More than 350 senior-level economic developers will convene during the International Economic Development Council’s 2017 Leadership Summit in Jacksonville, Florida from January 29 – 31 to discuss the most pressing issues facing the profession.
“Every economic development leader will benefit greatly from this event. As a profession, we are facing new opportunities to create jobs and prosperity in our communities, and to build new and lasting regional partnerships that will help strengthen ties between communities. The Leadership Summit program content will help us all tackle our current issues and opportunities, and will also help us lay the foundation for tomorrow’s leaders to build upon.” - Michael Langley, FM, CEO of Greater MSP in St. Paul MN, 2017 IEDC Chair of the Board of Directors.
By delving into topics such as thought leadership, infrastructure, workforce and innovation, with content specifically geared toward senior-level professionals, Leadership Summit is designed illustrate what economic development organizations can achieve under visionary leadership.
“We are very excited to host the Leadership Summit in Jacksonville. Our community’s leaders are committed to generating economic development opportunities through our ongoing promotion of Jacksonville and its business friendly environment. We sincerely expect that each attendee will learn something from this event and our community that will be beneficial to their economic development efforts.” – Kirk Wendland, Executive Director, City of Jacksonville’s Office of Economic Development
“This is the first time Jacksonville is hosting the IEDC Leadership Summit. We are excited to welcome some of the top economic developers from around the country to discuss issues relevant to our industry and to showcase the Jacksonville community. We are looking forward to a successful Summit that will benefit all attendees.” – Jerry Mallot, President, JAXUSA Partnership
The conference will feature tours of key economic development initiatives in Jacksonville, including the Cecil Commerce Center and a tour of the port along the St. Johns River by river taxi.
In addition, concurrent sessions will feature discussions on trending topics in economic development, such as gentrification and inclusive economic development, creative industries, millennial entrepreneurs and regional economic development. All content is tailored to senior-level economic developers to allow for targeted discussions of the top priorities for the profession in 2017.
Conference Theme: Building Bridges: Strategic Partnerships for Economic Development
Conference Date: January 29-31, 2017
IEDC members may register for $645 through December 16, while nonmembers may do so for $820
Headquarters Hotel: Hyatt Regency Jacksonville-Riverfront, 225 E. Coastline Drive Jacksonville, FL 32202
IEDC Room Rate: $169 single/double Group Rate Cutoff: Wednesday, January 4, 2017
About the International Economic Development Council
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a non-profit membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 5,000 members, IEDC is the largest organization of its kind. Economic developers promote economic well-being and quality of life for their communities, by creating, retaining and expanding jobs that facilitate growth, enhance wealth and provide a stable tax base. From public to private, rural to urban, and local to international, IEDC’s members are engaged in the full range of economic development experience. Given the breadth of economic development work, our members are employed in a wide variety of settings including local, state, provincial and federal governments, public-private partnerships, chambers of commerce, universities and a variety of other institutions. IEDC’s members create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities and improve the quality of life in their regions. www.iedcONLINE.org.