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A date has been set for the Second Annual Economic Development 411 at the Ohio Union. Mark your calendars for Friday, December 6, 2013. More details to come!

If you'd like to be added to the mailing list, please contact Stephanie Bosco at sb@columbusregion.com or 614-225-6935.

Thank you for making ED411 a great success! Presentations are now available below:

ED411 is a half-day economic development training session designed to help elected and appointed officials and business leaders in the Columbus Region gain a greater understanding of economic development. The content of this training session is being created by the Mid-Ohio Development Exchange (MODE) with the assistance of the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) and Columbus 2020. MODE's mission for ED411 is convening local officials to discuss the impacts of private investments in our region, how company investment decisions are made and what resources are available to help companies grow and prosper in the Region. ED411 will include interactions with regional and local officials through breakout sessions and presentations from national and local experts in the field. Together we can promote job and wealth creation in the Columbus Region.

Who Should Attend? County Commissioners, County Administrators, Municipal Mayors, Municipal Managers, Municipal Council Members, Township Trustees, Township Administrators, School Superintendents, School Fiscal Officers, School Board Members, General Assembly Members, Planners, Economic Development Directors, Community Improvement Corporation Board Members, and County, Municipal, and Township Planning and BZA Board Members. 

2012 Agenda: 
Opening Session: Julie Colley, President of the Mid-Ohio Development Exchange (MODE) will open the 1st annual ED411 session and will provide an overview of the day's activities. Ms. Colley also serves as the Assistant City Manager for the City of Westerville.
 
Ellen Heinz, incoming President of the Ohio Economic Development Association (OEDA), will provide information on how the OEDA can be a resource to local communities in the Columbus Region. Ms. Heinz also serves as the Director of the Norwalk Economic Development Corporation.
 
Chris Schmenk, Director of the Ohio Development Services Agency (DSA) will provide her perspective from working in the private sector for The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company to becoming the Mayor of Marysville and then the Director of DSA. She will provide a unique look at the importance of economic development to our regional communities.
 
William Fruth is the President of Policom Corporation, a company dedicated to undertaking economic analyses everyone can understand. He will describe how different types of businesses impact a local economy. Specifically, Fruth will discuss the business composition of the Columbus Region's counties and what regions and local governments can do strategically to improve their economies.
 
Breakout Sessions:
  • Why Invest in Economic Development -- Costs and Returns?
    Economic development is an ever changing and different function in each of our regional communities. Knowing your current community and the regional assets is very important to retaining your existing commercial base and attracting prospective businesses. This session will analyze what industry sectors contribute most to our local economies and how communities can benefit by utilizing our regional assets. Topics will also include how communities can work together to enhance their economices through the use of intergovernmental agreements. Hear from moderator Ike Stage, Mayor of Grove City, and speakers Bill LaFayette, Ph.D., President, Regionomics LLP, and Don Brosius, attorney, Loveland and Brosius.
  • Where to Start?
    The changing national economy -- and the Columbus Region's role in that economy -- is causing many communities to rethink their economic development strategies to stay on the cutting edge. This session will focus on best practices in economic development, how a community can assess their readiness for economic development, and provide some examples of notable success. Topics will range from expanding partnerships, creative financing techniques, and how to distinguish your community from others. In the end, participants will leave with a practical checklist on starting (or retooling) their program. Hear from moderator Dennis Stapleton, Delaware County Commissioner and speaker Mark Barbash, Mark Barbash Consulting
  • Real Life -- How to Compete from First Contact to Ribbon Cutting
    This session will provide concrete examples of how communities have successfully attracted job creation and capital investment projects. Although each job creation project is distinctly different, there are industry best practices that can help communities increase the likelihood of success. This session will also give communities a unique glimpse into how site selectors and businesses view them and which factors are used to qualify and disqualify them from consideration. This session will leverage the extensive experience of the presenters to provide communities with the tools necessary to increase their competitiveness when it comes to securing job creation projects. Hear from moderator Rod Davisson, Former Mayor, Village of Obetz, and speakers Steve Schoeny, Ice Miller Whiteboard LLC, and Matt McCollister, Columbus 2020.

Closing Session: Columbus 2020 Investor Update from Kenny McDonald, CEO, Columbus 2020.

ED411 Speaker Line Up:

Mark Barbash has 30 years of experience in economic development, at the local, state and federal levels, in both the public and private sectors. Through his consulting practice, Mark serves the Ohio Finance Fund, Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium, as well as a range of economic development organizations. Mark is a nationally recognized economic development trainer, having trained over the years for IEDC, EDI, many state economic development courses, and a wide range of economic development organizations. Mark's past titles include Development Director for Columbus, Chief Economic Development Officer for the State of Ohio, Director of Columbus Citywide Development Corporation, Investment Bank, and Vice President of the National Development Council.

Julie Colley currently serves as Assistant City Manager for the City of Westerville, a position she has held since 2008. Colley is responsible for the departments of Parks and Recretaion, Planning and Development, and Public Service, and the divisions of Electric and Water, as well as oversight of ecnomic development activity in the City. In addition, Colley also serves as the President of the Mid-Ohio Development Exchange (MODE).

Jeff Finkle, a native Ohioan, currently holds the title of President/CEO of International Economic Development Council (IEDC), the world's largest economic development membership organization. Finkle contributes his expertise in community revitalization, business development and job creation to projects nationwide. Finkle has a long standing relationship with Ohio University where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in communications in 1976.

William H. Fruth is the President of Policom Corporation, an independent economics research firm located in Palm City, Florida. Policom specializes in studying the dynamics of local economies. Policom determines if an economiy is growing or declining, what is causing this to happen, and offers ideas and solutions to improve the situation. Fruth has personally evaluated the data for more than 700 local economies in the United states, created more than 200 economic and community studies, and has provided presentations and workshops for state associations and community forums in 39 states. Previously Fruth served as Vice President of a major industrial land development company, and was the president of the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County. From 1980-1984 Bill served as Mayor of Tiffin, Ohio. 

Christiane Schmenk was appointed Director of the Ohio Development Services Agency (formerly the Ohio Department of Development) by Governor John K. Kasich on August 1, 2011. Schmenk overses the Agency's day-to-day activities, ensuring Ohio's communities and businesses recieve exceptional customer service. Prior to this, Schmenk was Vice President of External Affairs at The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company and practiced law with Buckley, King and Bluso, LLP in Columbus and with Wendy's International, Inc. From 2008-2011, Schmenk served as Mayor of Marysville. She's an active member of the Union County community.

ED411 was made possible by: