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Galesburg, GREDA Represented at Tri-State Development Summit
A contingent of leaders representing the Galesburg area in economic and community development, recently attended the eighth Tri-State Development Summit held in Fairfield, IA. Cesar Suarez, Economic Development Director - City of Galesburg; Thomas A. Schmidt, Chairman - GREDA Board of Directors; Sherry Foster, Dean of Corporate and Community Services - Carl Sandburg College; Michelle Smith, Marketing & Communications Director, GREDA; Carrie McKillip, Unit Educator Community & Economic Development, University of Illinois Extension; and Jan Monville, Henderson County Economic Development attended the event. Over 350 economic development leaders, civic, community and business leaders, and entrepreneurs participated in the day long event.

With roots dating to the Flood of '93, the event celebrated more than a decade of regional collaboration under the summit initiative which officially began in 1996 and now encompasses 35 counties in Missouri, Iowa and Illinois. Keynote speaker was Deb Markley, Managing Director and Director of Research for the Rural Research Policy Institute (RUPRI) Center for Rural Entrepreneurship. Tom Carper, Chairman of the National Amtrak Board also addressed attendees regarding the need and state of passenger rail service. Federal, state and regional leaders participating in the event included: U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley, IA; U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, IL; Congressman Dave Loebsack, IA; James C. Larew, General Counsel to the Office of Governor Chet Culver, IA, and Secretary Gary Hannig, Illinois Department of Transportation. Secretary Ray LaHood, U.S. Department of Transportation also participated via video.

One of the highlights of the summit included entrepreneurial stories from successful entrepreneurs from the Tri-State area. Randy Winegard, President and CEO of the Winegard Company in Burlington, IA; Jim Tracy. Senior Vice President of Dot Foods of Mt. Sterling, IL and Tom Beck, Senior Vice President of Continental Cement of Hannibal, MO all shared their personal stories of the challenges and rewards resulting from being a successful business owner.

The Tri-State Development Summit steering committee includes Tom Boland, Hannibal, MO; Jim Mentesti, President, Great River Economic Development Foundation (GREDF), Shelby Crow, Summit Coordinator and Chuck Scholz, Mayor of Quincy, IL; Pat Poepping, Offices in Illinois, Missouri and Iowa; and Dan Wiedemeir, Burlington, IA. The mission of the Tri-State Development Summit is to bring together Tri-State leaders to define common issues; To develop an ongoing dialogue to effectively address those issues; And to improve the quality of life for the entire tri-state region through economic development activities.

(Submitted by Galesburg Regional Economic Development Association)
10 17 09 by Newsroom
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