Regional Summit April 27 focuses on leadership, transportation

Based on previous summits, chamber officials expect about 100 attendees at the April 27 event. Scheduled topics and guest speakers include:

• “Leadership is Increasingly Important to Successful Communities,” featuring speakers Gail Melgren, program coordinator for the Leadership Project at Missouri State University, and Lloyd Young, associate director of the Community and Social Issues Institute at MSU. Their discussion will look at the inaugural year of the Greater Ozarks Leadership Development, or GOLD, Program at MSU and how partnership members can get involved.

• “Transportation: The Backbone of a Strong Economy,” featuring speakers Jim Anderson, Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce president and chairman of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission, and Kirk Juranas, District 8 engineer for the Missouri Department of Transportation. Their discussion will look at the future of the state’s transportation system and how partnership members can help MoDOT address southwest Missouri’s needs.

• “Federal Role in Economic Development,” featuring southwest Missouri Congressman Roy Blunt.

During lunch, OTC President Hal Higdon will speak on “OTC – An Economic Engine for Southwest Missouri.” That will be followed by a tour of the Richwood Valley campus, which opened earlier this year.

The partnership is a voluntary organization of cities, counties and chambers of commerce representing a 10-county area. More information about the group and the Regional Summit is available at www.ozarkspartnership.com.

Event Details

What: Ozarks Regional Economic Partnership’s eighth annual Regional Summit

When: 9 a.m.–1:30 p.m. April 27

Where: Ozarks Technical Community College’s Richwood Valley campus, 3369 W. Jackson St. in Ozark

Tickets: $20; includes lunch. For more information, call (417) 862-5567 or visit www.springfieldchamber.com.

This story originally appeared in SBJ’s April 9 free e-news Daily Update. Click here to register.