomplishes all the goals I mentioned above, but it also cleans up the environment for all humanity. My company has been involved in implementing clean air projects in some of the world's most polluted cities, including the second and third largest cities in the world. Our goal is not only to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, but more importantly, we are reducing the amount of toxins emitted by vehicles, so our projects are both environmental and public health programs.

As the architect of the world's largest Clean Air Project in Sao Paulo, Brazil, we not only reduced overall air pollution by 40% in the first year, but we also saved 850 lives in the process. You see, on days of temperature inversion the number of emergency ward visits due to cardiopulmonary attacks increases by almost 10% across the board. So, I am proud of the work we do and the sustainable legacy which we leave behind.