National Economic Conference

[sen.horn@ix.netcom.com (Ray DiRossi)]

National Economic Development Conference 
April 11-12



Dear Colleagues:

Here is the agenda for the national economic 
development conference that the Center for the 
New West is co-sponsoring with the Humphrey 
Institute at the University of Minnesota 
April 11-12.

The meeting is causing quite a bit of interest 
and excitement around the country, so it seems 
we've hit on a need for everyone to come together 
and compare notes on new concepts and strategies 
for state and local economic and community 
development for the New Economy.

Given the talent and experience that is in the 
economic and community development field across 
the U.S., we could run three or four conferences 
and never feature the same speaker twice.  We're 
sure that there will be just as much expertise in 
the audience as with the panels and this will 
lead to excellent discussions and the chance to 
re-connect with each other and to develop new 
friendships. We hope to see you at the 
conference.

Please feel free to e-mail or fax the agenda on 
to any and all whom you think might be interested 
in attending the conference.

Best Regards,

Senator Horn


INNOVATIONS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:
THE EVOLVING DIRECTION OF ECONOMIC 
DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEW ECONOMY

Summit II: A Sequel to the 1992 State and Local 
Economic Development Strategy Summit

April 11-12, 1997
The Hubert H. Humphrey Center
University of Minnesota
301 19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Co-sponsored by The State and Local Policy 
Program at The Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of 
Public Affairs and the Center for the New West.  
In the rapidly expanding, knowledge-based 
economy, some of the most innovative economic 
development thinking occurs at the regional and 
local level.  This conference strives to convene 
state and local policy makers, economic 
development practitioners, and elected 
representatives from across the country
 to exchange avant-garde ideas that encourage 
economic development.  Financial assistance 
provided by Northern State Power Company and the 
New Priorities for a Changing U.S. Economy grant 
from the U.S. Air Force Office of

 Scientific Research.

Friday, April 11, 1997

1:00--2:45 p.m.  What Does the "New" Economy Mean 
for Economic Development?
Address by Chris Farrell, Senior Economics and 
Business Editor, "Minnesota Public Radio."  As 
senior economics and business editor at 
"Minnesota Public Radio," contributor to the 
nationally syndicated show "Sound Money," 

and former economics editor at "Business Week" 
magazine,
Chris Farrell has closely monitored the rapidly 
changing economy and concisely conveyed that 
information to a national audience.  Farrell will 
examine ways policymakers can prepare citizens 
for the realities of the "New Economy."

3:00--4:30 p.m.  The Industry Cluster Approach in 
the New Economy
In previous decades economic development agencies 
either attempted to attract large scale  
employers to their locale through incentive 
packages or provided individualized assistance to 
an array of non-related firms.  Such
 efforts are costly and arguably yield low 
returns.  Harvard Business School Professor 
Michael Porter advocates focusing on innovative 
groups of related local industries--or 
clusters--that successfully compete in the glob
al marketplace.  But to do so, practitioners must 
first understand existing regional competitive 
advantages and the dynamics of how clusters 
develop.

Moderator: Stuart Rosenfeld, Regional Technology 
Strategies, Inc.
Michael Przybyliski, Indiana University
Mary Jo Waits, Arizona State University
Robert Buuck, Iotek Inc., a Twin Cities medical 
device manufacturer
Jeff Blodgett, Connecticut Economic Resource 
Center 
Edward Kawahara, California Economic Strategy 
Panel

Saturday, April 12, 1997

8:00--9:15 a.m.  The Changing Face of Work: Labor 
Shortages, Equity, and Opportunity

A January 13 Newsweek article reports "a vast 
mismatch in the national economic dating game. 
paradox repeats itself across the country: a 
shortage of jobs and a shortage of workers." 
Aggregate unemployment rates are at record low 
levels in many regions of the country, yet 
pockets of high unemployment persist in inner 
cities and among minorities.  The nightly news 
reports a bright economy, yet individuals feel 
anxious over jobs and income stability as the gap 
widens between rich and poor.  

Addressing these workforce paradoxes and their 
policy implications are:

Moderator: Jeff King, German Marshall Fund of the 
U.S.
Peter Cappelli, Wharton School of Business
Hal Salzman, Jobs for the Future, Boston, Mass.
To be announced

9:15--10:30 a.m.  Learning Networks: A Gardening 
Approach to Economic Development

Some practitioners view economic development as 
an organic or biological organism rather than a 
machine that can be tweaked or tuned.  Central to 
the organic model are thick webs of learning 
networks by which innovative entrepreneurs and 
organizations learn from one another and transmit 
best practice ideas.  Presenting these cutting 
edge organic theories are:

Moderator: Joe Cortright, IMPRESA, Portland, Ore.
Chris Gibbons, Business/Industry Affairs for 
Littleton, Colo., and Internet "econ-dev list 
serv" moderator Randy Goldsmith, Oklahoma 
Alliance for Manufacturing Excellence Delore 
Zimmerman, Center for the New West and CEO 
Praxis

10:45 a.m.--12:00 Noon  What Should Be the 
Federal Government's Economic Development Role in 
the Knowledge-Based New Economy?

What can and should American presidents, federal 
agencies, and Congress do to help create economic 
opportunity?  In the Fall of 1996, the National 
Academy of Public Administration released a 
report on this provocative topic.  Report 
findings will be presented followed by an open 
microphone discussion initiated by members of the 
gathered panel and continued by the audience.  
Come prepared to express your opinion!

