Speakers

Jonathan Aberman
Founder, Managing Director
Amplifier Venture Partners
McLean, VA

Jonathan is the founder of Amplifier. Amplifier is Amplifier Ventures (www.amplifierventures.com), a group of early stage venture capital funds, and Amplifier Network (www.amplifiernetwork.com) an online social community that provides educational content, relevant news and business advice to a growing community of entrepreneurs and selected investors and service providers in the Mid-Atlantic market. Amplifier has been operating since late 2005 and has helped entrepreneurs to start 8 emerging software businesses as the first institutional investor.

Jonathan is a Professor at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, where he teaches corporate finance, business planning, organizational development, family business entrepreneurship and new venture creation. He is frequently interviewed and quoted on business topics by national and local news organizations, including the Deal, Potomac TechWire, the Washington Post, the Washington Business Journal, ThinkTalk Television and Left Jab Radio on Sirius/XM.

Jonathan also consults in the formation and implementation of technology creation policies. Recently he wrote a White Paper on the “The Decline of the United State Venture Capital Industry: What the Federal Government Should Do About It.” Currently he is assisting George Mason University in the formulation and execution of its technology transfer activities. Previously, he was a member of the Steering Committee for The Governor’s Commission on Biotechnology for the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is also an active advisor to many other regional technology development initiatives in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Jonathan holds a BA (with honors) in Political Science and Economics from George Washington University, where he was a Phi Beta Kappa. He received an MSc in International Economics with Distinction from the London School of Economics. He also holds two law degrees, an MA from Downing College, Cambridge University and an LLM from the New York University School of Law.

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.

Dyan Lingle Brasington, CEcD, FM
Vice President of Economic & Community Outreach
Towson University
Towson, MD

Dyan Brasington is the Vice President for Economic and Community Outreach (DECO) at Townson University. In her capacity as Vice President, Dyan leads an initiative to create relationships and expand engagement opportunities for the University to meet the needs of community, private sector and government organizations, and to foster economic development in the region. Brasington has more than 30 years combined experience in economic development.

Prior to joining the University, Dyan served as the President of the Technology Council of Maryland, an organization that advocated for the development of technology driven companies. Dyan has developed and led government and private sector economic development agencies at the state, regional and local levels. Her experience including being the Director of Economic Development for the State of West Virginia, the Director in Howard and Montgomery Counties, Maryland, and in Prince William County, Virginia and as an Industrial Representative for the Florida Department of Commerce.

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.

Ian Bromley, FM, MBA, FMIEDC, FRSA
Immediate Past Chair
International Economic Development Council
Toronto, Ontario
Canada

In September 2006, Ian Bromley was appointed as the first Chief Executive of Creative Sheffield, in Sheffield, England). Creative Sheffield is a City Development Company encompassing the activities of predecessors, Sheffield One (City Centre Regeneration Company) and Sheffield First for Investment (Inward Investment Agency) and building new capacities in marketing and branding, innovation and the knowledge economy, and regional economic development to create a comprehensive and effective company to transform Sheffield’s economy.

Mr Bromley joined Creative Sheffield from Toronto, Canada where he held a number of progressively senior positions in Management Consulting (Boston Consulting Group), Economic Development, Communication, Marketing and Innovation development in the private and public sectors. Most recently, Mr Bromley served the Government of Ontario, Canada as Director of Urban Economic Development, Director of Economic Development Strategy and Director of Infrastructure and Innovation.

Mr Bromley has also worked as a consultant, advisor and teacher in urban and economic development in Japan, China, New Zealand, Brazil, the United States and Canada.

Mr. Bromley currently serves as Chair of the International Economic Development Council. He has been a long standing board member with the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance, the Toronto Financial Services Alliance, the Ottawa Partnership, the Waterloo Accelerator Centre, the Economic Development Council of Ontario, and the Innovation Systems Research Network.

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.

Adolfo Carrión Jr.
Director
White House Office of Urban Affairs
Washington, DC

Adolfo Carrión is the first Director of the White House Office on Urban Affairs and Deputy Assistant to the President.

Director Carrión is charged with coordinating the policies of 10 cabinet agencies into an effective agenda for urban America. Carrión brings a record of success on issues ranging from housing, to employment, to drug control, in urban areas. Serving as Borough President of the Bronx for 7 years prior to assuming his current appointment, Carrión oversaw significant increases in affordable housing, urban employment, and progressive change to one of the country’s most dynamic and challenging counties.

Carrión’s career began as a school teacher in the Bronx when, after becoming increasingly involved in the needs of students and their parents, chose to pursue urban planning as a means to positively effect change. Earning a Masters in urban planning from New York City’s Hunter College, Carrión worked for 3 years in the Department of Urban Planning. After overseeing the development of a major transportation hub, his community elected him as their District Leader in 1992 and then elected him to the City Council in 1997.

After serving one term in the City Council, Carrión was elected Bronx Borough President, representing the borough’s 1.4 million residents. His election as Borough President made him New York State’s highest ranking Latino elected official. Under Carrión’s leadership, total investment in the borough increased from $361 million/year in 2002, to almost $1 billion/year in 2008. Unemployment dropped by five percent, a decline due in part to Carrión’s aggressive pursuit of employment assurances for members of the Bronx community during residential or commercial construction. Almost no project passed muster without a Community Benefits Agreement.

Assuming his new role on March 2, 2009, Carrión stepped-down from the borough presidency with the following record: 40,000 new housing units in development; 50 new schools built or in construction; and 2 million square feet of additional office space created.

Carrión has served as the President of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) and as Vice President of International Affairs for the County Executive of America. He is also a former Aspen-Rodell fellow at The Aspen Institute.

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.

Patrick M. Costigan
The Community Builders, Inc.
Washington, DC

Patrick Costigan has nearly 30 years of experience in affordable housing and community development policy, program design, implementation and administrative management. Mr. Costigan joined The Community Builders, Inc. (TCB), as a senior consultant in 1998, and was appointed a Senior Vice President in 1999. Currently, he directs TCB’s national and regional policy efforts in support of its business development activities. He works actively with housing-related Congressional authorization/appropriations and HUD staff, and public/private industry actors and foundations/intermediaries to advance housing and community development issues important to the communities in which TCB works.

In addition to his policy role, Mr. Costigan previously directed TCB’s Community Initiatives department. Under his leadership, the department helped over 5,000 residents transition into new or improved housing, secured jobs for nearly 2100 unemployed or under-employed residents, assisted 8100 individuals claim more than $15 million in Earned Income Tax Benefits, and registered over 7000 new voters.

