Connect Locally, Succeed Globally
Charlotte, NC
September 18-21, 20-11

Register before Friday, July 15 and save $100 with our early registration rates!

http://www.iedconline.org/AnnualConference/index.html

Learn what's on the minds of corporate real estate directors, site consultants and entrepreneurs at this year's International Economic Development Council 2011 Annual Conference, September 18-21 in Charlotte, NC.

End this year's conference with a bang by learning firsthand from key targets whose attention you want to attract. At the Corporate Real Estate Director's session, the Entrepreneurs Forum and the Site Consultants Forum, you'll have the chance to get your burning questions answered, learn about industry trends, and hear how to work successfully with each of these groups. Before that, you can kick off a great day by networking and sharing best practices with your peers at the Discussion Roundtables, a popular format from IEDC's Leadership Summit that we're bringing to the Annual Conference.

We've saved the best for last this year, so plan to stay ‘til the end for some outstanding Wednesday programming!

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

7:45 - 9:00 am
DISCUSSION ROUNDTABLES
New to this year's Annual Conference are Discussion Roundtables, an interactive format where you can exchange information and ideas on key economic development topics in small groups of your peers. Each roundtable is led by a topic expert who facilitates discussion and ensures equal participation. There are no formal presentations. The roundtables are a popular session format at the Leadership Summit, presenting the opportunity to engage in substantive conversations to learn, network, and share best practices. Seating is limited for all discussions.

TOPICS:
1. Negotiating Deals in Today's Economy
2. The New Age of Economic Development
3. Disaster Preparedness: Is Your Community Ready?
4. Do Incentives Work?
5. Fostering Growth of Tomorrow's Leaders
6. Competing Globally
7. Rural Economic Development Strategies
8. Urban Economic Development Tactics
9. Driving Regional Collaboration
10. The Future of Cluster Development
11. Supporting Green Initiatives
12. Evaluating Economic Development Programs
13. Going Local: Neighborhood Development Initiatives
14. Staying Cool: Attracting and Retaining Talented Workers
15. What's Happening in Washington?
16. If You Build It, Will They Come?
17. Infrastructure Investment for Economic Recovery

SPECIAL ROUNDTABLES:
By requests of past attendees, the following roundtables have been created especially for local elected officials and board of directors to discuss economic development issues from their perspective.

1. Local Elected Officials
2. Board of Directors

9:15 – 10:45 am
THE CORPORATE REAL ESTATE DIRECTOR'S PERSPECTIVE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Economic developers often hear from their peers and from site selection consultants but seldom from the corporate real estate end-user's perspective on site selection and facility location deal-making. Hear from senior real estate directors at global Fortune 500 companies on the globility and mobility challenges faced by their companies in an era in which companies can choose facility locations worldwide. This session will offer the opportunity to learn the major site selection challenges faced by the corporate end-user; how to effectively communicate with the senior corporate real estate officer at a major, global company, and how to look at the facility deal from the perspective of a company's senior manager. In addition, attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions to the panel.

11:00 am – 12:30 pm
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GATHERING AND GARDENING
In a time of tight budgets, economic development organizations have to allocate resources strategically. One of the key debates is whether it is better to focus strategies on growing businesses locally or attracting new ones from elsewhere. In the final sessions of this year's conference, you'll have the chance to hear the perspectives of site consultants and entrepreneurs in two intimate forums.

ENTREPRENEURS FORUM
Growing a flourishing business requires substantial resources and support. At this new forum, gain insights from thriving entrepreneurs on what strategies worked for them and the challenges they encountered as they started up their own businesses. This is your opportunity to hear their perspectives about the resources they wished were available, type of supported needed and the lessons learned along the way. In this intimate forum, you will have the opportunity to hear what is on the minds of successful entrepreneurs and have your questions answered. From this through-provoking forum, you will return to your community with new ideas for your local entrepreneurship program.

Keynote Speakers:

Louis J. Foreman, Chief Executive Officer, Enventys, Charlotte, NC

Sara Garcés, Chief Executive Officer, Red F Marketing, Charlotte, NC

David H. Jones, President & CEO, Peak 10, Inc., Charlotte, NC

SITE CONSULTANTS FORUM
This session is always one of the most popular at the conference. For those focused on business attraction, it's a vital opportunity to learn the ins and outs of site selection, to gain insights on the latest trends and to learn whether your community is marketing itself effectively. At this unique forum, you will have the opportunity to ask questions of a panel of leading site consultants and hear what other economic developers want to know, too. It's valuable information that you can't afford to miss!