Moderator: Maxine Moul, Nebraska Department of 
Economic Development Michael Springer, U.S. 
Department of the Treasury, Office of Economic 
Policy Art Rolnick, Minneapolis Federal Reserve
C. Robert Sawyer, Economic Development 
Administration, Chicago




1:00--2:45 p.m.  Performance Indicators and 
Programmatic Evaluation (concurrent session)
Many state and local agencies create programs 
with the broad goal of encouraging economic 
growth, but few techniques exist to evaluate 
whether programs indeed foster such development. 
This session will showcase programs that have 
taken innovative steps to measure outcomes based 
on developmental needs specific to a region.

Moderator: Kathy Schill, Ohio Legislative Budget 
Office  Mac Holladay, Georgia Governor's 
Development Council Janet Jones, Janet Jones 
Works, Portland, Ore.
Awilda Marquez, Economic Development 
Administration, Washington, D.C.
Don Bezruki, Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau
Doug Henton, Collaborative Economics, Palo Alto, 
Calif.

1:00--2:45 p.m.  Making Economic Data More Useful 
(concurrent session)Economic development 
professionals have a gamut of data available, but 
often data conflict or confuse.  Additionally, 
certain types of data that federal and state 
agencies could provide are currently missing or 
incomplete (i.e. measures of productivity for 
sectors other than manufacturing, full versus 
part time employment statistics, measures of 
underemployment, etc.).  The session will allow 
practitioners to give statistics and research 
analysts feedback on what measures work and what 
information they would find most helpful in 
economic planning.

Moderator: Ragui Assaad, Humphrey Institute
C. Robert Sawyer, Economic Development 
Administration, Chicago Edward Hill, Cleveland 
State University and editor, "Economic 
Development Quarterly" Marilyn Manser, U.S. 
Bureau of Labor Statistics Mark Vander Schaaf, 
City 
of St. Paul, Minn.

3:00--4:30 p.m.  The "Realpolitik" of Economic 
Development What we hope will be a frank and 
insightful discussion initiated by the panel and 
continued with the audience concerning one of the 
nagging issues in economic development: most of 
us agree where we need to go, but why we can't 
get there?  What are the political dynamics of 
economic development and how can practitioners 
work with that reality?

Moderator: Graham Toft, Indiana Economic 
Development Council
Rob Atkinson, Rhode Island Economic Policy 
Council
Bill Bishop, Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader 
newspaper Anita Duckor, Northern States Power
Maxine Moul, Nebraska Department of Economic 
Development Michael West, Texas Department of 
Commerce







9:00--11:00 a.m.  Friday, April 11, 1997  
PRECONFERENCE ROUNDTABLES

ROUNDTABLE I:  "Using Economic Data to Understand 
Your Region in the Knowledge Based New Economy"
Moderator: Andy Reamer, Andrew Reamer & 
Associates, Brookline, Mass.

Invited representatives of state and local 
agencies will have the opportunity to offer 
Economic Development Administration and Bureau of 
Labor Statistics researchers feedback on more 
effective use of the Internet and federal data 
sources in analyzing regional economies.  This 
session is a follow up to issues raised at the 
National Academy of Public Administration 
conference in November 1996.

ROUNDTABLE II  "Revisiting the Emilia-Romagna 
Region of Italy"
Moderator; Jacque Kopel, Minnesota Technology, 
Inc.

The Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy is 
famous for its conglomeration of flexible 
manufacturing networks.  Over the years various 
delegations from the U.S. have visited the 
region.  This preconference session is an
 opportunity for delegation "alums" to reconnect 
and share insights into how flexible 
manufacturing principles have been adopted in 
their regions and states.

ROUNDTABLE III  "Economic Development in the New 
Economy: Foundations' Perspectives and Roles"
Moderator: To be announced.

In the rapidly changing New Economy, economic 
development strategies can no longer focus on 
just creating tax incentive packages for business 
recruitment.  Such factors as education, 
workforce training, welfare reform, ho
using, child care, telecommunications, 
electricity restructuring, international trade 
and transportation now influence the economic 
competitiveness of regions and communities.  
Given this holistic perspective, private phi
lanthropic foundations have a critical role to 
play in supporting cutting-edge economic and 
community development concepts and policies.  
This session will offer foundation 
representatives an opportunity to privately meet
 before conference activities commence to discuss 
their program priorities.

The conference registration fee is $150 if 
postmarked on or before March 31.  After that 
date, the registration fee is $185.  A block of 
rooms has been reserved at the Holiday Inn 
Metrodome (1-800-448-3663), 1500 Washington 
Avenue South, Minneapolis MN 55454, which is a 
four-block walk from the Humphrey Institute at 
the University of Minnesota.  Room rates for a 
single or double are $76 (government rate is $72) 
plus tax; mention that you will be attending the 
"Economic Development Summit." For more 
information on the agenda and speakers, e-mail 
Margaret Bau at the Humphrey Institute at:  
mbau@hhh.umn.edu

For information on how to register for the 
conference, e-mail Lori Graven, Professional 
Development and Conference Services, University 
of Minnesota, at:  lgraven@mail.cee.umn.edu

Or set your Web browser for the following:    
http://www.cee.umn.edu/pdcs/inno.html