Tom Borrup is a national leader and innovator in creative community building - leveraging cultural and other community assets to advance economic, social, civic, and physical development. His book, the Creative Community Builder's Handbook (2006) provides a step-by-step planning guide for community leaders. Based in Minneapolis, he specializes in strategic planning, community transformation, partnership building, and program evaluation. He pioneered cultural asset mapping and leveraging cultural resources for economic development and civic participation. A prolific writer, Tom speaks and leads workshops across the US. He teaches for the Graduate Program in Arts Administration at Saint… Mary's University of Minnesota, and for the Arts Extension Service at the University of Massachusetts.