Prior to his work with TCB, Mr. Costigan was a private consultant to nonprofit and for profit housing development and policy organizations concerned with community development, workforce development and program design and evaluation. Previously, he served as Vice President of The Enterprise Foundation of Columbia, Maryland, where he managed a number of housing development and financing programs and the foundation’s neighborhood transformation initiatives in Ohio, Maryland and Florida. Earlier in his career, Mr. Costigan assisted community development corporations package and develop low-income housing while at the Cleveland Center for Neighborhood Development and Walnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation in Cincinnati.

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.

Cyril Dadd
Policy Analyst
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
U.S. Department of Commerce
Washington, DC

Cyril Dadd is a Policy Analyst with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), an agency in the U.S. Department of Commerce that serves as the executive branch agency principally responsible for advising the President on telecommunications and information policies. Mr. Dadd helps implement the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP), a grant program funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to support the deployment of broadband infrastructure, enhance and expand public computer centers, and encourage sustainable adoption of broadband service. Mr. Dadd’s previous experience includes providing policy communications consulting services for broadband service providers, communications for a presidential campaign, and non-profit international development work. He earned a master’s degree from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, and an undergraduate degree from Tulane University.

Paul J. Dean, Esq.
Director of Government Relations
American Public Transit Association
Washington, DC

Paul J. Dean is the Director of Government Relations for the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). As the Director of Government Relations, Paul serves as the organization’s chief federal lobbyist, working directly with Congress and the Administration to advance APTA members’ legislative and regulatory priorities. He oversees and implements strategies to advance APTA’s goals in a variety of transportation- related issue areas, including the federal budget, homeland security, energy and climate change policy, federal infrastructure investment, and the authorization and regulatory implementation of federal surface transportation programs.

Paul brings 13 years of transportation – related professional experience to APTA, in both the private sector and on Capitol Hill. Prior to joining APTA, he worked for 9 years as a contract lobbyist for Baker & Daniels, one of Washington’s top law and government relations consulting firms. While at Baker & Daniels, Paul chaired the Washington office’s transportation practice group, representing several APTA members. His client’s included public transportation agencies, cities, non-profit transportation providers and other local and regional government agencies. His accomplishments included securing millions of dollars in discretionary authorizations and appropriations for large and small scale transportation initiatives, including the construction of intermodal transportation centers, fixed guideway systems, bus maintenance facilities and bus fleet replacements. In addition, Paul worked with Congress and the Administration to enact several important legislative and regulatory provisions to benefit his clients during the development and implementation of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act - A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).

In Congress, Paul served as a legislative aide to U.S. Senator Connie Mack (R-FL), with responsibility for several domestic issues, including transportation, housing and community and economic development. In addition, he served as Legislative Clerk for the U.S. House of Representative’s Committee on Rules.

Jonathan O’Neal Dilley
Vice President
B&D Consulting
Washington, DC

Jonathan Dilley is Vice President with B&D Consulting. He is a communities and local governments federal relations professional, representing his clients' interests at the local, state and federal levels, bringing national attention and resources to economic development organizations, municipalities, nonprofit organizations, colleges and universities.

Jonathan works with clients to identify key objectives and translates their goals into actionable federal strategies, making sure that clients are prepared with messages that resonate with decision-makers on Capitol Hill and the federal agencies. Through the development of comprehensive government relations strategies, Jonathan advances appropriations, legislative and regulatory objectives, securing critical funding and support from numerous governmental agencies.

Jonathan also advocates on behalf of clients — businesses and communities — who are focused on energy and climate related issues. He takes a proactive approach to ensure his clients are heard when it comes to the impact of climate change.

Prior to joining B&D Consulting, Jonathan served as Legislative Assistant to U.S. Congressman Dan Burton of Indiana, former Chairman of the House Government Reform Committee. In addition to appropriations work, Jonathan advised the Congressman on a number of legislative issues, including economic development and national defense.

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.

The Honorable John Fernandez
Assistant Secretary of Commerce,
Economic Development Administration
U.S. Department of Commerce

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.

Gerri Fiala
Deputy Assistant Secretary
Employment and Training Administration
U.S. Department of Labor
Washington, DC

Gerri Fiala recently joined the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training. Prior to this, Gerri served as Staff Director to the HELP Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety chaired by Senator Patty Murray. Here Gerri drafted Senator Murray’s “Innovations in 21st Century Careers” bill to make education more relevant for high school students. She also developed bills introduced by Senator Murray during the economic stimulus debate. Key components of these bills were ultimately included in Recovery Act funding provisions for the Department of Labor.

Before coming to Capitol Hill Gerri served in a number of workforce development positions that impacted workers and businesses in the U.S. and abroad. This includes her tenure as Director of Workforce Research for the Workforce Development Strategies Group at the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE). Accomplishments here include management of a project to help the Northern Ireland Department for Employment and Learning update its labor market information systems. Another project identified workforce development policies, best practices and models both in states and other countries to strengthen U.S. workforce development.

Gerri served for nearly eight years as Administrator, Office of Policy Development, Evaluation and Research, in the U.S. Department of Labor. This includes a year as a loaned executive to serve as Senior Counselor for Economic Development to the American Association of Community Colleges. As Administrator, she led interagency efforts to drive job training reform. This work culminated in the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, and Older Americans Act Amendments of 2000 (creating the Senior Community Service Employment Program). Her leadership on interagency teams also secured the Trade Adjustment Assistance Act, and Welfare to Work program, and provided direction to a DOL effort to craft and implement regulations for each of these programs.

Gerri has a Masters of Labor and Industrial Relations from Michigan State University, a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Iowa, and Associate of Arts from North Iowa Area Community College.

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.

David Gardiner
Principal, President
David Gardiner & Associates, LLC
Washington, DC

David Gardiner is president of his own environmental consulting firm, David Gardiner & Associates, a strategy and research consulting firm focused on climate change and energy issues. The firm helps businesses and non-profit organizations solve energy and climate challenges. It develops strategies, analyzes issues, and seizes communications opportunities for its clients, which include the American Public Transportation Association, Ceres, the Energy Future Coalition, and Recycled Energy Development.

Prior to founding his firm, he served for eight years as a senior official in the Clinton Administration. He directed the White House Climate Change Task Force, the group established by President Clinton to coordinate the U.S. government’s domestic and international policies on climate change. Before coming to the White House, Mr. Gardiner served for six years as Carol Browner’s Assistant Administrator for Policy at the Environmental Protection Agency. At EPA, he led the agency’s climate change efforts, as well as programs to reinvent EPA’s approaches to key sectors, such as transportation, agriculture, metal finishing, and real estate development. Prior to joining EPA, he was the Sierra Club’s Legislative Director in Washington, DC.

Mr. Gardiner has a Bachelor of Arts with honors from Harvard College.

Daniel R. Gomez
Senior Advisor
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training
Employment and Training Administration
U.S. Department of Labor
Washington, DC

Augustine A. Grace
Senior Business Development Officer
Export Import Bank of the United States
Washington, DC

Augustine Grace is a Senior Business Development Officer at the Export Import Bank in Washington D.C. The bank, an independent agency of the U.S. Government, provides loans to foreign buyers of U.S. goods and services, and insurance and guarantee protection to U.S. exporters and banks engaged in export sales. The Business Development Group provides a number of out-reach services to banks and exporters to inform them of Ex-Im Banks programs and to encourage their use of these services.

Mr. Grace has primary responsibility for the training seminars at Ex-Im Bank, as a training coordinator and lecturer. He has developed marketing programs and outreach efforts to promote the bank's programs.

Augustine Grace has held a number of positions at the Export Import Bank in Washington D.C. He was formerly a Marketing Officer providing guidance to exporters, buyers and bankers on all Ex-Im Bank programs. For a period of one year he worked as a Loan Officer in the U.S. Division recommending Working Capital Guarantees for approval. For four years he arranged loans and guarantees, credit facilities, and limited recourse financing for eligible borrowers in Latin America. His forte is international lending, and he has spent most of his tenure as a loan officer lending to public and private sector entities in Latin America.

Todd Greene, CEcD
Assistant Vice President, Community & Economic Development Research & Policy
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
Atlanta, GA

Todd Greene is the Assistant Vice President for Community and Economic Development at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. In this role, Greene is responsible for leading a team devoted to identifying significant community and economic development issues and for planning a full-cycle approach to research projects with a focus on improving the policy-making environment. In addition to Georgia, Greene’s target markets represent the entire Federal Reserve Bank’s sixth district including Florida, Alabama and portions of Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

Prior to joining the Federal Reserve Bank, Greene was the director of Community Policy and Research Services in the Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute (formerly Economic Development Institute) where he oversaw efforts in economic development planning, readiness and strategic assessments, fiscal and economic analysis, and professional development for economic developers (including Georgia Tech’s Basic Economic Development course). Greene also served as Executive Director of the Georgia Tech Program in Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy (a joint program with the School of Public Policy).

Before joining Georgia Tech, Greene was a private consultant addressing various governmental and information technology issues. He also served in various technology and research-related management roles at the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) and at SBC Corporation.

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

Mr. Grossenbacher is the Director of the Idaho National Laboratory and President of Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA). His credentials and experience include leadership and management of large institutions with substantial efforts focused on technology research and development. Before joining Battelle, Mr. Grossenbacher had a distinguished career with the U.S. Navy, achieving the rank of Vice Admiral and Commander of the U.S. Naval Submarine Forces. He earned a bachelor of science degree in Chemistry from the U.S. Naval Academy, and he holds a master of arts degree in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins University. In addition, he completed the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration Program for Management Development. He is a leader with a refined sense of strategy, an in-depth technical knowledge and a focus on delivering results. He is one of only a handful of officers in U.S. Navy history to be awarded both the Stockdale and David Lloyd Awards for Leadership Excellence. As Commander of the U.S. Naval Submarine Forces, Vice Admiral Grossenbacher led the integration and consolidation of the U.S. Navy's Atlantic and Pacific submarine forces. He is noted for his ability to build and lead multi-disciplinary teams, to meet complex science and technology challenges, and to achieve success in developing and sustaining collaborative relationships with multiple stakeholders.

Grady Hedgespeth
Director
Office of Financial Assistance
US Small Business Administration
Washington, DC

Grady B. Hedgespeth, Director of the Small Business Administration’s Office of Financial Assistance, oversees the major business lending programs of a portfolio in excess of $70 billion. He is a nationally known economic development specialist and business visionary who has managed new business development opportunities for several national financial services entities, created economic policy for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and changed the strategic direction of multibillion dollar companies. Before joining the SBA, he served as CFO and Senior Vice President at Seedco, a premier national workforce and community development intermediary headquartered in New York City.

Mr. Hedgespeth designed and established BankBoston Development Company (later Fleet Development Ventures,) the nation’s first bank-owned urban investment bank. During his tenure, BBDC provided $178 million in equity and mezzanine financing to more than 900 businesses and 3,000 units of affordable housing – all while meeting its profitability and other performance targets. Mr. Hedgespeth’s banking innovations helped BankBoston receive six outstanding Community Reinvestment Act ratings in succession, as well as the Ron Brown Award for Corporate Social Responsibility. At Seedco, he oversaw the doubling of assets under management including the receipt of two allocations of New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) from the U.S. Treasury Department totaling $35 million. He successfully completed one of the first NMTC transactions in the nation, which financed the creation of a successful biotech incubator in inner-city Detroit – a project that was hailed a “poster child” for the NMTC program.

Among his public sector accomplishments, Mr. Hedgespeth was the first Massachusetts Department of Revenue Deputy Commissioner for Child Support Enforcement where his business-like approach to public administration resulted in greater operating efficiencies, improved customer service and a 29% increase in child support collections in the first year. As the Commonwealth’s first African-American Secretary of Economic Affairs, he spearheaded an initiative that more than doubled Massachusetts exports in just five years.

Fred Hochberg
President
Export-Import Bank of the United States
Washington, DC

Fred P. Hochberg is the 23rd president of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank), the U.S. government's official export credit agency. In this capacity, Hochberg also serves as chairman of the board. President Barack Obama nominated Hochberg to the position on April 20, 2009. The U.S. Senate confirmed his nomination by unanimous consent on May 14, 2009, for a term ending on January 20, 2013. He was sworn in as chairman and president on May 21, 2009.

Hochberg has more than 30 years of experience in business, government and philanthropy. From 2004 to 2008, he was dean of Milano The New School for Management and Urban Policy. From 1998 through 2001, he served as deputy, then acting administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), where he vastly improved customer service and substantially increased lending to minority and women small-business owners.

Before joining the Clinton administration, Hochberg was president and chief operating officer of the Lillian Vernon Corporation, where he led the transformation of a small, family mail-order company into a publicly traded, highly successful direct-marketing corporation.

Hochberg is dedicated to community service and philanthropic involvement in civil rights, education and the arts. He recently sat on the boards of the Citizens Budget Commission, FINCA International Micro Finance, and the Howard Gilman Foundation, and he was an appointed representative to the New York State Financial Control Board. Hochberg also served on the Board of Commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, having been appointed to the position in 2008 by Governor David A. Paterson.

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.

Donald E. Jakeway
President & CEO
Brooks Development Authority
San Antonio, TX

Mr. Donald E. Jakeway is the President and CEO of the Brooks Development Authority (BDA) in San Antonio, Texas. As the President and CEO of the BDA, he leads one of the most unique public/private economic development projects in the United States. Through an unprecedented partnership between the City of San Antonio and the United States Air Force, the former Brooks Air Force Base is being re-developed into a world-class research and technology center.

