The Economic Club hosting former UK Prime Minister David Cameron

The Economic Club hosting former UK Prime Minister David Cameron

David Cameron. Courtesy The Economic Club of Grand Rapids

Former U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron will be coming to Grand Rapids this summer to give the keynote address at The Economic Club of Grand Rapids’ annual dinner.

The dinner will also honor Birgit Klohs, president and CEO of The Right Place, as 2017 Business Person of the Year, and the Meijer family will receive the Slykhouse Community Leadership award in recognition of three generations of community service.

The dinner will take place on June 19 at DeVos Place. No time has been posted yet.

The Economic Club said invitations will be sent out in early April and individual tickets can be purchased at that time. There will be a limit of four tickets per member.

David Cameron

Cameron served as prime minister of the United Kingdom from 2010-2016.

The Economic Club said Cameron offers "lessons in principled leadership at an extraordinary and turbulent time in global affairs": building economic strength; creating inward investment across the U.K. and Europe against the backdrop of an emergent Russia and China; and navigating complex international security challenges. 

Cameron will provide an “unrivaled perspective” on the future of the European Union and Britain’s place in the world following Brexit and a “unique insight” on the rise of populist politicians and parties at a time of "profound global change."  

Influential leaders

This will be the 30th-annual dinner of The Economic Club of Grand Rapids.

The organization has drawn influential thought leaders from around the world to its annual dinner: former Presidents George W. Bush and William J. Clinton; U2 lead singer and humanitarian Bono; British Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair; Queen Noor of Jordan; Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres; Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton, Colin Powell, Madeleine Albright and Condoleeza Rice; Sir Richard Branson; Derek Jeter; Dr. Ben Bernanke and more.