Our reach is broad: during 1999 more than 15,000 participants attended our conferences and seminars, and we responded to more than 800 requests for in-depth technical assistance. We are also increasing the research focus on topics related to community and economic development and in 2001 will host a second national conference, this one focusing on the theme of changing financial markets and community development.
Your participation in, and support of, these activities is important because you play such a crucial role in helping communities respond to the evolving financial, educational, and technological demands of this new century. As I indicated in my opening remarks, future historians are likely to conclude that the past five years have been a pivotal period in American economic history.