Don previously served as Director of the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD). Under his tenure, the ODOD was named one of the “top ten development agencies in the world” for two straight years by Site Selection Magazine. He subsequently served as President and CEO of Northwest Ohio’s Regional Growth Partnership (RGP) and Regional Technology Alliance (RTA), non-profit corporations dedicated to fostering economic development and enhancing technology opportunities in the region.

Mr. Jakeway also led the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), a $100 million public/private partnership, established as a one-stop economic development agency for the state of Michigan.

Barbara K. Johnson
Principal
The Johnson Group, LLC
New Orleans, LA

Barbara K. Johnson, MPA, board member and chair of the IEDC External Member Relations Committee, is principal with The Johnson Group, a New Orleans consulting firm founded in 2008.

The Johnson Group provides business solutions to corporations to help them achieve a greater return, impact and results from their community investments. As it assists organizations to rethink strategies, maximize resources and accelerate program implementation, it also brings to bear extensive knowledge, experience and networks in philanthropic, community and economic development.

Johnson has held executive positions in economic development, planning and and public policy research at Greater New Orleans, Inc., the Downtown Development District, the University of New Orleans and the Bureau of Governmental Research. She directed the 2004 organizational merger of the New Orleans Regional Chamber of Commerce and the MetroVision Economic Development Partnership as Greater New Orleans, Inc., aligning key business and political leadership on a focused blueprint for economic development. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation, Johnson led the creation and implementation of an economic roadmap for the region’s renaissance. She has established a strong workforce development track record and was instrumental in securing over $20 million in funding for colleges and universities in the New Orleans area to address the critical shortage of talent in key industries in the region.

Johnson holds a bachelor of arts in city and regional planning from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of New Orleans.

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.

Paul L. Krutko, FM
Chief Development Officer
City of San Jose - Office of the City Manager
San Jose, CA

Since joining the City of San Jose in 2002, Paul Krutko has led the development and implementation of an Economic Development Strategy for one of the world’s leading center of technology and innovation. He also helped create and implement the City’s Green Vision that is creating economic growth through ten environmental sustainability goals.

Significant accomplishments include retention and expansion projects for headquarter facilities for eBay and Cisco Systems, the acquisition of 78 acres of a former FMC site for mixed use development which includes a major league soccer stadium.

Krutko has been instrumental in advocating and developing signature events, such as the biennial ZeroOne San Jose art and technology festival and the returning Amgen Tour of California. As chief development officer, Krutko leads the City of San Jose’s Community and Economic Development City Service Area coordinating a broad range of development service and facilitation activities on behalf of the City Manager.

Prior to coming to San Jose, he held various strategic economic development, downtown leadership and planning roles with the City of Jacksonville, Florida, Cleveland, Ohio and Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Krutko is a board member of the International Economic Development Council and the California Association for Local Economic Development.

Thomas Kucharski, CEcD
President & CEO
Buffalo Niagara Enterprise
Buffalo, NY

Thomas A. Kucharski, a Buffalo native, returned home to serve as President & CEO of the Buffalo Niagara Enterprise on February 1, 2000. Kucharski most recently served as head of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation, Eastern Pennsylvania’s first regional economic development corporation, which was established in 1995 and credited with attracting 18,000 jobs and $1 billion in investment. In his last year, the LVEDC was cited in Site Selection magazine as one of the top 20 Economic Development Corporations in the United States. LVEDC was also awarded thirteen Northeast Economic Development Association Awards, including the President’s Award, the most awards received by a single entity in one year in NEEDA history. In his leadership role at LVEDC, Kucharski was successful in “rebranding” what was known as the rust-belt region Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton, Pennsylvania, into one nationally recognized for effective re-use of brownfields and for attraction of a diverse range of employers. Previous to his position at Lehigh Valley he served as executive director of the Horizon Council of Southwest Florida from 1992-1995, the first regional public/private partnership including Sarasota, Ft. Myers and Naples, Florida.

As BNE President, Tom Kucharski focuses on regional image building, business attraction marketing and the implementation of a region-wide prospect management system. He will work closely with a number of public and private sector economic development entities, as well as the real estate development community.

Kucharski has an undergraduate degree in Business Management and a Masters degree in Economics from SUNY at Buffalo. He also earned his Certified Economic Developer (CED) professional designation at the American Economic Development Institute at University of Oklahoma.

Kristine Lee Leiphart
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional Affairs
Department of Commerce
Washington, DC

Kristine Lee Leiphart is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional Affairs at U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA). She oversees the Office of Performance and National Programs and six regional offices with a staff of about 170 people.

Dr. Leiphart also served as the Deputy Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Associate Administrator for Budget and Policy for the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) at the U.S. Department of Transportation. She was responsible for working with the Office of Management and Budget, the Government Accountability Office, and the Office of the Inspector General for FTA’s implementation and compliance related to various Federal Acts and directives.

Dr. Leiphart possesses a background in financial management, strategic planning, and management by performance results. She had a principal role in serving as a Departmental liaison with the Office of Management and Budget for the President’s Management Agenda and leading the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Performance and Accountability Report. She has also worked at the Federal Highway Administration authoring sections of the Highways and Transit Conditions and Performance Report to Congress, and furthering workforce planning for the transportation community.

Prior to joining DOT, Dr. Leiphart served as the principal investigator for a California study on transportation, land use and transit oriented developments at the RAND Corporation, a private-nonprofit think-tank that facilitates the improvement of public policy. She was the finance and freight project manager at the Southern California Association of Governments, the largest Metropolitan Planning Organization in the United States specializing in transportation, community, environmental, and economic planning. She started her career in housing finance, structuring loans for commercial and multifamily developments using grants, tax credits, bonds, and private funds.

Dr. Leiphart has a doctorate degree from the School of Urban Planning and Public Affairs from the University of Illinois, and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in political science, urban studies and sociology from Northwestern University. She served as a lecturer for safety and national security classes at George Mason University. She has a degree designation as a global logistics specialist (GLS) and is certificated in transportation logistics management.

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”.

Dennis Maloy
Executive Director
Hancock Economic Development Council
Greenfield, IN

Mr. Maloy is the executive director of the Hancock Economic Development Council, serving in his current capacity since March 2004. Dennis has 20 years of economic development experience on the state, regional, and local levels.

Under his leadership, the Hancock Economic Development Council has managed projects that range from the attraction of global headquarters, manufacturing operations, and logistics facilities.

Dennis serves on the Board of Directors of the Indiana Economic Development Association and chairs its Legislative Committee. During his chairmanship, the IEDA spearheaded legislation guaranteeing the confidentiality of economic development negotiations and the exemption from personal property tax of IT equipment.

A native Hoosier, Dennis holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Indiana University and a post-graduate certificate from the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute.

