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MEDC 2009 Winter Conference
February 4-6, 2009
INNOVATION DESTINATION
Hilton Hotel, Jackson, MS
Wednesday, Feb. 4
7:30 – 10:30 AM Economic Development Day - Mississippi State Capitol
(details available soon)
1:00 – 4:30 PM Registration – Hilton Hotel
2:00 – 4:00 PM Mississippi Development Authority Roundtables – Hilton Hotel
"Using the State's Services and Resources to Your Community's Advantage"
MDA will conduct roundtable discussion sessions to inform attendees of the Agency's services and resources available to them.
Thursday, Feb. 5
7:00 AM Registration
7:00 AM Networking Breakfast
8:00 AM Early Riser’s Program - Combined
“Thinking Inside The Bomgar Box™”
Speaker: Joel Bomgar, Founder and CEO, Bomgar Corporation, Ridgeland, MS
Joel Bomgar developed the first version of Bomgar™ software as a way to provide helpdesk and technical support to disparate users - without leaving his desk. Since founding the company in 2003 at the age of 22, Bomgar has 4,500 corporate customers in all 50 states and 48 countries and was ranked the 28th fastest growing software company in the nation on Deloitte's 2008 Technology Fast 500 list. Joel Bomgar has appeared on ABC News' "Ahead of the Curve" and on NetworkWorld's "Hot Seat.” Most recently, he was accepted into the Young Presidents' Organization, the world's largest network of company Presidents and CEOs.
8:45 AM Combined session:
“Mississippi’s Energy Future: A Crossroads for the South and the Nation”
Speaker: Kenneth J. Nemeth, Executive Director, Southern States Energy Board, Norcross, GA
10:00 AM Break
10:30 AM Concurrent Sessions
“Extreme Makeover – Real Estate Reuse in Mississippi
Panel – Bob Wilson, Executive Director, Mississippi Main Street Association, Jackson
Jere “Trey” Hess, Mississippi Brownfields Program Coordinator, MDEQ, Jackson, MS
Mark Castleberry, President, Castle Properties, Columbus, MS
Learn from those who are successful in the redevelopment of downtowns, old industrial and other commercial buildings.
“Wearing Multiple Hats in Small Organizations”
Speaker – Bob Harris, CAE, President, NonProfit Center, Tallahassee, FL – This session focuses on managing with limited resources for executives of smaller organizations and for relatively new executives, managing like a franchise - build systems; inventory, assess and improve the organization; risk avoidance; best practices to succeed; working with the board.
12:00 Heidel Awards LUNCHEON –
“Aaaaaaand . . . ACTION!: Making Mississippi the Coming Attraction”
Speaker: Rick Moore, President, Eyevox, MadGENIUS, Inc., The Screen Engine, Imagination Education, Inc., Ridgeland, MS
1:30 PM Concurrent Sessions
“Flawless Strategic Planning and Implementation”
Speaker – Bob Harris, CAE, President, NonProfit Center, Tallahassee, FL – Learn about the planning process 90 days before, during and after the retreat; surveys and SWOTS; unique terminology of planning; most common goals + strategies; planning the retreat and who to include; final report and transformation into a member-stakeholder brochure; relying on the plan – implementation.
“Changing your Status Quo to Status Grow: Supercharging Your Chamber
Speaker: Kordell Norton, President, Synergy Solutions, Twinsburg, OH - Hold onto your seat . . . we are about to jump to Hyper Speed! In this fast-paced, humorous and mind-shaking session you will get insights on how to position your chamber for growth, customize your message with your various prospects, look at ways branding can help or hinder your efforts and learn easy methods to drastically improve your results.
2:45 PM Networking Break
3:15 PM Concurrent Sessions
“Innovations in Developing the Future Workforce”
Panelists: Sandie Brock, Workforce Investment Area Youth Coordinator, Southern Mississippi Planning & Development District, Hattiesburg, MS – Career Academies
Brent Hales, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Dept. of Economic & Workforce Development, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS – Southern Entrepreneurship Program
Charles B. Holder, Jr., CEO, Hol-Mac Corporation, Bay Springs, MS - Tinkers Camp (Boomtown USA blog by Jack Schultz)
Panelists reveal details of successful programs they are using to develop students for the workforce of the future.
“Sales Tips, Tricks and Traps – The 4 Keys to Increasing Sales in the New Buyer Centric Environment”
Speaker: Kordell Norton, President, Synergy Solutions, Twinsburg, OH – In this fun and insightful session participants will learn the new secrets of consultative sales skills as they develop communications abilities that will help establish themselves as experts while building rock solid relationships and discover strategies to prioritize directions for the greatest return on efforts.
4:30 – 5:30 Reception in the Hilton Penthouse
Sponsor: Entergy Mississippi
Dinner on your own
Friday, February 6
7:30 AM Networking Breakfast
8:30 AM MEDC Roundtables - “Innovative Ideas Exchange”
Participate in this interactive exchange of ideas on economic and community development.
9:30 AM “From High Tech to the New Economic Imperative: Teaching Old Dogs New Tricks”
Speaker: Gray Swoope, Executive Director, Mississippi Development Authority, Jackson, MS - Join Gray Swoope as he shares MDA’s latest initiatives – programs that will influence economic development in the state for years to come. As Mississippi makes strides both traditional economic development (investment & expansion) and the knowledge economy, a third arena for economic development exists to be explored. Hear about Mississippi’s creative economy and what you should do in your community to maximize this untapped resource. Also, Gray will debut the new MDA website – the Agency’s primary economic development communications tool – and show how you can use this resource to assist in your recruitment, retention and community development efforts.
10:30 AM Business Meeting
11:00 AM Door Prizes / Adjourn
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