More Leaders to Speak at Tri-State Development Summit

As the Tri-State Development Summit draws near, Mississippi River updates, along with an education panel focused on workforce joins the program. The 2019 Tri-State Development Summit (TSDS) brings together leaders from southeast Iowa, northeast Missouri and western Illinois to discus common issues, creating an ongoing dialogue, and improving the quality of life for the region.

 

This year, the TSDS will be held Friday, October 25 at 9:00 AM in the Oakley Lindsay Center, 300 Civic Center Plaza, hosting a theme of Innovation Through Collaboration. Speed networking and tunnel tours will be offered Thursday, October 24 at 5:00 PM in the Dick Brothers Brewery Stock House, 929 York, for additional time for guests to make contacts.

 

Tickets are $45, or $10 for students and include Thursday networking and Friday Summit plus lunch. Reservations for Thursday evening networking are required.

 

Mike Klinger, chair of the Upper Mississippi, Illinois, and Missouri Rivers Association and Robert Sinkler, retired U.S. Army Colonel of the Army Corps of Engineers, will give Mississippi River Updates. Respectively, their topics include Without Flood Control, Nothing Else Matters and Creating a Port For The Tri-State Region.

 

“The major economic engine of the tri-state area is agriculture, and it is our River that makes the United States competitive, getting our products to the world market,” remarks Mike Klingner. “The bottom land soils adjacent to the Upper Mississippi River are some of the richest and most productive in the nation, and the world, and without flood control, nothing else matters.”

 

Kicking off the Workforce and Lobbying presentations is an education panel entitled, Developing Our Talent Pipeline. The panel will discuss how our education institutes are helping workforce grow in M.A.T.H. (Manufacturing, Agriculture, Transportation and Healthcare), which are major industries for our region. Moderating the panel is Jim Hansen, Missouri State Representative and retired educator. Joining the panel are Quincy University president, Brian McGee; Culver Stockton College Academic Dean, Loren Schellenberger; John Wood Community College President, Michael Elbe; and Southeastern Community College, Michael Ash.

 

U.S. Senators and Representatives from Illinois, Missouri and Iowa are also scheduled to speak in person, or previously recorded messages, with the keynote being given by Ray LaHood, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation and U.S. Representative for Illinois 18th congressional district. His son, U.S. Representative Darin LaHood, will introduce Mr. Ray LaHood.

 

“We are so fortunate to have former Congressman and Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood with us as this year’s Summit keynote speaker,” states Michael J. Inman, City of Macomb Mayor. “Congressman LaHood has spent his entire life in public service and part of the hallmark of his service has been his ability to promote partnerships, work in a collaborativeway and reach across divides to solve many, many problems.” Mayor Inman continues, “To me it’s fitting that he is our keynote speaker since that is what the mission of the Summit has been since its inception over 30 years ago….that we succeed best when we work as a region, coming together, collaborating with one another to solve our problems.”

 

Morning session will also include Illinois Agriculture Director, John Sullivan on Rural Broadband, with a tri-state panel to follow on the Complexity of Connectivity. The Afternoon sessions will conclude with leaders from all three states with brief, impactful and educational presentations on workforce and lobbying.

 

 

 

Registration, along with a detailed list of speakers and their topics can be found at www.TriStateOfMind.com.

 

Currently, 36 counties comprise the one “Tri-State of Mind” for western Illinois, northeast Missouri and southwest Iowa. Counties served now include 14 in Illinois, 14 in Missouri and 8 in Iowa, making the population supported over 700,000.

 

The Mission of the Tri-State Development Summit is to bring together Tri-State area leaders to define common issues; To develop an on-going dialogue to effectively address those issues; And to improve the quality of life of the entire tri-state region through economic development activities.

 

For more information about the Tri-State Development Summit please visit our website at TriStateOfMind.com, or call (217) 223-4313.

 

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