Joseph A. Marinucci, FM, HLM
President and CEO
Downtown Cleveland Alliance
Cleveland, OH

Joe Marinucci’s career encompasses more than 24 years of economic development experience spanning public and private operational perspectives. Joe has expertise in strategic planning, real estate development, business retention and expansion, commercial and retail investment, economic development financing, business development marketing, downtown housing and local, regional and national policy development.

Currently, he serves as President and CEO of the Downtown Cleveland Alliance and oversees numerous programs designed to spur investment in downtown, including the staffing of the downtown property owners council and major physical development initiatives such as the Euclid Corridor Transportation Project. In addition, Joe works closely with developers and businesses looking to invest in downtown Cleveland.

As Vice President of Real Estate Development for Cleveland’s Playhouse Square Foundation, Joe directed real estate activities for the country’s second largest theater district. Joe has been involved in leadership roles in numerous downtown organizations and initiatives. From 1997-2002, Cleveland’s Mayor and Cuyahoga County Commissioners appointed him Chairman of the Gateway Economic Development Corporation. Joe created the Cleveland Theater District Development Corporation and served as the organization’s first Executive Vice President.

Nationally, Joe served as Treasurer of the National Council for Urban Economic Development (CUED), was a long-time member of its executive committee, and Chairman of the Board of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).

Barry I. Matherly, CEcD
Executive Director
Lincoln Economic Development Association
Lincolnton, NC

Barry Matherly, CEcD is the executive director of the Lincoln Economic Development Association, a private, non-profit corporation charged with facilitating industrial, office and commercial development in Lincolnton and Lincoln County, NC. Previously, Barry was the Director of Economic Development for the communities of Goochland and Pulaski, Virginia and the Special Projects Manager at the Economic Development Assistance Center at Virginia Tech University. Mr. Matherly has a bachelor’s degree in business from James Madison University and a master’s degree in planning from Virginia Tech University. He is also a graduate of the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma and a recipient of the Robert B. Cassell Leadership Award. An active civic leader, his current and past board leadership includes: the Lincolnton Rotary Club, Charlotte Regional Partnership, and the local entities of the YMCA, Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Development Association, Industrial Managers Association, and Communities In Schools. He is also a Junior Achievement volunteer. Barry Matherly was named one of the 40 Leaders Under 40 (2002) by the Charlotte Business Journal and recognized as a North Carolina Main Street Champion.

William D. Michalerya
Associate Vice President, Government Relations & Economic Development
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA

William Michalerya has primary responsibility for developing Federal, State and regional programs in research and economic development for Lehigh University and developing strategic alliances and technology partnerships.

He is active in local and Pennsylvania economic development initiatives, including an appointment by the Governor to the Board of the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority (BFTDA).

He currently serves as a member of the Public Policy Advisory Committee of the International Economic Development Committee (IEDC).

In 2002, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by Lehigh University and in 2003, he was awarded the Ben Franklin Innovation Award for an Academic Partner by the Ben Franklin Partners of Northeast PA. In 2007 and 2008 he won awards for Lehigh University from the University Economic Development Association (UEDA) recognizing the university’s work with the Southside Bethlehem Keystone Innovation Zone and Technology Commercialization. In 2008, he led a team that won the IEDC Partnership Award. He currently serves as an Officer of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) and in 2009 was elected at Vice President of the Board of the UEDA.

Prior to joining Lehigh University, Mr. Michalerya spent ten years in professional practice as a consultant and project manager for a wide range of engineering and technology projects. Mr. Michalerya earned a Bachelor and a Masters degree in civil engineering from Cornell University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Lehigh University. He is a registered Professional Engineer.

Edward Montgomery, PhD
Executive Director
White House Council on Auto Communities and Workers
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.

Mark Muro
Fellow and Policy Director
Metropolitan Policy Program
The Brookings Institution
Washington, DC

Mark Muro, a fellow and the director of policy at the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings, manages the program's public policy analysis and leads key policy research projects. Mark’s most recent publications include: “Fiscal Challenges Facing Cities: Implications for Recovery;“ “Implementing ARRA: Innovations in Design in Metropolitan America,” and “Metro Potential in ARRA: An Early Assessment of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.” Previous to those releases Muro published “Energy Discovery-Innovation Institutes: A Step Toward America’s Energy Sustainability” and “MetroPolicy: Shaping a New Federal Partnership for a Metropolitan Nation.” Mark was also a co-author with Rob Lang of the 2008 Brookings report, “Mountain Megas: America’s Newest Metropolitan Places and a Federal Partnership to Help Them Prosper.” Each of these represents a key element of the metro program’s Blueprint for American Prosperity initiative, the policy series and policy development of which Mark has led. Mark is also the author of such recent publications as “Reconnecting Massachusetts’ Gateway Cities: Lessons Learned and an Agenda for Renewal;” “Charting Maine’s Future: An Action Plan for Promoting Sustainable Prosperity and a Sustainable Future;” and “Back to Prosperity: A Competitive Agenda for Renewing Pennsylvania.”

Prior to joining Brookings, Mark was a senior policy analyst at the Morrison Institute for Public Policy at Arizona State University. He has also been a staff writer for The Boston Globe and an editorial writer for The Arizona Daily Star. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and a master’s degree in American studies from the University of California, Berkeley.

Mark is also a member of the Citistates Group, a network of journalists, speakers and civic leaders focused on building competitive, equitable and sustainable 21st century metropolitan regions.

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

Dan Neff has over 25 years of experience with community and economic development projects and activities in the Appalachian region of the country. Since 2001 he has served as the director of the Local Development District (LDD) Program for the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) in Washington, DC. In that position, Mr. Neff acts as a liaison for ARC with the 73 LDDs that are located within the 13 states that make up Appalachia.

In previous positions, Mr. Neff has served as the Executive Director of the Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association – a ten county regional development organization located in Cambridge, Ohio. He has also served in state government as the Assistant Director and then Director of the Ohio Governor’s Office of Appalachia during the Voinovich Administration.

He presently resides in Jefferson County, West Virginia with his wife and two sons.

Mary Ann Newton, CEcD
President
West Monroe - West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce
West Monroe, LA

Mary Ann Newton is the President of the West Monroe-West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce and serves as liaison between the City of West Monroe and the Chamber. She is a graduate of the University of Louisiana at Monroe and the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute and is a Certified Economic Developer. Prior to her position with the WMWO Chamber, Mary Ann was the Owner/President of Dixie Bonded Warehouse of Ouachita, Inc. - the largest bonded, commercial warehouse for raw materials in the tri-state area. She was also the owner/operator of Dixie Transportation and a member of the American Trucking Association, the Louisiana Motor Transport Association, the American Warehousing Association and served as a member of the Louisiana Department of Transportation Inter-modal Planning Committee. She possesses a wide range of expertise in the warehousing, distribution and logistics arena.

