Speakers

Joseph J. Adams
Economic Development Advisor
Committee on Finance
United States Senate
Washington, DC

As Economic Development Advisor to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, J.J. Adams has played an important role in developing landmark legislation such as the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act which authorized and funded the Troubled Asset Relief Program, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and a variety of jobs related legislative initiatives.

The Senate Finance Committee has jurisdiction over tax, international trade and health and human services. Mr. Adams advises the committee on the economic development implications of policy alternatives and he has helped inform the Baucus agenda with regard to Small Business, Competitiveness, Economic Development, Rural Development, Agriculture, Energy, Transportation Infrastructure, Job Creation, Economic Recovery, TARP Oversight, Executive Compensation, Indian Country Economic Development, and Non-Profit issues as they relate to entrepreneurism and economic prosperity.

Mr. Adams works to facilitate job creation and promotes investments that stimulate local economies. In 2007, he helped organize the Montana Economic Development Summit, which featured keynote speakers Bill Gates, Robert Rubin, and Ben Bernanke (recently named Time Magazines’ person of the year), and he has organized other similar events as well.

Before joining the committee, Mr. Adams was an entrepreneur focused on the startup and operation of several new ventures throughout the Rocky Mountain West. He principal and/or founder of several companies in the agriculture, entertainment, alternative energy, real estate and retail industries. Adams earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Montana where he won the John Ruffatto Business Plan Competition.

In pursuit of his passions for travel and visual art; he has shot, edited, written, and/or produced more than 70 television programs that have aired on networks such as CBS Sports, ESPN 2, Outdoor Channel and OLN. These programs were filmed on location in some of the more remote places on earth; including trips to the Arctic dessert, Amazon jungle, African Savannah, and Tien Shen Mountains.

Herbert M. Allison, Jr.
Assistant Secretary for Financial Stability
US Department of the Treasury
Office of Financial Stability
Washington, DC

Herbert M. Allison, Jr. was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 19, 2009 to serve as the Department of the Treasury's Assistant Secretary for Financial Stability. As Assistant Secretary for Financial Stability, Allison is responsible for developing and coordinating Treasury's policies on legislative and regulatory issues affecting financial stability, including overseeing the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP). Allison is also Counselor to the Secretary.

Most recently, Allison served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Fannie Mae. Prior to being appointed to Fannie Mae, he was Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of TIAA-CREF. Allison began his career at Merrill Lynch, where he served many roles and was ultimately elected President, Chief Operating Officer and a member of the Board.

He was a director of Time Warner and a member of the Advisory Board of the Yale School of Management, the Advisory Council of the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's International Advisory Committee. Allison was a director of the New York Stock Exchange from 2003-2005.

Allison earned a B.A. in Philosophy from Yale University and an M.B.A from Stanford University. He spent four years as an officer in the U.S. Navy, including a year in Vietnam. He is married to Simin Allison and has two sons, John and Andrew.

William E. Best, FM
Senior Vice President, Manager Community Development Banking
PNC Bank
East Brunswick, NJ

William Best joined PNC Bank in September, 2003 as Senior Vice President, Northeast Territory Manager, Community Development Banking in its East Brunswick, N. J. office. In this role, he is responsible for the Bank’s commitment towards the growth and prosperity of the low-moderate income segments and its communities, with a focus on economic development, affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization. He comes to PNC from his position of Executive Director of the New Jersey Redevelopment Authority. Under his leadership, the agency leveraged over $1.3 billion in economic development. investments. His twenty plus years experience in banking and business were acquired through an executive banking career whereby he developed, managed, and supervised lending programs for the major financial services institutions.

Mr. Best has been recognized with several awards. A graduate of North Carolina Central University, he did graduate studies with Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Banking Program, and completed the Executive Program at Harvard University’s J. F. K. School of Government. He has been affiliated for many years with the New Jersey Urban Bankers Association.

He presently serves on the board of New Jersey Future, New Jersey Regional Plan Association, the Newark Regional Business Partnership, and the IEDC.

Aaron Seth Brickman
Director, Invest in America
US Department of Commerce
Washington, DC

Aaron Brickman is the founding Director of Invest in America, the first formal effort by the Federal Government in a generation to promote foreign direct investment (FDI) in the United States. His primary responsibilities include management and coordination of investment promotion and related agency activities, working with state and local economic development entities, and undertaking outreach to the international investment community.

