Phil Kirk is currently serving as director of business and leadership for Brady, a comprehensive energy solutions company headquartered in Greensboro. A native of Salisbury, Kirk has held a variety of jobs in education, government, and business. He served as chief of staff for Governors Jim Holshouser and Jim Martin and U.S. Senator Jim Broyhill. For 16 years he was the President/CEO of North Carolina Citizens for Business and Industry, the state chamber of commerce. He has twice served as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources and chaired the State Board of Education. In this speech, Kirk discusses "The Nine Governors I Have Known."

Richard Epstein is professor of law and director of the Classical Liberal Institute at New York University. Considered one of the most influential thinkers in legal academia, Epstein is known for his research and writings on a broad range of constitutional, economic, historical, and philosophical subjects. His many books include Takings: Private Property and the Power of Eminent Domain (1985), Simple Rules for a Complex World (1995), and most recently, The Classical Liberal Constitution: The Uncertain Quest for Limited Government (2013). In this speech, Epstein discusses "A Common Lawyer's Hard Look at Locke's Theory of Property."

Dr. David Stein is co-founder of IFC Pediatrics. The clinic has cared for the children of Burlington and surrounding counties since 1999. It is the second largest Medicaid provider in Alamance County. The mission of the clinic is to help foster the best possible outcomes for its patients. In 2009, the Stein and his wife, Rosemary, co-wrote and starred in a commercial warning of the effects of the Affordable Care Act on their patients. In this speech, they discuss "Medicaid Reform and the Private Practice."

After earning degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Tommy Harrelson returned to his boyhood home of Southport and joined the family business. He later served in the N.C. House of Representatives and as secretary of transportation for Gov. Jim Martin. He has also worked in government affairs and as a management consultant. In this speech, he discusses his latest book, "Southport's Art Newton.

Joe Mavretic was speaker of the N.C. House of Representatives in 1989-90 and served in the House for 14 years. Mavretic is a native of Currituck County who received an English degree from UNC-Chapel Hill and a master's degree in political science from George Washington University. He is also a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Naval War College and is a retired lieutenant colonel in the United States Marine Corps. Mavretic is a panelist on the public affairs program "NC Spin." In this speech, Mavretic offers "One Perspective on the North Carolina Highway Trust Fund."

Becki Gray is vice president for outreach at the John Locke Foundation. Gray provides information, consultation, and publications to elected officials, government staff, and other decision makers involved in the state public policy process. She taps her experience in the legal field, at the N.C. General Assembly, and as a lobbyist in the private sector — as well as the full resources and staff of JLF — to fulfill requests for information and analysis from policymakers. In this speech, Gray discusses "JLF's Reforms for Freedom: Seizing the Momentum, Continuing the Mission."

Michael Lowrey is an economics and regulatory policy analyst for the John Locke Foundation and associate editor of Carolina Journal. Lowrey has written for JLF on economic policy, education, welfare, and transportation. His work has appeared in more than 100 newspapers, including The Christian Science Monitor, Charlotte Observer, Raleigh News & Observer, and Greensboro News and Record. He is also author or co-author of several Locke policy reports, including the yearly "By The Numbers: Comparing the Cost of Local Government in North Carolina" series and "Flex Growth: A smarter option for North Carolina communities" (2012). In this speech, he discusses "The First Wave: U-boats Off the North Carolina Coast in 1918."

Nick Dranias is president and executive director of Compact for America Educational Foundation Inc., which is a 501(c)(3) charity that focuses on educating citizens and statesmen about the power of interstate compacts to achieve constitutional amendments and other reforms. Dranias serves as an expert with the Heartland Institute and the Federalist Society. He is also an Advisory Council member for Our America Initiative. He previously served as general counsel, steering committee member, policy development director, and constitutional policy director for the Goldwater Institute. In this speech, he discusses "Article V of the U.S. Constitution and the State-Originated Federal Balanced Budget Amendment."

Chris Valauri is legislative counsel for the N.C. Golf Alliance. Valauri has been in the government relations business for over 30 years. He and his wife Susan are the principals in the Valauri Group, LLC. Their clients include the N,C. Golf Course Superintendents and Owners Association. Caleb Miles is president and CEO of the Pinehurst Southern Pines Aberdeen Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Del Ratcliffe is president of the N.C. Golf Course Owners Association. He is also president of Ratcliffe Golf Services, Inc., a multicourse management company in Charlotte. In this speech, Valauri, Miles, and Ratcliffe discuss "Golf: More Than a Game."