Arthur Gordon, Irregardless Cafe

The Irregardless Cafe has been an institution in Raleigh for over 30 years. Taking a chance on a menu unlike the standard fare, employing a host of musicians and artists over the years, and offering nightly dinner music to his guests, Arthur Gordon has been a true member of our "creative class." He has been able to change with the times of Raleigh while always remaining true to his vision. He has survived good and bad economic times, and even a fire, he's has written a cookbook, and the Irregardless has been a strong and long-standing business on Morgan Street, thus helping in that area's revitalization.

Iris Ramírez Reese, Fusión

Iris Ramírez Reese is the founder of Fusión, a multicultural marketing, communications and consulting firm based in downtown Durham who heads a team of experts with experience in creative direction and strategic planning for all media-broadcast, print, promotional materials, public relations, consulting, seminars and workshops. A Latina with years of experience in niche-marketing and consulting on Hispanic/Latino culture and issues and African American culture, she is a strong advocate in helping businesses effectively communicate with the their target audience.

Introducing Arthur Gordon and Iris Ramírez Reese is Greg Hatem
North Carolina native Greg Hatem, whose vision inspired Empire Properties, has over twenty years of experience in real estate development, finance and international business. Greg founded the company to preserve and enhance the character of downtown Raleigh and to extend positive development in other urban areas. He has taken a leading role in the renewal of downtown Raleigh through the adaptive reuse of existing buildings and new construction in historic neighborhoods. Greg has guided Empire's impressive track record, which includes 16 rehabilitation projects, consisting of more than 200,000 square feet of office and retail space. He is co-chair of the Southeast Raleigh Assembly, sits on the board of the Contemporary Art Museum and is actively involved in the Livable Streets Partnership, Fayetteville Street Visioning Team and Downtown West Gateway Task Force. Greg holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from NC State University as well as a diploma in Chinese studies from Beijing Politics College. For more information see www.empire1792.com.

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