Leading Invest in America bridges Mr. Brickman’s past international investment promotion activities. Before joining Commerce he worked in international economic consulting and strategy, dealing extensively with private sector expansion mechanisms and focusing primarily on international trade and investment promotion. He advised in the planning and operations of national and sub-national investment promotion efforts, and was a resident advisor to the Government of Mozambique on export development.

Previously at Commerce, Mr. Brickman focused on analysis of worldwide and U.S. developments in renewable energy and the analysis of oil and gas industry developments in Africa and Asia. In addition, he was the U.S. energy industry’s principal liaison within Commerce on international transparency and anti-corruption policies. During 2005-2007, Mr. Brickman played a crucial role in developing Commerce’s contribution to Presidential initiatives on clean energy and climate change.

Mr. Brickman has worked as a Senior Consultant for a Chicago-based electronic commerce firm specializing in international logistics fulfillment. Overall his work has taken him to more than 40 countries.

Mr. Brickman holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor’s degree from American University in Washington, DC. He lives in Silver Spring, Maryland, with his wife and family.

Judith A. Canales
Administrator
Business & Cooperative Programs
USDA Rural Development
Washington, DC

Judith A. Canales has over twenty years of experience working at the national and local levels in federal and local government administration and nonprofit management. Her expertise is rural and urban development, housing, community development and economic development. She is also experienced in U.S. - Mexico border public policy issues and development.

In May 2009, Ms. Canales was appointed by President Barack Obama to the position of Administrator for Rural Business and Cooperative Programs in the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development. She is responsible for overseeing the national rural business and cooperative programs portfolio for USDA with a budget of over $1 billion.

Ms. Canales previously served as the Executive Director for the Maverick County Development Corporation facilitating economic development for Eagle Pass and Maverick County, Texas.

Ms. Canales also served as an adjunct faculty member of Southwest Texas Junior College where she taught U.S. and Texas Government. She is also a consultant specializing in government relations, grant writing, and leadership training for nonprofit organizations.

Ms. Canales was the first Executive Director of the International Hispanic Network, an organization of city managers and professionals. She was the Director of Human Resources for the Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino, Special Projects Director for Sul Ross State University- Rio Grande College and served as the Assistant City Manager for the City of Eagle Pass.

Ms. Canales was appointed by President Bill Clinton as the Acting Associate Administrator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Business-Cooperative Service in Washington, D.C. She was the Deputy State Director for the USDA Rural Development Texas Office. The Texas State Office administers the rural housing, utilities, business, and community development programs.

Ms. Canales worked in Washington, D.C. as the Legislative Officer in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Legislation. She served as Legislative Representative in the Washington, D.C. office of New York City Mayor David N. Dinkins. She worked for the Low Income Housing Information Service and the National Council of La Raza. She co-authored the NCLR policy report, “The Hispanic Housing Crisis.”

Ms. Canales is the past national president of MANA, a national Latina organization. She is a graduate of the National Hispana Leadership Institute, and is a recipient of the “Woman of Distinction” award from the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders.

Dennis G. Coleman, CEcD, FM
President & CEO
Saint Louis County Economic Council
St. Louis, MO

Dennis G. (Denny) Coleman is the president & CEO of St. Louis County Economic Council. Prior to his present position, Coleman was director of development for the City of St. Louis, being in charge of the city’s neighborhood, housing and economic development efforts. He also has served as vice-president for community development at Mercantile Bank when the bank’s community development corporation won national Fair Housing awards and a Private Sector Initiatives Award from the White House. He also was the founding director of the DeSales Housing Corporation, a non-profit, neighborhood-based organization. St. Louis County Economic Council is a not-for-profit economic development organization responsible for creating high quality business and employment opportunities for long-term diversified growth throughout St. Louis County and the St. Louis region. Mr. Coleman has a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Wisconsin and a bachelor’s degree in urban geography from St. Louis University. He also has completed the Senior Executives Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and serves on the national board of directors of the International Economic Development Council.

Donald Cravins, Jr.
Staff Director and Chief Legal Council
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
United States Senate
Washington, DC

Donald “Don” Cravins, Jr. is a native of Opelousas, Louisiana. Don attended college at Louisiana State University where he graduated in 1994 with a degree in Political Science. Upon graduation, Don attended the Southern University Law Center where he graduated with honors in 1998. During his tenure at the Law Center, Don was a member of the Southern University Law Review, the National Moot Court Board and President of the Student Bar Association. Upon graduation from Law School and while studying for the Louisiana bar exam, Don served as the Deputy Campaign Manager for US Senator John Breaux.

