Regional Innovations During Boom and Bust: Using New Tools and Vibrant Partnerships for Economic Recovery (2009)


Friday, June 26

10:00 am - 10:15 am Welcoming Remarks
Vic Lechtenberg, Vice Provost for Engagement, Purdue University
10:15 am - 11:45 am What Does the Legacy of the Past Portend for the Future of Northern Indiana?
Keynote by Richard C. Longworth, author of Caught in the Middle: America's Heartland in the Age of Globalism
Regional Response Panel
James Dworkin, Chancellor, Purdue University North Central
Leigh Morris, Executive Director, Indiana Toll Road Economic Development Corridor
John Sampson, President/CEO, Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership
Dorinda Heiden-Guss, President, Economic Development Corporation of Elkhart County
11:45 am - 1:00 pm Lunch
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Concurrent Breakout Sessions - Current Regional Innovations
Session A – Moderator: John Stafford, IPFW
Indiana Toll Road Economic Development Corridor
Leigh Morris, Executive Director
Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority
Leigh Morris, Board Member
Session B – Moderator: Walt Sell, LaPorte County Extension Educator
Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership
John Sampson, President/CEO
Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne
David Bennett, Executive Director
2:00 pm - 2:15 pm Break
2:15 pm - 3:15 pm Concurrent Breakout Sessions - Tools/Resources/Programs
Session A – Moderator: Jeff Burbrink, Elkhart County Extension Educator
Local Decision Maker
Richard Farnsworth, Associate Professor, Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources and
Indraneel Kumar, Regional Planner and GIS/ Spatial Analyst, Purdue Center for Regional Development
Data and Online Tools
Jerry Conover, Director, Indiana Business Research Center and
Carol Rogers, Deputy Director and Chief Information Officer, Indiana Business Research Center
Session B – Moderator: Paul Phair, Holladay Properties
Innovation Index
Timothy Slaper, Director of Economic Analysis, Indiana Business Research Center
Occupational Clusters
Christine Nolan, Senior Associate, Purdue Center for Regional Development
Session C – Moderator: Don Koverman, PCRD
Regional Leadership
Fred Hakes, Director, Continuing Studies, Indiana University Kokomo
Open Source Economic Development and Strategic Doing
Scott Hutcheson, Senior Associate, Purdue Center for Regional Development
3:15 pm - 3:30 pm Break
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm Regional Innovation in a New Administration - Moderator: Christine Nolan
William P. Kittredge, Director, National Programs and Performance Evaluation, Economic Development Administration, Washington DC
C. Robert Sawyer, Regional Director, Chicago Regional Office, Economic Development Administration
Nicholas E. Lammers, Acting Regional Administrator, Chicago Regional Office, Employment and Training Administration
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm Participant Reflections and Final Comments
Vic Lechtenberg / Scott Hutcheson
Funding for this program was provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration.