Early Registration Ends Oct. 31 for Regional Summit at NSU

TAHLEQUAHParticipants have through Oct. 31 to take advantage of the $30 early bird registration fee for the two-day Regional Summit at Northeastern State University.

Giving Voice to Northeastern Oklahoma, a gathering of community and business leaders from northeastern Oklahoma and the surrounding region, is scheduled for Nov. 3-4 in the University Center on NSUs Tahlequah campus. After Oct. 31, the registration fee will be $50.

The event is co-sponsored by NSU, the Cherokee Nation and the Four-County Economic Development Cooperative (SACC-EZ), and features speakers from key industries and communities throughout the region.

Sessions open at 8 a.m. on Nov. 3 with a networking breakfast, followed by welcoming remarks from Bill Langley, chair of the Four-County Economic Development Cooperative; Chad Smith, Cherokee Nation principal chief; and Dr. Don Betz, president of Northeastern State University. Regional summit emcee is Jay Hannah, president of financial services at BancFirst.

Bill Millett, founder and president of Scope View Strategic Advantage, will deliver the opening keynote address on the topic, Regional Collaboration: What is it? How do we do it? Why is it important? His remarks will be followed by panel discussion and questions on regional demographics, economy and issues, led by Deidre Myers, Oklahoma Department of Commerce, and Houston Davis, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

Following small workgroup sessions focused on Asset Mapping during which participants will identify and prioritize local and regional assets, Rick Brinkley, Tulsa Better Business Bureau President and chief executive officer, will deliver the luncheon address on the topic, Community Connectedness Individual Responsibility for Community Development.

A fast-paced introduction to various economic growth resources at the national, tribal, state and local levels, or Resource Speed Dating, will be followed by working sessions during which facilitators will lead discussions centered around opportunities to grow the regional economy. Facilitators include Sandy Garrett, Oklahoma State Superintendent of Education; Julie Deerinwater, Cherokee Nation Smart Start; Wilma Mankiller, NSU Sequoyah Fellow and former principal chief of the Cherokee Nation; Norma Noble, Workforce deputy secretary of Commerce; Michael Lynn, Cherokee Nation roads director; Craig Cromley, area manager of external affairs for AT&T Oklahoma; Brad Williams, Oklahoma Department of Commerce; and Nancy Garber, NSU director of communications and marketing.

Following the days sessions, the Taste of the Region networking reception will feature sample dishes from regional restaurants, highlighted by entertainment from Robert Lewis, Cherokee storyteller, and the NSU Jazz Ensemble.

Activities on Wednesday begin at 7:30 a.m. with Legislative Collaboration: Bringing a Collective Voice to Our Region, a legislative breakfast that will feature a live teleconference from Washington, D.C. with U.S. Representatives Dan Boren and John Sullivan, followed by panel discussion led by Bryan Gonterman, AT&T Oklahoma president.

Tools for Success workshops will be held concurrently and repeated once, allowing participants the opportunity to attend two workshops. Topics include industry clusters, demographic information, regional collaboration, community infrastructure, funding opportunities, sustainable partnerships, and the Northwest Arkansas connection. Presenters include Deidre Myers; Ray Murphy, Oklahoma Rural Development Center director; Ryan McMullen, USDA Rural Development state director; Rhonda Clemons and Julie Ferguson, both of Four-County Economic Cooperative; Steve Shepelwich, Oklahoma Senior Community Affairs advisor for the Federal Reserve; and Darin Gray, chief executive officer of the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal and the Tulsa Business Journal.

Summit activities will conclude with a summary report from the work sessions and call for action, presented by Jay Hannah.

For complete agenda information and to register for the summit online, go to regionalsummit.nsuok.edu or call NSU Continuing Education at 918-444-4610.

10/22/2009

Published: 2009-10-22 00:00:00