From 1998 until the present, Don has been a licensed and practicing attorney. In 2004, he was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives. At that time, he and his father, Senator Don Cravins, Sr., were the first father and son to serve in the Louisiana Legislature at the same time. In 2006, Don was elected to the Louisiana Senate for the seat vacated by his father. In 2007, he was reelected to the senate with over 70 percent of the vote. During his tenure in the Senate, Don served as the Chairman of the powerful Senate Insurance Committee and as Vice Chairman of the Senate Retirement Committee. In 2008, Don ran for Congress in the 7th Congressional District of Louisiana.

In January of 2009, Don resigned from the Louisiana State Senate to become the Staff Director and Chief Counsel for the US Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship which is chaired by US Senator Mary Landrieu. As such, Don oversees all activities of the Committee including supervising its 20 plus employees, developing policy and legislation affecting small businesses throughout America and advising Senator Landrieu and the 18 Senators who sit on the Committee about issues before the Committee.

John C. Dugan
Comptroller of the Currency
Office of the Comptroller
US Department of the Treasury
Washington, DC

John C. Dugan was sworn in as the 29th Comptroller of the Currency in August 2005.

The Comptroller of the Currency is the administrator of national banks and chief officer of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). The OCC supervises nearly 1,600 federally chartered commercial banks and about 50 federal branches and agencies of foreign banks in the United States, comprising nearly two-thirds of the assets of the commercial banking system. The Comptroller also is a director of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and NeighborWorks® America.

In September 2007, Comptroller Dugan was named Chairman of the Joint Forum, which operates under the aegis of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, the International Organization of Securities Commissions, and the International Association of Insurance Supervisors. The Joint Forum includes senior financial sector regulators from the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, and Australia, and deals with issues common to the banking, securities, and insurance industries, including supervision of conglomerates.

Before his appointment as Comptroller, Mr. Dugan was a partner at the law firm of Covington & Burling, where he chaired the firm's Financial Institutions Group and specialized in banking and financial institution regulation.

He served at the U.S. Department of the Treasury from 1989 to 1993 and was appointed Assistant Secretary for Domestic Finance in 1992. While at Treasury, Mr. Dugan had extensive responsibility for policy initiatives involving banks and financial institutions, including the savings and loan cleanup, Glass-Steagall and banking reform, and regulation of government-sponsored enterprises. In 1991, he oversaw a comprehensive study of the banking industry that formed the basis for the financial modernization legislation proposed by the administration of the first President Bush.

From 1985 to 1989, Mr. Dugan was Counsel and Minority General Counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. There he advised the committee as it considered the Competitive Equality Banking Act of 1987, the Proxmire Financial Modernization Act of 1988; and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989.

A 1977 University of Michigan graduate with an A.B. in English literature, Mr. Dugan earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1981.

Elizabeth A. Duke
Governor
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
Washington, DC

Elizabeth A. Duke took office on August 5, 2008, to fill an unexpired term ending January 31, 2012.

Prior to her appointment to the Board, Ms. Duke was Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of TowneBank, a Virginia-based community bank. Prior to this, she was an Executive Vice President at Wachovia Bank, and an Executive Vice President at SouthTrust Bank. Earlier in her career, Ms. Duke was President and Chief Executive Officer of Bank of Tidewater, based in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Ms. Duke served on the Board of Directors of the American Bankers Association from 1999 to 2006, and served as its Chairman from 2004 to 2005. She also served on the Board of Directors and as President of the Virginia Bankers Association. From 1998 to 2000, Ms. Duke served on the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. She has also served as a member of the Fannie Mae National Advisory Council.

Aside from her work in the banking industry, Ms. Duke has held many civic positions, including service on the boards of directors of the Virginia Council on Economic Education, the Hampton Roads Partnership, the Old Dominion University Foundation, and the Economics Club of Hampton Roads. She also served on the Virginia Legislative Subcommittee to Study Capital Access and Business Financing and served on the Board of Commissioners of the Norfolk Airport Authority.

