According to the predictions of leading economists, in 2010 the United States' economic recovery will be well under way. As our country - and the rest of the world - emerges from this perfect storm of 2008 and 2009, we will undoubtedly encounter a landscape that has been vastly altered.

The old ways of doing business and making deals will no longer be relevant and likely be replaced by more innovative approaches. While caution appears to be the buzzword - affecting everything from credit markets to consumer spending to corporate expansion - history shows us that even in these difficult conditions, success is achived by forward-thinking entrepreneuers and others willing to think outside the box.

Join IEDC in Columbus, Ohio, September 26-29 for the world's largest gathering of economic developers as we discuss the new paradigms of economic development: new tools, new uses, new ventures, and new directions.

Conference Tracks

New Tools
A desk, a phone line, and opportunity. At one time, these were the critical components needed to provide a successful business environment. No more. The tools utilized by those in the economic development realm must also adapt to meet the needs of the emerging virtual office trend and other market environments. This track will explore the full spectrum of resources needed in this ever-changing landscape.

New Uses
Every urbanized or natural place in the world is under constant evolution and change. As part of that process, many of the best opportunities are often overlooked because they are too obvious, historically neglected, or haven’t been discovered yet by creative minds. This track will focus on such development opportunities and non-traditional tools to use when undertaking difficult projects.

New Ventures
Small business development is a mainstay of any sound economic development program. Creating a process that includes planting the seeds of small business development and providing a nurturing environment that allows those seeds to take root, grow from one stage of development to the next and thrive, even under the harshest economic conditions should be just one of the building blocks of every community’s strategy for building wealth.

New Directions
How do small communities and organizations effectively manage the myriad of duties associated with their scope of responsibility? Who can you talk with when you are wrestling with a thorny problem that could hinder your success? The New Directions track gives guidance and insight into the most critical issues facing a small organization.