XIV Smart City Forum

Deputy Mayor of Wrocław since 2007, responsible for investments, economic development and raising external funding. He devised and established a modern institution responsible for organization and supervision of investment projects, which significantly increased city’s organizational capacity in this area (in the years 2006-2009 the volume of implemented investmen projects grew threefold). During Wrocław’s preparations to UEFA EURO 2012 Footbal Championship he was responsible for infrastructural investment projects. He introduced project management methodology to Municipality of Wrocław. He supervises the process of developing PPP projects.

He is engaged in Smart City and Open Data projects and he is responsible for their coordination and implementation. He is also responsible for providing good conditions for development of startup companies through establishing an eco-system Startup: Wrocław.

In 2003-2007, serving as Wrocław Treasurer, he restructured City’s debts and lowered the debt indicators. For the first time in Poland he introduced a wide use of municipal consolidated account. As part of efforts to create new jobs he devised and implemented a programme supporting businesses that were investing in Wrocław and employing new workers.

Since 2001 he has been actively engaged in the work of the Union of Polish Metropoles (UPM). He is a member of UPM’s Commission for Integration
of Development Plans and Municipal Investments, he wrote numerous reviews of bills for Joint Commission of Government and Local Self-government and authored several proposals of amendments in acts concerning self-govermnet.

Regional civil servant, social activist, teacher and sportsman. During his social service he also has acted as the councilman in Ostrovian County. In the years 2010-2014 he has been the vice-starost of Ostrovian County. Currently, he is the Mayor of the city of Ostrov Mazowiecka since 2014. In years 1989-1990 he has acted as the chairman of the Independent Student Association at School of Physical Education. Graduate of the AWF (Jozef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw), Warsaw University in the field of geography and administration, SGGW ( Warsaw University of Life Sciences) in the field of property management. He has worked as a teacher for 20 years, including 9 years when he was the Principal of School Complex in Ostrov Mazoviecka. Since 1983 connected with Folk Sports Club OSTROVIANKA, at first as an lifiting weights athlete and then as a coach and the club president. The co-funder of the association called People with passion. The initiator of local ornithological meetings. The co-organiser of regular scientific and educational events in Ostrov Mazowiecka: Regional Conference – Passion. Culture. Heritage, The Development Forum of Ostrov Mazowiecka and Yearbooks of Ostrov Mazoviecka.
Husband and father of three.

He graduated from the Faculty of Navigation at the Gdynia Maritime University. He had been working for the Polish Ocean Lines as a navigation officer on merchant ships for 6 years.
He obtained a degree in Finance and Banking at Poznań University of Economics, postgraduate diploma in Accounting and Finance at Poznań University of Economics and EU Tax Law postgraduate diploma at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. In the years 1994-2005 he worked in the Office of Fiscal Control. In 2005 he obtained the right to practise the profession of a tax advisor and set up a tax consultancy firm. As a lecturer of tax law he cooperated with the Association of Accountants in Poland. In the years 2006-2007 he was a Deputy Mayor of Bydgoszcz responsible for strategy and development of the city, European funds programmes, investor services as well as education and sport. In the years 2007-2010 he served as the Voivode of Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship. Since December 2010 Mayor of the City of Bydgoszcz.

Arkadiusz Chęciński, born in 1971 in Sosnowiec, The President of Platforma Obywatelska (name of the political party) in Sosnowiec. University graduate in Public Administration at Humanitas University. For 20 years he has been led the company in the field of quality of the steel products. In 2006 he was elected as a Councillor of the city of Sosnowiec and in December 2010 became a chairman of the City Council. In 2007-2011 he was a chief of parliamentary office of Platforma Obywatelska in Sosnowiec. In October 2011 he became a First Deputy Mayor responsible for the Public Utilities, Housing and Infrastructure. He represented Sosnowiec in Związek Miast Polskich (Polish Cities Association) and Górnośląsko-Zagłębiowska Metropolia. From June 2013 to November 2014 he was Member of Silesian Voivodship Board. On November 30th 2014 he won the elections for the Mayor of Sosnowiec. He received 63,16% (29284) of the votes.
Hobbies: sport, movies, traveling, music

Piotr Grzymowicz, PhD – Mayor of Olsztyn since 2009, in the years 2001-2007 Vice Mayor of Olsztyn, responsible for economic development and investment, civil engineer.
Before I joined the self-government, I had the opportunity to work on several large-scale investment projects in Poland and in Germany. In time, I was also entrusted with the role of major construction investment projects manager. It was an excellent experience which proves to be very useful in my current line of work. I always tend to explain my self-government partners that what the city needs for development is active and competitive business, whereas business expects favourable conditions for conducting economic activities.
I am very fortunate that my term of office coincides with the time of considerable European Union financial support. However, we have not been given these funds once and forever and the end of the decade is certainly going to bring an end to them, it is therefore so crucial to maximize this remarkable opportunity. This in one of my priorities and, hopefully, it is successfully implemented. Olsztyn is developing and accelerating!