Rita L. Ferrall
President & CEO
The Chaucer Group, LLC
Washington, DC

Rita L. Ferrall is the President and CEO of The Chaucer Group LLC. The firm, founded and organized in 1990, specializes in rebuilding neighborhoods and communities all across America utilizing both public and private sector financing tools, products and programs. The client base of The Chaucer Group LLC has and currently includes cities, towns, counties and states all over the continental USA and Hawaii. The Chaucer Group LLC has served as an adviser to governments in Africa and to private sector organizations in Europe. A business leader who has been active in housing, community and economic development for over 25 years, Rita L. Ferrall is a former Commercial Real Estate Banker and Officer with national banks in Washington, DC and New York City.

Jeffrey A. Finkle, CEcD
President & CEO
International Economic Development Council
Washington, DC

Jeffrey Finkle has been a leader in economic development for more than 20 years. In August, 2001 he became the president and CEO of the International Economic Development Council, following IEDC’s birth through the merger of the Council for Urban Economic Development (CUED) with the American Economic Development Council (AEDC). Prior to the merger, Finkle served for 15 years as president and CEO of CUED. During that time, he oversaw the vast expansion of that organization’s membership and influence, as well as strengthening its financial footing.

Before assuming leadership of CUED, Finkle was the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Deputy Assistant Secretary of Community Planning and Development for program management. From 1981-86, he supervised the Urban Development Action Grant Program, the Community Development Block Grant Program and the Housing Rehabilitation program.

Jeffrey Finkle received a Bachelor of Science degree in communications from Ohio University in Athens. He then pursued graduate studies in business administration at Ohio State University. As President of IEDC, he also serves as CEO of the Association of Defense Communities, a membership organization that provides information, training and networking opportunities to assist communities in the economic development, conversion and reuse of military real estate. In addition, he heads the Bollinger Foundation, a non-profit organization he founded that provides support to children who have lost one or both parents who worked in the economic development profession.

Vice Admiral John Grossenbacher
Laboratory Director & President
Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC
Idaho National Lab
Idaho Falls, ID

Charles O. Holliday, Jr.
Chairman Emeritus, Council on Competitiveness
Former Chairman and CEO, DuPont
Founding Member, International Business Council
Washington, DC

Few people know success like Charles “Chad” O. Holliday, Jr. After starting with DuPont in a summer position as an engineer in 1970, he advanced in the company until he was named Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Holliday increased his company’s profitability while championing sustainable business practices, successfully stewarding DuPont through a focus shift in products and services. During his ascent to the highest levels of corporate leadership Mr. Holliday helmed the Nomex ® and Kevlar ® businesses at DuPont, and served as chairman of Asia – Pacific as well as president of DuPont.

Mr. Holliday retired from DuPont after serving as CEO from 1998 to 2008, and as chairman from 1999 to 2009. He is Chairman Emeritus of the Council on Competitiveness and a founding member of the International Business Council. He is a past chair of the Business Roundtable’s Task Force for Environment, Technology, and Economy; the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBSCD); The Business Council; and the Society of Chemical Industry – American Section. He also served as chair of Catalyst, a non-profit organization dedicated to expanding opportunities for women and business.

A licensed engineer, Mr. Holliday earned his bacherlor’s degree in industrial engineering from the University of Tennessee, and is an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering.

Gary K. Jones
Washington DC Representative
Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer
Washington, DC

Gary Jones is the Washington DC Representative for the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC), a position he has held since 2005. As the DC Representative, Mr. Jones is responsible for providing FLC coordination in the DC area with Federal Agencies and their laboratories, Congressional staff, and trade, professional and other organizations. He brings over twenty-three years of professional experience to his current position, including seven years in academia and over sixteen years in industry and government. Most recently, Mr. Jones was on the faculty of American University’s Washington Semester Program, where he served as an Academic Director for International Business & Trade. He has also lectured on global R&D management in the George Washington University graduate business program, and served as an adjunct faculty member at University of Maryland University College, Graduate School of Management & Technology. Prior to his academic experience, Mr. Jones’ career included work as an exploration geophysicist in the energy industry, a policy analyst supporting the U.S. Department of Energy, and a researcher with the Virginia Department of Economic Development. He holds an M.B.A from University of Richmond, a B.S. in Geophysics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and has studied technology management and international business at the post-graduate level.

