Florida Forum Speaker Series Welcomes President Bill Clinton, Greg Mortenson and President George W.

Jacksonville, Florida, April 7, 2010 -- The Women's Board of Wolfson Children's Hospital sponsors the Florida Forum each year to increase awareness of the hospital's mission of caring for the specialized health needs of children and to raise much needed funds for its programs. The 2010-2011 Florida Forum promises to be a monumental year in the 18-year history of this series, featuring presentations by President Bill Clinton, best-selling author and humanitarian Greg Mortenson and President George W. Bush.

The series opens on October 19, 2010, with the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton. Under President Clinton's leadership, the country experienced robust economic expansion, including the creation of more than 22 million jobs. After leaving the White House, President Clinton established the William J. Clinton Foundation which has sought to improve lives through programs aimed at improving health awareness and access such as the Clinton HIV/AIDS initiative (now Clinton Health Access Initiative) which is helping two million people living with HIV/AIDS access lifesaving drugs. President Clinton remains in the news leading recovery efforts after natural disasters around the world, including South Asia, New Orleans and Haiti, where he serves as U.N. Special Envoy. President Clinton's evening is presented by LandStar.

Greg Mortenson follows on January 21, 2011. He has established more than 131 schools in ruggedly remote and volatile regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan, seeking to resolve conflicts by enhancing educational opportunities, particularly for young girls. To date, his schools have transformed the lives of 58,000 children, where few education opportunities existed before. Mortenson has furthered his work by establishing the Central Asia Institute and Pennies for Peace. His best-selling books, Three Cups of Tea, a New York Times number-one bestseller and Stones into Schools, Promoting Peace with Books Not Bombs in Afghanistan and Pakistan, which debuted at #2 on the New York Times best-seller list, chronicle his efforts and philosophies. He has been nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize. Mortenson's lecture is presented by BlueCross BlueShield.

The series concludes March 1, 2011, with a presentation by President George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States. Throughout his political career, he has encouraged the principles of limited government, personal responsibility and strong families. Among his accomplishments as President were the No Child Left Behind Act, implementation of free trade agreements, and tax cuts which helped lead to an unprecedented 52 months of job creation. His Presidency was defined by his response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the comprehensive strategy he adopted to protect the American people. Since leaving office, he has focused on launching the George W. Bush Presidential Center at Southern Methodist University and is also assisting in rebuilding efforts in Haiti. President Bush's presentation is presented by Wachovia, a Wells Fargo Company.

All speaking events will be held at the Florida Times-Union Center, 300 Water Street, Jacksonville, Florida. The funds raised by the Florida Forum will benefit the new state-of-the-art Behavioral Health Unit at Wolfson Children's Hospital and the purchase of a Kids Kare Ambulance. Several levels of subscription packages are available. For tickets and additional information, please contact The Women's Board office at 904.202.2886 or visit www.thefloridaforum.com.