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Program
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$ = Extra fee event
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Sunday, March 18 |
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Morning | Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) Exam ($) |
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12:00 - 5:00 pm | Registration and Exhibits |
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1:00 - 3:00 pm |  Pre-Conference Workshop: Tapping Uncle Sam: Bringing More Federal Dollars to Your Community
Federal contracts are awarded every year in every state. Do you know how much Uncle Sam spent in your region last year? How much was won by companies in your region and beyond? In this dynamic session, Judy Bradt shows you how to use instant, powerful, free research tools on federal contracts to uncover keys to new investment attraction and economic growth. Then hear from Dr Jerry Gordon, President and CEO of Fairfax County Economic Development Authority on how his team uses federal contract data to shape their calls, targets, economic development goals and program activities.
Speakers:
• Judy Bradt, Principal & CEO, Summit Insight LLC
• Jerry Gordon, CEO, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority
Price: Free, but registration is required.
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3:15 - 5:00 pm | Concurrent Sessions:
 Better Understand Your Community's Economic Strengths through Federal Data
Today's volatile economy demands that economic development professionals have a constant and thorough pulse of their local economy. The federal government, through various agencies, provides economic developers access to a constant stream of new information including industry data, local workforce data and community demographics. This session will use case studies to illustrate how local economic developers can access and synthesize federal data to enhance their local economic development efforts.
Speakers:
• Earline K.P. Dowell, Lead Technical Marketing and Training Consultant, Longitudinal-Employer Household Dynamics Program, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC
• William M. Shobe, PhD, Director, Center for Economic and Policy Studies, Charlottesville, VA
• Tom Tveidt, Research Economist, SYNEVA Economics LLC, Asheville, NC
Rebuilding Your Central Business District in the Wake of the Great Recession
The down economy adversely impacted many central business districts (CBD). Downtown office vacancies have been on the rise, new downtown development has been stalled due to lack of demand, and existing infrastructure needs to be upgraded. The federal government has programs designed to encourage investment in downtown infrastructure and streetscape improvements, facade improvements, and commercial loan funding. Learn how to best utilize these programs to revitalize your CBD.
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Monday, March 19 |
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7:30 am - 5:30 pm | Registration and Exhibits |
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8:00 - 8:45 am | Plenary Session: The Art of Understanding Federal Programs that Support Local Economic Development
The federal government has a large number of programs designed to encourage local economic development. Unfortunately, the programs and their administrators are not always aligned with each other. In addition, federal economic development programs are constantly changing as administrations come and go. Being an economic development practitioner, it can be overwhelming trying to gain access, stay informed of changes, and understand the processes necessary to take advantage of these programs. In this session, IEDC President Jeff Finkle will help you to understand how to identify and use the many economic development programs scattered through out the many federal government agencies. Additionally, Mr. Finkle will discuss economic development policy and trends on the horizon.
Keynote Speaker: Jeffrey A. Finkle, CEcD, President & CEO, International Economic Development Council, Washington, DC
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8:45 - 10:15 am | Keynote Session: Global Trends Driving a Renaissance in U.S. Manufacturing
The Boston Consulting Group recently released a report stating the U.S. stood to gain 3 million manufacturing jobs in the near future as companies return to the US for their manufacturing needs. The report suggests that the “reshoring” of jobs will be driven by a flexible U.S. workforce, a resilient corporate sector, innovative supply chain logistics, and a smarter federal government approach to manufacturing.
In this session, thought leaders from the private sector and the federal government will provide their views and insights on what types of industries are poised to engage in “reshoring” or whether this projected trend will actually come to fruition. Additionally, we’ll hear from senior government officials who will discuss the renewed emphasis on manufacturing and how the Administration plans to address the complex issues facing a manufacturing resurgence.
