The Chicago and Philadelphia Regional Offices of the US Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) will conduct "Beyond Innovation: Partnerships and Comprehensive Strategies for Transforming our Regional Economies", May 12 – 14, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cleveland, Ohio.

Over 300 representatives from EDA-funded economic development districts, university centers, revolving loan funds and tribal planning programs are expected to attend this conference.  It will offer economic developers from the 19-states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands invaluable lessons and strategies on both the tried and true and the cutting-edge in economic development practice.

Featured speakers include: (for a complete list of speakers, click here)

• Sandy Baruah, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development
• Phillip Singerman, Ph.D., former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, and presently with B&D Consulting in Washington DC.
• Tom Crouch, Ph.D., Senior Curator, Division of Aeronautics, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution
• Ray Leach, Chief Executive Officer, JumpStart
• Chris Coburn, Executive Director, Cleveland Clinic Foundation Innovations

The conference program includes: (for a complete agenda, click here)

• Pre-conference events on May 12 that promote peer networking among representatives from university centers and economic development districts, and a session that provides an EDA primer on the basics of the agency and its approach.
• Three plenary sessions that will address lessons learned from innovators, entrepreneurs and change agents; the realities of economic development n the 21st century; and an update on EDA programs and policies.
• A host of sessions addressing topics and issues of relevance to EDA-funded projects in the two regions:  broadband and telecommunications, alternative energy, bio-science and bio-medicine innovations, RLFs, leveraging capacity and expertise of colleges and universities, best practices in regionalism, taking CEDS to the next level, regionalism, future trends in economic development implementation, and university center best practices.

And, the conference agenda has many opportunities for attendees to network with peers as a means to share information and learn from each other.

In addition to the conference, there will be a very-special event at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for attendees on the evening of May 12th – the Hall of Fame will be made available for conference attendees only for dinner and access to exhibits.

Conference attendees can also attend the Cleveland Indians – Oakland A’s game on Wednesday evening (we have reserved a block of tickets; they are available for $15 per person – please refer to the conference registration page for more information).

Please note there is no fee to attend the conference sessions themselves; there is a $225 event fee that covers all meals and beverage breaks (two lunches, two full breakfasts, coffee breaks and the dinner at the Hall of Fame).  Please refer to the conference registration page for more information.