University Plaza events attract 2,000 people Thursday

Beginning at 7 a.m., more than 1,000 people attended the Springfield Prayer Breakfast, put on by the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce and part of The National Day of Prayer. In the evening, another 1,000 people reportedly were guests of The Signature Bank financial adviser Nadia Cavner for her annual client appreciation dinner.

Private planes delivered Gov. Matt Blunt, and BancorpSouth Inc. CEO Aubrey Patterson, who were among other attendees at the events.

Blunt offered an invocation for the breakfast, which focused on prayer for government workers on all levels and featured a speech by former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft. Patterson presented the keynote address for Cavner’s client dinner.

“This is absolutely unique,” said Patterson, CEO of the nation’s 47th largest bank holding company, which has merged with Springfield-based The Signature Bank. “I have never been to one of these occasions.”

Cavner said 24 private jets carrying representatives of Franklin Templeton Investments, Putnam Investments, The Hartford, John Hancock and Jackson National flew in for her event, during which she presented $20,000 to the American Bible Society and another $25,000 to the Greenwood Laboratory School girls’ soccer team. Bible Society CEO Paul Irwin was on hand to receive the gift.

At the prayer breakfast, Ashcroft said the event was a symbol of inspiration, not imposition. Local, state and federal government representatives asked for prayer for their work.