During her tenure with the WMWO chamber, Mary Ann has restructured the organization. Its focus becoming Community and Product Development; working in conjunction with the Ouachita Parish School Board, the City of West Monroe, the University of Louisiana at Monroe, the Louisiana Technical College System and many rural municipalities and communities. Chamber emphasis has been placed upon improving education – providing services, programming and support to develop, enhance and create opportunities for teachers, staff and students. Most recently, Newton authored the Framework for Addressing Poverty. The program has led to a class offered at the University of Louisiana at Monroe providing support and instruction to classroom teachers improving test scores of children entering kindergarten. The program was awarded the Coordinating and Development Corporation’s 2009 Award of Excellence in Education.

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.

Dan Pitkin
Business & Technology Advisor
NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership
Gaithersburg, MD

Dan Pitkin is a Business & Technology Advisor with the U.S. Department of Commerce, NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), a national outreach program with 60 MEP Centers and 1500 field staff located in every state and Puerto Rico. MEP’s mission is to provide business and technical assistance to small manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) to improve their productivity and global competitiveness for profitable business growth.

Currently, Dan is the MEP program manager for Lean Product Development, lean and sustainable product design, development and technology commercialization, and Intellectual Property management outreach and training with USPTO. Dan also is a member of the U.S. Council on Energy Efficient Manufacturing, a public-private partnership that provides standards, programs and resources for industrial energy efficiency. Dan served as Liaison officer for a multi-year collaboration between the Department of Commerce and Department of Defense’s Office of Technology Transition to connect U.S. manufacturers with Federal Labs for the transfer, transition, acquisition and deployment of advanced technologies and products that enhance military capabilities and warfighter effectiveness, health and safety.

Dan is a Cornell engineer with over twenty years of private sector executive management plus eight years of federal government program management, interagency collaborations, and public-private partnerships. He has extensive management experience in both government and industry with product design and development, technology transfer and transition, rapid prototyping, manufacturing systems, business development and commercialization.

The Honorable Rosa “Rosie” G. Rios
Treasurer of the United States
US Department of the Treasury
Washington, DC

Prior to her confirmation as Treasurer, Rios worked at MacFarlane Partners, where she was Managing Director of Investments. Working with MacFarlane Partners’ development and global capital partners, Rios played a central role in facilitating equity transactions for large mixed-use development projects in major urban areas. Last November, Rios took a leave of absence from MacFarlane Partners to serve on the Treasury/Federal Reserve Transition Team.

The U.S. Treasurer advises the Secretary on matters relating to coinage, currency and the production of other instruments by the United States. In addition, the Treasurer serves as a senior advisor and representative of the Treasury on behalf of the Secretary in the areas of community development and public engagement.

Before her time at MacFarlane Partners, Rios was a Principal for Red River Associates, a consulting firm that specializes in providing development, project management and executive management services to municipalities. Rios also served as the Director of the Redevelopment and Economic Development for the City of Oakland. Also in California, Rios served as Director of Economic Development for the City of Fremont, Development Specialist for the City of San Leandro, and Manager of the Union City Redevelopment Agency. At the beginning of her career, Rios worked in San Francisco as a Commercial Property Underwriter for the General Reinsurance Corporation.

Most recently, Rios was a Trustee of the Alameda County Employees’ Retirement Association (ACERA) in California and served on the boards of the California Association of Local Economic Development (CALED), the Unity Council and the Toigo Foundation. In addition, she is a Fellow with the Royal Society for the Arts. Rios received her Bachelor’s degree from Harvard University.

Jeramy Shays
Policy Associate
American Council on Renewable Energy
Washington, DC

(Ms.) Jeramy Shays is Policy Associate at the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE), which was established in 2001 to bring renewable energy into the mainstream of America’s economy and lifestyle. Ms. Shays works with ACORE staff and members to help develop and implement the organization’s policy strategy, and keeps ACORE members informed about renewable energy policy. Ms. Shays joined ACORE in 2008 after completing a joint Law and Masters of Environmental Management degree (MEM) from Vermont Law School and Yale School of Environmental Studies. Prior to graduate school, Ms. Shays was the Director of Seminars and a Research Associate at the Environmental Law Institute (ELI). She graduated from Principia College with a B.A. in Environmental Studies in 2002.

Natalie Shirley
Secretary of Commerce & Tourism and Executive Director
Oklahoma Department of Commerce
Oklahoma City, OK

Natalie Shirley is Oklahoma’s Secretary of Commerce and Tourism. She was appointed to this position in February 2007 by Governor Brad Henry. She also serves as Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and is a member of several boards and commissions in her role as Secretary. Secretary Shirley is the former president and chief executive officer of ICI Mutual Insurance Group in Washington, D.C., the captive insurance company of the mutual fund industry.

Prior to becoming President in 2001, Ms. Shirley served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. From 1991 to 1996, Ms. Shirley was Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the Company. Prior to 1991, Ms. Shirley served as Associate General Counsel of the Investment Company Institute, the national investment company trade association, where she handled regulatory matters and other issues concerning mutual funds and unit investment trusts. From 1982 to 1986, Ms. Shirley served as Deputy General Counsel for the Oklahoma Department of Securities.

An Oklahoma native, she graduated from Oklahoma State University and earned a law degree from the University of Oklahoma. She lives in Oklahoma City with her husband Russ Harrison and their three children. They are members of St. Luke’s Methodist Church.

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

Martin Simon is the director of workforce development programs at the National Governors Association, Center for Best Practices. In this position, is responsible for managing and providing strategic direction for the Centers’ research and technical assistance services to states related to workforce and economic development policy and programs. In addition, he is the project director for several projects including the Center’s state sector strategies project, and adult worker projects. He written and edited numerous NGA Center publications.

Before joining NGA, Mr. Simon was the Associate Director for Policy and Program Development with the Governor’s Office for Job Training in Michigan. In this position, he was responsible directing staff support to the Governor’s Human Resource Investment Council; and advising key policymakers on a broad range of workforce development policy and programmatic issues. Prior to his work with the Governor’s office, he ran youth development programs at the state and local levels.

Mr. Simon has held several management positions with state government, and administered local employment and training programs for youth. He has over 30 years of experience in managing national, state, and local policy and program initiatives in the areas of workforce and economic development.

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.

William C. Sproull
President & CEO
Richardson Chamber of Commerce
Richardson, TX

William Sproull began as President and CEO of the Richardson Chamber of Commerce, the Metroplex Technology Business Council, and Richardson Economic Development Partnership in October, 2004. He was recently re-appointed by Texas Governor Rick Perry to his third two-year term to the board of the half-billion dollar Texas Emerging Technology Fund, on which he currently serves as Vice-Chair . He also serves on the Board of the International Economic Development Council. Prior positions include Vice President of Economic Development at the Greater Dallas Chamber, President and CEO of the McKinney Economic Development Corporation, Vice President and Director of Business Development for the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City Missouri, and Director of Business Retention for the Kansas City Corporation for Industrial Development.