Esther Lee
Director, Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship
US Department of Commerce
Washington, DC

David R. Lloyd
Director
Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Washington, DC

David Lloyd is the Director of the Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization in the EPA Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. David assumed this position in January of 2006 after holding a variety of positions in the areas of private and Government legal practice, real estate operations and development. From 2002 to 2005, he served as the national director of EPA's facilities and real estate program. In this position, David oversaw the construction, alterations, leasing operations and maintenance of the Agency's 191 facilities nationwide, focusing on sustainable design and development. David held the position of EPA's Assistant General Counsel for Claims and Property Law, and prior to that worked in private law practice in the areas of commercial real property and civil litigation. David received his undergraduate degree from George Washington University in 1985, and a law degree from Washington and Lee University in 1988.

Honorable Gary Locke
Secretary
US Department of Commerce
Washington, DC

Gary Locke was appointed by President Obama as the 36th Secretary of Commerce and sworn into office on March 26, 2009.

At the Department of Commerce, Locke is charged with helping implement President Obama’s ambitious agenda to turn around the economy and put people back to work. As the first Chinese-American to hold this post in a president’s cabinet, Locke has a distinctly American story. His grandfather emigrated from China to Washington state, initially finding employment as a servant, working in exchange for English lessons. Locke’s father, also born in China, was a small business owner, operating a grocery store where Locke worked while receiving his education from Seattle’s public school system. His strong work ethic and determination eventually took him to the highest office in the state of Washington.

Prior to his appointment, Locke helped U.S. companies break into international markets as a partner in the Seattle office of the international law firm, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP. There, he co-chaired the firm’s China practice and was active in its governmental relations practice.

As the popular two-term governor of Washington, the nation’s most trade-dependent state, Locke broke down trade barriers around the world to advance American products. He helped open doors for Washington State businesses by leading 10 productive trade missions to Asia, Mexico and Europe, significantly expanding the sale of Washington products and services. He also successfully strengthened economic ties between China and Washington State. His visits are credited with introducing Washington companies to China and helping more than double the state’s exports to China to over $5 billion per year.

As part of his considerable trade and economic development efforts, Locke launched Washington’s Competitiveness Council with business, labor and civic leaders working together to effectively position Washington State for success at home and around the world. During the eight years of the Locke Administration, the state gained 280,000 jobs. Locke earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Yale University and a law degree from Boston University.

Diane C. Lupke, CEcD, FM
President
Lupke & Associates
Evanston, IL

Ms. Diane Lupke, CEcD, FM is President of Lupke & Associates, Inc., Consultants in Community Economic Development. Lupke & Associates, Inc. is a consulting firm specializing in market-based solutions for communities in economic transition. Since its founding in 1990, Ms. Lupke, her Associations, and Staff have helped more than 100 communities to identify niche opportunities, build consensus, and transform lagging economies with “new economy” methods. Ms. Lupke is an authority on the use of enterprise zones and other special tools for development, and she has twenty-five years experience in designing and implementing development strategies. Lupke & Associates has earned distinction for its work with distressed communities that face particular challenges: urban neighborhoods, struggling downtowns, and isolated rural economies. Ms. Lupke has been an active member of IEDC and its predecessor organization CUED since the mid-1980s and has served on the Board of Directors of both organizations. Ms. Lupke holds a BA from Earlham College and the MPA degree from Indiana University. She is on the Board of Advisors for the Local Policy Journal based in the United Kingdom and co-author of the OECD publication “Entrepreneurship: A Catalyst for Urban Regeneration”.

Edward Montgomery, PhD
Director of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers
US Department of Labor
Washington, DC

In March 2009, President Obama named Dr. Edward Montgomery Director of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers. In that role, his mission is to cut through red tape and ensure that the full resources of our federal government are leveraged to assist the workers, communities, and regions that rely on our auto industry.

Growing up in Pittsburgh, Ed attended college at Pennsylvania State University and went on to earn his Master’s and Ph.D. in Economics at Harvard University. After graduating, he joined the faculty of Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Mellon University and in 1983 took a leave of absence to work as a visiting scholar on the Board of Governors at the Federal Reserve System. Ed later taught at Michigan State University and the University of Maryland. His research focused on such topics as local economic development, pension and wage determination and the impact of unions.

In 1997, Ed joined the Clinton administration as the Labor Department’s Chief Economist before becoming the Assistant Secretary for Policy. He helped Secretary Alexis Herman negotiate and end the Teamsters-UPS strike and the first international treaty against child labor. He subsequently served as Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer for this department with 17,000 employees and a budget of over $32 billion.

At the end of the Clinton Administration, Ed rejoined the faculty of the University of Maryland and in 2003 became the Dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences at the University of Maryland.

