In late 1996, the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland sponsored the Annual Community Reinvestment Forum in Dayton, Ohio. Hosted by the Bank’s Community Affairs Department, the conference provided an opportunity to hear from experts in the fields of community development, regionalization, small business financing, and emerging markets. David Rusk, an urban planner and author of Cities Without Suburbs, delivered the keynote presentation. The Cleveland Fed is pleased to present excerpts of our speakers’ remarks in this special issue of Forum.