NSU Regional Summit features corporate, government speakers

Those attending Northeastern State University's regional economic summit "Giving Voice to Our Region" Nov. 3-4 will hear from several distinguished speakers, including company presidents, chief executive officers and government officials.

Summit sessions run 8 a.m. 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, with entertainment and activities following, and 7:30 a.m. 12:15 p.m. Wednesday in the University Center's Rozell Ballroom. Registration through Oct. 31 is $30, and $50 afterward. Those who cannot attend the entire summit can attend the Legislative Breakfast on Nov. 4 at 7:15 a.m. for $12.

Speakers attending include Bill Millet, Deidre Myers, Dr. Houston Davis, Rick Brinkley, Bryan Gonterman and Jay Hannah.

On Tuesday Millet will deliver the keynote address "Regional Collaboration: What is it? How do we do it? Why is it important?" Millet is founder and president of Scope View Strategic Advantage, a Charlotte, N.C.-based company which assists corporations and nonprofit operations with business and organizational development. Millet has served as executive director of two Regional Councils of Government and as senior vice president of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce. He has been first vice president of the National Association of Development Organizations and past president of the Carolina Economic Development Association.

Following the keynote speech, Deidre Myers and Dr. Houston Davis will direct a panel discussion and Q&A, "State of the Region: Regional Demographics, Regional Economy, Rural Issues."

Myers is director of the Research and Economic Analysis division of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. Her team provides economic data and analysis to state leadership and the public, conducts business intelligence research, distributes Oklahomas Census data and supports the workforce research of the Governors Council on Workforce and Economic Development. Previously, Deidre managed several ODOC economic and community development programs. She has directed a national project for the Corporation for National and Community Service and administered Massachusetts' AmeriCorps program.

Davis is Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. He has worked in system-level academic affairs for the Tennessee Board of Regents and in academic leadership for Austin Peay State University. He served as a fiscal and academic affairs staff member for the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and as a regional counselor for the University of Memphis. In 2005 he assumed the role of project director and principal investigator for the National Educational Needs Index project.

During lunch, Rick Brinkley will deliver the second keynote speech, "Community Connectedness Individual Responsibility for Community Development."

Brinkley is president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Eastern Oklahoma. He serves on the Associate Board of Oasis Adult Day Care Facility as well as the Boards of Theater Arts Productions, The Petroleum Club of Tulsa and the National Board of Directors of the Council of Better Business Bureaus. Brinkley is a former Emmy-nominated producer of the Sally Jessy Raphael show. He travels the nation as a speaker, conference leader and lecturer. He has also worked as a consumer reporter, investigative producer, talk show producer, writer and on-air personality. He is the author of "Communicate to Win."

Wednesday begins with the Legislative breakfast during which Bryan Gonterman will conduct a live teleconference from Washington, D.C., with U.S. Representatives Dan Boren and John Sullivan and a panel discussion.

Gonterman is president of AT&T Oklahoma. He manages the company's regulatory, legislative, governmental and external affairs activities in the state. He was formerly vice-president for telecom operations and shared services at AT&T headquarters. He serves as a board member of the State Chamber of Oklahoma, the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, The Oklahoma Academy, United Way of Greater Oklahoma City, the Oklahoma Health Center Foundation, the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation, the Oklahoma Business and Education Coalition, Research Institute for Economic Development and Jasmine Moran Childrens Museum.

Wednesday's welcoming address, "Building Our Team," will be given by Jay Hannah.

Hannah is executive vice-president of Financial Services for BancFirst Corp. He is also president of the Cherokee Nation Businesses Board of Directors. He earned his bachelor's degree in Speech Education from NSU in 1977 and sits on the NSU Foundation Board of Trustees. He has served as co-chair of the Cherokee Nation Private Industry Council, commissioner on the Constitution Convention Commission and chairman of the 1999 Constitution Convention. He is active in the Oklahoma Native American Cultural and Education Authority, the Oklahoma Humanities Council and the Beck-Hilderbrand Museum Association.

To view an agenda and complete list of speakers, or to register, visit regionalsummit.nsuok.edu. To register for the Legislative Breakfast only, call NSU Continuing Education at 918-444-4610.

10/28/2009

Published: 2009-10-28 00:00:00