Putting Theory into Practice: Is it Time to Change Your Strategic Direction?

The old adage "change is inevitable" rings especially true for economic development practitioners who must not only adapt to changes, but anticipate them and employ the best methods to capitalize on new opportunities. SSTI's conference session, Re-Orienting Your Organization for Today's Economy, pulls together three organizations at the local, state and federal level to examine how they have re-oriented their work to reflect the changing economy and the needs of their clients. Perhaps no other state has undergone such a rapid transformation in the TBED field as Michigan in the last couple of years. Like many states with newly elected governors at the start of 2011, Michigan has been working to retool its approach to economic development through economic gardening and a focus on regionalism. During the session, Michael A. Finney, President & CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, will talk about how the state implemented its new regional strategy and report on early successes resulting from big investments, such as the $8 billion, multi-year Pure Michigan Business Connect initiative. From a federal viewpoint, Aimee Dobrzeniecki, Deputy Director of NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership, will share how the organization has moved away from an approach strictly focused on cutting costs to one that emphasizes the revenue side to help manufacturers improve their products and processes to better compete. Tying the session together, Brian McGowan, President & CEO of Invest Atlanta, will talk about the issue on all levels through his experiences working with the federal Economic Development Administration, the state of California and now Invest Atlanta, a local economic development authority that administers programs and initiatives to accelerate job creation. Register now for SSTI's Conference and learn more about how this session topics and others can guide you in your practice: http://www.ssticonference.org/.