March 20, 2008

Kernan to speak on local government reform at Purdue conference

Kernan
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The conference, The Many Faces of Regionalism: From the Mega to the Micro, will take place from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. April 16 and 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. April 17 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 123 W. Louisiana St., Indianapolis. Kernan, co-chair of the Indiana Commission on Local Government Reform, will speak at 11:30 a.m. April 17 in the Illinois Street Ballroom.

"For Indiana to remain competitive in today's economic climate, we need to rethink the way local governments work," Kernan said. "We have much to gain by increasing our efficiency and working together on projects of mutual benefit. We also have much to lose by remaining complacent with the status quo."

Other conference keynote speakers include:

* John Austin, Brookings Institution nonresident senior fellow, Great Lakes Economic Initiative director and Michigan Board of Education vice president. He will speak on "The Vital Center: A Federal-State Compact to Renew the Great Lakes Region," at 10:30 a.m. April 16 in the Illinois Street Ballroom.

* Emily Stover De Rocco, National Association of Manufacturers senior vice president, and president of the National Center for the American Workforce and the Manufacturing Institute. Her address, entitled "Workforce and Economic Transformation in the Global Economy: Needs Opportunities and Challenges," will take place at 9 a.m. April 17 in the Illinois Street Ballroom.

* Nathan Feltman, Indiana Secretary of Commerce and Indiana Economic Development Corp. executive vice president. His talk, "Within and Beyond: Regional Efforts within Indiana and Indiana's Place in the Great Lakes Region," will be at 2:45 p.m. April 17 in the Illinois Street Ballroom.

The conference also will feature concurrent sessions during which academic experts and business leaders will discuss regional development-related topics such as work force development, transportation and logistics, energy development, regional planning successes, and shrinking cities. Attendees can view exhibits and attend a networking event after the first day.

Sam Cordes, Purdue Center for Regional Development co-director, said the conference will be useful for government officials, work force and economic development leaders, and people active with their Chamber of Commerce who want to develop new strategies for economic development.

"We're bringing in the best and the brightest who have had proven success in working across traditional geopolitical boundaries to bolster Indiana's work force, compete in today's global economy, improve governmental effectiveness and increase our prosperity," Cordes said. "We will learn a lot from each other and perhaps lay the groundwork for some promising new initiatives."

To register for the conference, visit the Purdue Continuing Education and Conferences Web site at https://www.cec.purdue.edu/, click on upcoming programs and scroll down to the conference title. The conference fee is $175, which includes onsite meals, and is supported by funding through the U.S. Economic Development Administration's University Center Program.

Writer: Marydell Forbes, (765) 496-7704, mforbes@purdue.edu

Sources: Joseph Kernan, (574) 235-9988

Sam Cordes, (765) 494-7273, smcordes@purdue.edu

Christine Nolan, CRD senior planner and policy analyst, (765) 494-9262, cenolan@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

Note to Journalists: The media are invited to attend any of the conference speeches or breakout sessions. For a conference itinerary, contact Marydell Forbes, Purdue News Service, at (765) 496-7704, mforbes@purdue.edu

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