Speakers:
• Honorable John Fernandez, US Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, US Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration, Washington, DC
• Jay Timmons, President, National Association of Manufacturers, Washington, DC
• Robert D. Atkinson, PhD, President, The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), Washington, DC
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10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Concurrent Sessions:
Grow Your Community through Innovation
Creating an environment that encourages innovation and promotes technological advances is a must for communities competing in the global economy. This session will examine the federal programs that help foster technology and innovation in local communities through the pooling of government assets and expertise. Additionally, it will highlight what federal programs are available for supporting technology and innovation projects on the local level and how to best utilize them.
Speakers:
• Gary K. Jones, Washington DC Representative, Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer, Washington, DC
• Phillip A. Singerman, PhD, Associate Director for Innovation and Industry Services, Office of the Director, National Institute of Standards and Technology, US Department of Commerce, Gaithersburg, MD
Aligning Infrastructure Investments with Economic Needs
Public infrastructure such as rail, roads, and ports serves an integral role in the U.S. economy by creating conduit for raw materials and finished product to flow through the supply chain and to the market. The development of new infrastructure not only enhances this process, but it can also serve as a local economic development tool by creating construction jobs and paving the way for future local and regional growth.
This session will discuss a recent public infrastructure project and how the local economic development organization is using the project to leverage new jobs and additional growth.
Speakers:
• James C. Collard, PhD, Director of Planning and Economic Development, Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Shawnee, OK
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12:00 - 1:45 pm | Keynote Luncheon
Award Recipients:
• Rep. Pete Visclosky, First Congressional District of Indiana, West Lafayette, IN
• Phillip A. Singerman, PhD, Associate Director for Innovation and Industry Services, Office of the Director, National Institute of Standards and Technology, US Department of Commerce, Gaithersburg, MD
Keynote Speaker: Jay Williams, Director, Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers, Washington, DC
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2:00 - 3:30 pm | Concurrent Sessions:
Understanding Programs that Strengthen Manufacturing in Your Community
The downturn in the US economy had a significant impact on America's global competiveness. In particular, the manufacturing sector experienced unprecedented job loss and overall decline. As the economic recovery starts to take hold, the re-emergence of manufacturing is an integral part of increasing American Competiveness. To grow the local manufacturing base, economic developers must think locally and globally. From technical guidance to export expertise, the federal government has programs in place to aid manufacturers.
This session will provide guidance on how to engage federal programs to assist your local manufacturers.
Speakers:
• Darrell Auterson, President & CEO, York County Economic Alliance, York, PA
• Neil Reddy, Executive Director, Manufacturing Skill Standards Council, Alexandria, VA
• Mark A. Troppe, Manager, Strategic Partnerships and State Relations, NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership, US Department of Commerce, Gaithersburg, MD
Build Your Federal Toolbox to Support Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses
While entrepreneurship was not a common economic development focus 20 years ago, there is evidence that the majority of new jobs created in the U.S. over the last 25 years came from young entrepreneurial companies. This session will guide you through federal programs specifically designed to foster entrepreneurial growth in local communities by providing technical assistance and lending opportunities.
Speakers:
• Michael A. Chodos, Associate Administrator, Office of Entrepreneurial Development, US Small Business Administration., Washington DC
• Paul J. Corson, Deputy Director, Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Economic Development Administration, US Department of Commerce, Washington, DC
• Ray T. Leach, Chief Executive Officer, JumpStart, Inc., Cleveland, OH
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3:45 - 5:15 pm | Concurrent Sessions:
Attracting Foreign Direct Investment to Diversify Your Economy
In today's economic environment communities need to think outside of the box when building their economic development strategies. One method that is often overlooked is the prospects of attracting foreign direct investment to diversify your community's economy. FDI supports millions of U.S. jobs and hundreds of billions in wages and salaries annually. In this session, learn how to bring this investment to your community with the assistance of government programs.
