Northeastern to Host Regional Economic Summit

Dustin Woods, NSU Staff Writer

Northeastern State University will host a gathering of community and business leaders from throughout northeastern Oklahoma during an economic summit held November 3-4 on the Tahlequah campus.

The summit, Giving Voice to Northeastern Oklahoma, is a two-day event bringing together leaders from several disciplines to discuss challenges facing communities and businesses and help find solutions.

The summit's greatest importance is the fact that this is the first time that the leaders from this seven-county region will come together around the common goal of recognizing common needs and finding new and creative ways to work together to solve those needs, said Rachel Farinelli, NSU Director of Continuing Education.

The summit is co-sponsored by the Sequoyah-Adair-Cherokee County Enterprise Zone, the Cherokee Nation and NSU and features speakers from key industries and communities.

Workshops focused on identifying industry clusters, economic development, regional collaboration and marketing the region will offer participants an opportunity to discover ways the private and public sectors can work together.

Recent studies list Oklahomas second congressional district as the 422nd poorest in the nation, just 13 spots from last place" Farinelli said. "This summit is the first step in recognizing that we have issues in our own back yard, that Northeastern State University should be a leader in helping to improve the communities that we serve. Through new industry clusters, collaborations and partnerships, we will start the conversation on how to grow our region and create a new voice for the people who live in this area.

Early-bird registration for the conference is $30, which includes breakfast on both days, lunch on Nov. 3, Taste of the Region (a sampling of dishes from regional restaurants and vineyards) and a post-conference electronic resource packet. After Oct. 19 registration will be $50. Waivers and scholarships are available for those in need, including students. For more information, call Continuing Education at 918-444-4610, or visit regionalsummit.nsuok.edu. Online registration will be available beginning Oct. 1.

9/30/2009

Published: 2009-09-30 00:00:00