Mr. Sproull received his B.A. from Baylor University with a double major in Economics and Political Science in 1982. He is also a graduate of the Basic Economic Development Course at the University of South Florida. He is a past president of Missouri Industrial Development Council. His work was recognized by the editors of Site Selection magazine when they selected the Texas Instruments $3 billion wafer fab project as the Top Development Deal of 2003. Site Selection has also selected his teams three times as one of the top 10 development groups in the U.S. in 1994, 1997 and 2004. He is also a two-time recipient of the American Economic Development Council’s “Best of Class” marketing award.

Laurel Steele, PhD
Business Liaison Officer
Consular Affairs/Visa Office
Department of State
Washington, DC

Laurel Steele is the Business Liaison Officer in the Visa Office of the Department of State. The Visa Office deals directly with consular sections worldwide, addressing operational problems and implementing policy and procedures.

Laurel is a Foreign Service Officer and has served in India, China, Taiwan, Jordan, Pakistan, Sudan and Afghanistan. Her specialty is economic reporting. Her multiple tours in India and China have familiarized her with the most pressing visa issues that confront businesses. In Washington, she works closely with State Department colleagues in the Economic Bureau, as well as the Department of Commerce and the Department of Homeland Security. Laurel is a member of a newly-formed task force to help businesses with the visa process.

A native Californian, she has a B.A. degree from the University of California at Berkeley, and earned her Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in South Asian literature.

Derieth L. Sutton, CEcD, EDFP
Economic Development & Governmental Relations Coordinator
Niagara Bottling, LLC
Groveland, FL

Derieth L. Sutton is the Economic Development & Government Relations Coordinator for Niagara Bottling, LLC, the largest family-owned and operated bottled water manufacturer in the United States. Sutton brings over 20 years of public and private sector experience to that position.

Prior to joining Niagara, Sutton served as the Lake County Regional Director for the Metro Orlando EDC where she worked recruitment, expansion and retention projects within the Orlando region. Her experience in economic development can be traced back to positions held with the Kansas Lottery, the Kansas Department of Commerce & Housing, and the City of Kansas City, KS. She has also worked as the Economic Development Specialist for the City of Palm Bay, the Business Development Coordinator for the City of Fort Pierce and Director of Economic Development for Worcester County (MD) Government.

Sutton has earned a bachelor of art degree in electronic journalism from the University of Oklahoma and a master of science in public administration from Lacrosse University.

In her current position, Sutton is responsible for both new and existing plant expansions, the exploration of energy efficiency programs and the implementation of incentive opportunities that ultimately position the company for growth while reducing operational costs.

Sutton is a member of IEDC’s Public Policy Advisory Committee (PPAC), and PPAC’s Workforce Development sub-committee. She has also served as a volunteer through IEDC’s Economic Recovery Volunteer Program.

Allison J.H. Thompson, CEcD, EDFP
Director of Economic Development
City of Cedar Hill
Cedar Hill, TX

Allison J. H. Thompson, holds a BS in Criminal Justice from Texas Christian University, an MA in Urban Affairs from the University of Texas of Arlington as well as professional certifications from both the International Economic Development Council and the National Development Council.

Currently employed by the City of Cedar Hill, a thriving community in southwest Dallas County on Joe Pool Lake, she serves as the Director for the Cedar Hill Economic Development Corporation as well as directs the economic development efforts for the City of Cedar Hill.

Her experience ranges from working as a consultant focusing on strategic economic development planning to managing a regional economic development organization. She has served as director of economic development in several Texas cities.

Elizabeth Thorstensen
Senior Associate
International Economic Development Council
Washington, DC

Elizabeth “Liz” Thorstensen serves as a Senior Economic Development Associate in the Advisory Services and Research department at the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) in Washington, DC. Having worked in public, private and non-profit settings, she brings a wide breadth of experience to IEDC.

Liz works on a wide variety of technical assistance and research projects, with a focus on integrating sustainability paradigms with economic development. She has recently completed work as a co-author for the Climate Prosperity Handbook, a free guide to informing communities of the economic benefits of proactively pursuing sustainable development and climate action strategies. In conducting research to support the project, she engaged in ongoing dialogues with local stakeholders from across the country who are leading the city and regional climate action movement.

Liz is also the project manager of IEDC’s Accredited Economic Development Organization Program, a means of recognizing professional excellence in economic development organizations. Liz earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland in Geography and GIS and holds master’s degrees in Urban Planning and Local Economic Development from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the London School of Economics respectively.

Raymond J. Uhalde
Vice President
Workforce and Education Policy Group
Jobs for the Future
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.

The Honorable George V. Voinovich
United States Senate
Washington, DC

Throughout his distinguished career in service to the people of Ohio, U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich has strived to make government “work harder and smarter and do more with less.” These words provide good insight into the man who helped turn Cleveland around after it became the first major city to declare bankruptcy since the Depression. George Voinovich led Ohio through the recession of the early-1990s, and transformed Ohio state government to improve the quality of services – all while keeping state spending to its lowest growth rate in three decades. His accomplishments are indicative of his top priorities as a public servant: to improve the lives of Ohioans and practice fiscal responsibility.

As United States Senator, George Voinovich recognizes and understands the fierce competition of the global marketplace and the effect of this competition for Ohio. He introduced the Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development Act of 2008 – the WIRED Act – which aims at creating new jobs by making it easier for states to implement regional workforce and economic development programs and help ensure states receive funds to develop a strong workforce. He also introduced the MADE in the USA Tax Act to provide tax relief to domestic corporations and small businesses.

Additionally, Senator Voinovich’s years of experience have taught him that investments in infrastructure are the best way to create jobs and stimulate the economy, and he is fighting for a robust new multi-year highway bill during his last year in office.

George Voinovich’s integrity and commitment to building consensus to get things done for the American people are unsurpassed and have made him one of the nation’s most respected and admired public servants. For all of his contributions to Ohio and the nation, The National Journal has called Senator Voinovich “one of five local and state officials who make a difference in Washington.”

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.