Speakers:
• Tom Bartkoski, Director of International Business Development , World Business Chicago, Chicago, IL
• Aaron Seth Brickman, Deputy Executive Director, SelectUSA, US Department of CommerceWashington, DC
• Mark O'Connell, Chief Executive Officer, OCO Global
Growing Regional Economies through University Partnerships
Universities have many roles in their community, but their role in economic development is not always fully appreciated. Partnering with universities, economic developers can increase their attraction of human, knowledge, and financial resources. These relationships also can be a catalyst for the tech-transfer and redirecting knowledge that is already present in the region, but not being put to productive use in the economy. In this session, learn the benefits and best practices of growing your regional economy through partnering with your local university.
Speakers:
• Erik R. Pages, PhD, President, EntreWorks Consulting, Arlington, VA
• Diane Palmintera, President, Innovation Associates, Reston, VA
• John Provo, PhD, Director-Office of Economic Development, Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, VA
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5:30 - 7:00 pm | Networking Reception |
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7:15 - 9:45 pm | Policy Dinner ($) |
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Tuesday, March 20 |
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7:30 am - 12:00 pm | Registration and Exhibits |
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8:00 - 9:30 am | Concurrent Sessions:
Learning from Experience: Cultivating Entrepreneurship and Job Growth in Rural Communities
Many rural communities are struggling to find their footing as the US climbs out of the Great Recession. While a large number of jobs have left rural America, a talented workforce remains. The federal government has put programs in place to encourage economic growth through rural entrepreneurship. Learn how local economic developers have worked with their state and federal programs to foster entrepreneurship in their communities.
Speakers:
• Judith A. Canales, Administrator, Rural Business & Cooperative Programs, USDA Rural Development, Washington, DC
• Michael W. Krajovic, President, Fay-Penn Economic Development Council, Uniontown, PA
• Leslie Scott, Director, Institute for Rural Entrepreneurship, NC Rural Economic Development Center, Inc., Raleigh, NC
Retraining America's Workforce to for a Changing Global Economy
Workforce development is a core competency for the economic development profession. With many workers out of work and the ever changing dynamics of advanced manufacturing, worker retraining is a necessity. The demand for assisting those workers in the development of new skills is paramount yet it can present challenges such as the ability to provide to identify, pay for, and provide the necessary technical training. Economic developers can serve as an important conduit for addressing these issues and bringing federal job training programs to their local workforce.
This session will examine how federal programs are adapting to meet the needs of the workforce in today's economy, and how economic developers can partner with the federal government, academia, and the private sector to build a workforce for an evolving economy.
Speakers:
• Matthew James, President & CEO, Peninsula Council for Workforce Development, Newport News, VA
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9:45 - 11:00 am | Plenary Session: Access to Capital for Small Business: New Avenues for Success
American small businesses drive economic innovation, employs millions of workers, and deliver goods and services locally and across the globe. Yet during the Great Recession, many small businesses fell on hard times, facing many hurdles including finding access to capital, providing benefits to employees and barriers to doing business. From tax credits to a new lending fund, federal programs have recently been created to help small business owners and other entrepreneurs find new avenues for success in the changing economic landscape. Learn to harness the opportunities provided in recent legislation to support small and minority-owned businesses as a leading force in growing the American economy.
Speakers:
• Connie Evans, President & CEO, Association for Enterprise Opportunity, Washington, D.C.
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11:15 am - 12:30 pm | Plenary Session: Understanding the Impact of Defense Cuts on Local Communities
As the federal government moves towards austerity, the Department of Defense stands to receive significant cuts dealing a blow to defense contractors throughout the country. Many communities will experience job loss as contractors are forced to cut back on important things such as R&D and high tech manufacturing.
This session will provide insight into the budget cutting process as well as include a case study on a successful program that was developed to combat these kinds of losses.
Speakers:
• Dennis G. Coleman, CEcD, FM, President & CEO, St. Louis County Economic Council, St. Louis, MO
• Dorothy Robyn, Deputy Under Secretary for Installations and Environment, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Washington DC
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