Before being appointed to his current role, Ed led President Obama’s transition team at the Department of Labor and then served as a Senior Advisor to Secretary Hilda Solis.

Jay C. Moon, CEcD, FM
President & CEO
Mississippi Manufacturers Association
Jackson, MS

Jay is the President of the Mississippi Manufacturers Association. The MMA provides a broad range of services to over two thousand manufacturers and their suppliers. Jay has over twenty years of successful economic development experience. Jay served as the Deputy Director and Director for International Development with the Mississippi Development Authority. During that period, Jay was responsible for attracting well-known national and international businesses such as Caterpillar, Sunbeam, Asics, Mazda, BMW and many others to the State of Mississippi. Recently he led the successful effort to locate the new $1.5 billion Nissan Automotive Assembly facility that will employ 5300 employees. Through Jay’s efforts, the state development authority received consistent recognition for its innovative programs, including acknowledgement as one of the top ten development organizations in the US. Jay has extensive experience in international markets including Asia, Europe, and Latin America. He has led dozens of trade and investment missions and has managed international offices in seven countries. In addition, Jay has successful community based economic development experience, having directed the economic and community development programs for the City of Gulfport, Mississippi for many years. Jay has also held responsible positions in the states of Kentucky and Georgia. Jay is a Certified Economic Developer. He served on the board of the American Economic Development Council for two terms and he currently serves on the board, certification and international committees of the International Economic Development Council. Jay is a former board member and President of the National Association of State Development Agencies. He is a graduate of the Economic Development Institute where he was an instructor on international trade and investment and where he was awarded the Robert B. Cassell Student Leadership Award. Jay has also taught a course on international development as a part of the basic course at the University of Southern Mississippi. Jay has an undergraduate degree in International Relations and a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Georgia.

Daniel L. Neff
Director - Local Development District Program
Appalachian Regional Commission
Washington, DC

Diane Palmintera
President
Innovation Associates
Reston, VA

Diane Palmintera is the founder and President of Innovation Associates. For 20 years, IA has provided services to communities, universities, and states in technology transfer, university-industry collaboration, and tech-based economic development. IA is best known for leveraging universities and national labs to stimulate economic competitiveness.

Ms. Palmintera provides program development and implementation in technology transfer, commercialization, public-private partnerships, seed capital formation, incubation, entrepreneurship, and federal-state relations. She also is a well-known author. Endorsed by national leaders and featured in Business Week, Technology Transfer and Commercialization Partnerships provides a roadmap for academic institutions to launch technology startups and transfer technologies. She also authored Accelerating Economic Development through University Technology Transfer, Developing High-Technology Communities: San Diego, and Partners on a Mission: Federal Laboratories Contributing to Economic Development. Ms. Palmintera has assessed and applied best practices throughout the U.S. and 16 countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Prior to founding IA, Ms. Palmintera held senior and consulting positions with the U.S. Conference of Mayors, National Governors Association, and National Alliance of Business, and was an Associate of the Urban Institute. She is Co-Chair of IEDC’s Public Policy Action Committee.

Martin Simon
Program Director, Workforce Development
Social, Economic, and Workforce Programs Division
National Governors Association
Washington, DC

Phillip A. Singerman, PhD
Senior Vice President
B&D Consulting
Washington, DC

Phillip Singerman’s expertise includes program development and implementation of technology transfer and commercialization programs with universities and federal laboratories, business incubation and research park facilities, seed funds for early stage companies, and special cooperative agreements with federal agencies. Phillip is particularly knowledgeable about federal economic development programs.

Phillip was appointed U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development by President Bill Clinton and served from 1995-1999. In this position, he directed the Economic Development Administration (EDA), the federal government's lead economic development agency, whose $400 million annual budget provided grants to distressed communities.

Phillip was the founding chief executive of two of the best-known state-sponsored technology-based economic development organizations: Pennsylvania's Ben Franklin Partners Program in Philadelphia and the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO). Prior to joining B&D Consulting, Phillip was a Managing Director at Toucan Capital Fund II, LP, a $120 million private venture capital firm, investing in early stage life science companies.

Phillip serves on the boards of the State Science and Technology Institute, the Tech Council of Maryland, and East Baltimore Incubator. Previous board positions include the International Economic Development Council and the U.S. Department of Commerce's Advisory Committee on Strengthening America's Communities Initiative.