Rick L. Weddle, FM, HLM
President & CEO
Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina
Research Triangle Park, NC

Rick L. Weddle is President and CEO of the Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina since 2004, owner and developer of The Research Triangle Park. Previously, he led regional economic development organizations in four states, including the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, the Toledo, Ohio Regional Growth Partnership, the San Joaquin Partnership & Business Council in Stockton, California and Winston-Salem Business Inc in North Carolina. Active in the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) since its inception, Mr. Weddle, a Fellow Member, was elected as the first Chairman of the Board of IEDC in 2002 and received the designation of Honorary Life Member in 2007 and recently received the 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Economic Development in honor of Edward deLuca. Rick also serves on the boards of various regional, national and international organizations: North American Division President of the International Association of Science Parks (IASP); Association of University Research Parks (AURP); Research Triangle Regional Partnership; Vice Chair of Government Affairs, Legislation and Policy for the Regional Transportation Alliance; and Co-Chair of Reality Check, a joint effort of the Urban Land Institute and Triangle Tomorrow. He and his wife, Ginger, live in Cary.

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

Dr. Charles Wessner is a National Academy Scholar and Director of the Program on Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship. He is recognized nationally and internationally for his expertise on innovation policy, including public-private partnerships, entrepreneurship, early-stage financing for new firms, and the special needs and benefits of high-technology industry. He testifies to the U.S. Congress and major national commissions, advises agencies of the U.S. government and international organizations, and lectures at major universities in the U. S. and abroad. Reflecting the strong global interest in innovation, he is frequently asked to address issues of shared policy interest with foreign governments, universities, and research institutes, often briefing government ministers and senior officials. He has a strong commitment to international cooperation, reflected in his work with a wide variety of countries around the world.

Dr. Wessner's work addresses the linkages between science-based economic growth, entrepreneurship, new technology development, university-industry clusters, regional development, small firm finance and public-private partnerships. His program at the National Academies also addresses policy issues associated with international technology cooperation, investment, and trade in high-technology industries.

Currently, he directs a series of studies centered on government measures to encourage entrepreneurship and support the development of new technologies and the cooperation between industry, universities, laboratories, and government to capitalize on a nation’s investment in research. Foremost among these is a congressionally mandated study of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, reviewing the operation and achievements of this $2.3 billion award program for small companies and start-ups. He is also directing a major study on best practice in global innovation programs, entitled Comparative Innovation Policy: Best Practice for the 21st Century. A complementary analysis entitled Competing in the 21st Century: Best Practice in State & Regional Innovation Initiatives is now underway. The overarching goal of his work is to develop a better understanding of how we can bring new technologies forward to address global challenges in health, climate, energy, water, infrastructure, and security.

Joy Wilkins
Manager, Community Innovation Services
Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute
Atlanta, GA

Joy Wilkins, CEcD is manager of the community innovation services group at Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute and oversees the development and delivery of the Institute’s services for economic developers, local government officials, and other leaders representing cities, counties, and regions. She directs teams to advise communities on a variety of strategic issues, and has also led numerous research initiatives to investigate public policy matters for state and federal sponsors. Prior to Georgia Tech, Joy served as a consultant for economic development and real estate clients and as a researcher at the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce where she developed dozens of publications and reports concerning metro Atlanta’s economic development landscape for prospects and investors. She is also a periodic freelance writer.

Joy entered the economic development profession in 1994 and is a Certified Economic Developer by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). She is a frequent public speaker and instructor on economic development, strategic planning, and quality management topics, and has authored several articles appearing in journals, newsletters, and other publications. Joy holds a master’s degree in city planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology, a graduate certificate in real estate from Georgia State University, and a bachelor’s degree, with sociology and political science majors, from the State University of New York at Fredonia. She is a member of numerous professional associations and committees, and serves on advisory boards for two civic interests.

Thomas K. Wright
Executive Director
Regional Plan Association
New York, NY

Tom Wright is the Executive Director of Regional Plan Association (RPA), the nation’s oldest private regional planning organization. Projects he has directed include the Draft Vision Plan for the City of Newark (2006) and A Region at Risk: The Third Regional Plan for the New York–New Jersey–Connecticut Metropolitan Area (1996). He participated in planning and organizing “Listening to the City,” the historic electronic town hall forum on the World Trade Center site held in July, 2002 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. Mr. Wright manages a staff of 30, oversees budgeting and fiscal planning for a $5 million organization, and coordinates a 65-member Board of Directors.

Mr. Wright lectures widely on growth management and regional planning. He is a Visiting Lecturer in Public Policy at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. He has taught at the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation; the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy; and the New Jersey Institute of Technology School of Architecture. He has served a resource team member for the Governors Institute on Community Design.

Previously, he was the Deputy Executive Director of the New Jersey Office of State Planning, where he coordinated adoption of the New Jersey State Development and Redevelopment Plan (2001) and wrote the Executive Summary of the State Plan. From 1991 to 1993, he was Coordinator of the award-winning Mayors’ Institute on City Design, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Joel S. Yudken, PhD
Principal
High Road Strategies, LLC
Arlington, VA

Joel S. Yudken, Ph.D. is principal and founder, High Road Strategies, LLC, Arlington, VA, an economic, industrial and energy policy consultancy since 2006. Recent work includes major studies on the competiveness impacts of climate policy on energy-intensive manufacturing for the National Commission on Energy Policy and Environmental Defense Fund. Dr. Yudken serves on the Public Policy Advisory Committee of IEDC, the Advisory Board of the Coalition for a Prosperous America, and Transportation-Manufacturing Action Plan Task Force of the Apollo Alliance, and has served on the National Research Council's Board on Manufacturing and Engineering Design. Prior positions include sectoral economist and technology policy analyst, AFL-CIO, senior advisor on modernization and workforce development, NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership, professional staff, Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs, U.S. House of Representatives, and AAAS congressional science & engineering fellow in the office of U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA). He has written and spoken extensively on wide range of policy issues, including manufacturing competitiveness, energy and electricity regulation, economic conversion, the Internet, workforce development, and technology R&D. He holds a Bachelors in electrical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a Master of Science in engineering-economic systems and Ph.D. in technology and society from Stanford University.

Eric Zarnikow
Associate Administrator
Office of Capital Access
US Small Business Administration
Washington, DC

Eric R. Zarnikow, Associate Administrator for the Office of Capital Access. As the head of the Office of Capital Access, Zarnikow manages and oversees the agencies programs designed to expand the access to capital for small businesses. These responsibilities include the agencies loan and Surety Bond Guarantee programs, Risk Management and Credit Risk Management, Financial Programs Operations Centers, Investment Program and International Trade. Zarnikow is responsible for advising the Administrator and overseeing, within Capital Access, the agencies reforms to make it more responsive to both borrowers and lenders. Zarnikow brings more than 25 years of private sector business experience to the agency. Prior to joining SBA as Associate Administrator for Capital Access, Zarnikow held a number of executive positions, most recently serving as Senior Vice President, Chief Risk Officer and Treasurer at The ServiceMaster Company. He also served as Vice President and Treasurer of Gaylord Container Corporation. Zarnikow served on the board of a publicly traded company and serves on the board of a nonprofit organization. Zarnikow received his bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University and master’s of Business Administration from Drake University.

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