"The federal and state governments can't have the solutions to our security needs. Concerns will translate into significant changes in building structure," said Barry LePatner, founder of Barry B. LePatner & Associates LLP, who moderated the forum,"Protection, Survival, Readiness: Project Strategy in the Post 9/11 World," Wednesday. "We need to not only reconstruct high-rises and schools, but society."

Architect Eugene Kohn, principal of KPF Associates; former New York City police commissioner Howard Safir, CEO of SafirRosetti Omnicom Group; structural engineering authority Richard L. Tomasetti, co-chairman, Thornton-Tomasetti Engineers; Barry M. Gosin, vice chairman and CEO, Newmark & Co. Real Estate; and Chris Mauthe, tax advisor from Deloitte & Touche, headlined the executive seminar.

Safir noted, "Most people are not wiling to spend the resources to protect themselves because they feel in their hearts there will not be another terrorism attack. They're wrong."