Jacek Jaśkowiak was born on 10 March 1964 in Poznań. He is a devoted community worker, sports activist, and former businessman. He graduated from the Faculty of Law, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, where he also earned his postgraduate studies degree in accountancy, finance and taxation. He was awarded a scholarship from GFPS (Association for Student Exchange in Central and Eastern Europe) to the University of Bielefeld in Germany.
He gained his professional experience in commercial companies in the 1990s. His past employment includes e.g. working for Dr. Jan Kulczyk at Kulczyk Tradex. From 1997 to 2014, he ran his own company, providing accountancy and advisory services to foreign entrepreneurs. Together with business investors, he contributed to creating employment for thousands of people in Poland.
Owing to his public activity, in 2010, he was appointed as a candidate for Mayor of Poznań, representing the urban movement My-Poznaniacy. He ran for the office of the Mayor of Poznań in 2014.

A resident of Sopot, boy scout, and community worker since childhood. Former pupil of the Joseph Golec primary school “no.8” and grammar school no.2 in Sopot.
Doctor of Economics at the University of Gdansk. Graduate of the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the Technical University of Gdansk. During his studies was Deputy Speaker of the Student Parliament. He completed a postgraduate in Local Government Law, and the School of Management at the University of Gdansk and Central Connecticut State University.
Councilman and vice-president of Sopot since 1990, and president of Sopot since 1998. In the years 1990 to 1998 Councilman of Gdansk Provincial Assembly and chairman of the Environment Committee. He holds the post of Vice-President of the Association of Polish Cities since 2007; delegate to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Co-Chair of the Team for Joint Constitutional Commission of Government and Local Government.
He began his political activism in college as a member of the Young Polish Authorities Movement. He was also co-founder and board member of the VERBUM Association of Academics. He was detained, and deprived of his passport for opposition activities. Co-founder and board member of the Conservative Party and the Conservative fraction.
From 2001 to 2008 was closely associated with the Civic Platform Political Party (PO). He was the plenipotentiary of the Gdansk Region and later a member of the Board of PO (Civil Platform) in the Pomerania region.
He was an employee of the Gdansk Railway Station Project Office from 1988 to 1990.
Honours:
• Papal medal “Pro ECCLESIA ET PONTIFICE” (The Church and the Pope)
• Medal “Pro Memoria”
• Badge of the Polish Minister of Culture “Cultural Activist of Merit”
• Silver Medal of Merit for the Fire Service
• Gold Badge of Merit for Physical Education
• Craftsmen Badge of Honour
• Silver medal for services to the Police
• Gold Badge of PZ Basket
• Grzegorz Palka award, also known as; the local government “Oscar”
An extraordinary member of the World Association of Home Army Soldiers and the Kashubian-Pomeranian Association.

Jacek Karnowski is a lifeguard and founder of the Sopot WOPR (Water Volunteer Rescue Service), holds a yacht and motorboats skipper certificate. He is also a ski instructor.

Od 9 grudnia 2014 roku Prezydent Miasta Ostrowa Wielkopolskiego. W latach 2010 – 2014 Radna Miasta Ostrowa Wielkopolskiego VI kadencji. Ukończyła studia na Wydziale Nauk Społecznych Uniwersystetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Poznaniu na kierunku politologia, specjalność: administracja samorządowa. Działalność zawodową rozpoczęła w latach 80. jako pracownik Centrum Kultury w Ostrowie Wielkopolskim. Następnie przez około 10 lat związana z pracą w mediach (radiu oraz lokalnych i regionalnych tytułach prasowych). Od 2000 roku pracownik samorządowy Starostwa Powiatowego w Ostrowie Wielkopolskim. 30 listopada 2014 roku w II turze wyborów została wybrana Prezydentem Miasta, ubiegając się o to stanowisko z własnego komitetu wyborczego wyborców „Przyjazny Ostrów“. Od 2015 roku członek Zespołu ds. Funkcjonalnych Obszarów Metropolitarnych i Miejskich w ramach Komisji Wspólnej Rządu i Samorządu Terytorialnego. W swojej działalności samorządowej koncentruje się przede wszystkim na polityce prorodzinnej. Inicjatorka wprowadzonego w 2015 roku w Ostrowie Wielkopolskim: tzw. „miejskiego becikowego“ i bezpłatnego pobytu dzieci w przedszkolach dla których organem prowadzącym jest Gmina Miasto Ostrów Wielkopolski. Zainicjowała także wprowadzenie: Miejskiej Karty Seniora oraz Budżetu Obywatelskiego. Ma 53 lata, jest mężatką i ma dwoje dzieci.

Born in Kluczbork (Poland), October 8, 1970. He graduated from higher education – Political Science (University of Opole) and postgraduate (Public Relations in labor market institutions) from the Catholic University of Lublin. In years 2003 – 2014, the director of the District Labour Office in Nysa. In the years 2004 – 2014 – District Office in Nysa – has initiated and completed the greatest (of all labor offices in Poland) the number of projects co-financed by the European Union. The best known projects include: “Construction of houses by means of a training system for unemployed person”. From 2014 mayor of Nysa.