Raymond J. Uhalde
Vice President
Workforce and Education Policy Group
Washington, DC

Ray Uhalde is Director of the Workforce Development Strategies Group at the National Center on Education and the Economy. He is the co-author of Toward A National Workforce Education And Training Policy and currently manages an international study on the impact globalization is having on work and living standards in the United States. Ray served for over twenty-five years with the U.S. Department of Labor, the last fifteen in senior executive positions. As acting Assistant Secretary of the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) for two years, Ray was the principal advisor to the Secretary of Labor and chief public spokesperson on all employment and training matters. He was the lead Department official responsible for enactment of the Welfare to Work Act of 1997 and the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. As Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor from 1994 to 2002, Ray oversaw operations for an agency of 1400 people with a budget of $10 billion, including oversight of the nation’s unemployment insurance system, One Stop Career Center network, the Job Corps, school-to-career transition, foreign labor certification, apprenticeship, and training programs for youth, older workers, people with disabilities, and other special populations. Prior to his appointment as Deputy Assistant Secretary, Ray served as administrator of ETA’s strategic planning, policy development, research, and demonstration activities. Before entering Federal service, Ray was employed as a labor economist for a private consulting firm. Ray currently serves on the Northern Virginia Workforce Investment Board and is vice-chair of the board of directors for Perry School Community Services Center, Inc. of Washington, D.C.

Marty K. Vanags
President & CEO
Economic Development Council of the Bloomington-Normal Area
Normal, IL

Marty Vanags graduated from Illinois State University, Normal, in 1984 with a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's degree in public administration from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, in 1986. Marty began work at the EDC in May of 2004 with over 15 years of experience in community and economic and private development.

Along with his regular duties, Marty manages the Central Illinois Partnership, a marketing organization of Central Illinois communities and EDOs; He is vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the Illinois Development Council; Co-Chairs the Public Policy Advisory Committee (chair of the Entrepreneurship Sub-committee) and actively participates in the Economic Development Research Partners program of the International Economic Development Council; Advisory Board member of the Illinois State University Alternative Energy Major, ISU Alumni Board and Advisory Board Member of the Small Business Development Center at Illinois State University; Board Member of the McLean County Chamber of Commerce Board and the McLean County Branding Task Force.

Marty can be heard on BNBIZ Radio, a radio show featuring entrepreneurs, and related topics every Tuesday, noon (CST) at WJBC 1230 am or on podcasts at www.bnbiz.org. You can also read Marty’s blog at his blog or follow him on twitter@bnedguy.

Carol Wayman
Director of Federal Policy
Corporation for Enterprise Development
Washington, DC

As CFED's director of federal policy, Carol Wayman provides first-rate strategic counsel to motivate efforts to expand economic opportunity through federal legislative and regulatory advocacy. Through her proactive clarity, vision and purpose at CFED, Ms. Wayman has pushed efforts to expand matched savings accounts through enactment of an Individual Development Account tax credit, refundable Saver's Credit, reauthorization of the Assets for Independence Act, and renewed funding for Individual Development Accounts at the Office of Refugee Resettlement. Her efforts led to the reform of asset limits in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (previously Food Stamps) to exempt savings in IRAs, 529s, and Coverdells from asset limit tests. She also led efforts to expand resources for Community Development Financial Institutions and community economic development in the Housing and Economic Recovery Act.

Prior to joining CFED, Ms. Wayman served as the Director of Policy at the National Congress for Community Economic Development for nearly a decade. She advocated on behalf of nonprofit community development corporations and successfully increased federal and state government investment in their activities. Accomplishments included the enactment of the New Market Tax Credit, expansion of investment activities of the Federal Home Loan Banks, and support of more than $4 billion in state housing and economic development policies.

Additionally, Ms. Wayman is the author of numerous publications including Stroke of the Pen: 40 Recommendations for Policymakers; At Your Fingertips: An Annotated Bibliography for CED Practitioners; Practitioner's Guide to Federal Community Economic Development Programs, and two guidebooks on the New Market Tax Credit.

Ms. Wayman also worked on state tax and nonprofit policy and federal homelessness policies and in city community economic development offices in Burlington, Vermont and Las Vegas, New Mexico. She has a B.A. (Political Science) from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) and a M.P.P. (Tax Policy concentration) from American University.

Charles W. Wessner, PhD
Director, Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
The National Academies
Washington, DC The Future of Innovation & Entrepreneurship Speaker

Tom Wright
Executive Director
Regional Plan Association
New York, NY