'First Aid for West Tennessee' the theme of upcoming summit

The Messenger 05.25.09
The third annual Mid-South Economic and Business Development Summit, “First Aid for West Tennessee,” is being sponsored by the University of Tennessee at Martin Regional Entrepreneur and Economic Development Center, Dyersburg State Community College, Tennessee Small Business Development Center and WestStar.
The event will be held June 12 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the new DSCC Student Center.
Coleman Peterson, president/chief executive officer of Hollis Enterprises, LLC, a human resources consulting firm founded in 2004, and a past executive vice president of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., will serve as the keynote speaker. He also serves on several boards, including Build-A-Bear Workshop, J.B. Hunt Transport and Northwest Arkansas Community College.
“Get Smart: What’s Hot and What’s Not” will be presented by Alan Raymond, TVA Solar and Nuclear Energy Industries, target market specialist, and Tab Townsell, mayor of the City of Conway, Ark. This session will focus on the unique ways to integrate downtown renovation, infrastructure improvement and industrial development for success and will also educate attendees on the many recruitment opportunities for “green” industries.
“Bio-Life Science and the New Economy: Opportunities for Agriculture” will be presented by Jan Bouten, TECworks executive director, and Pete Nelson, BIO Dimensions principal. This session will be an overview of the best practices and recent progress of the bio-life sciences industry in the Mid-South. In addition, special focus will be placed on new business opportunities for agricultural producers in the new, green, bio-life sciences economy.
“Creating a Community Band-Aid & Triage for Tough Economic Times” will focus on developing specific strategies that help communities and assist businesses during economically challenging times. Subjects to be discussed include effective local marketing strategies for small businesses, establishing a good relationship with local banks, shopping at home and growing a home-based small business on a shoestring budget. This session will be offered by Ron Acree, Tennessee Small Business Development Center director, Jackson State Community College; David Doyle, TSBDC, Southwest Tennessee Community College; Dr. Jamie Frakes, TSBDC, Dyersburg State; and Sharon Taylor-McKinney, Business Enterprise Resource Office, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.
“Building a Bridge to the New Economy” will open the event and is being presented by Dr. Thomas H. Payne, UT Martin Horace and Sara Dunagan Chair of Excellence in Banking and professor and interim chair of the Department of Accounting, Economics, Finance and International Business.
Additionally, a workforce development best practices session will round out the day.
Opening remarks by UT Martin Chancellor Tom Rakes, Dyersburg State Community College President Karen Bowyer, REED Center director Hollie Holt and Dyersburg State TSBDC director Dr. Jamie Frakes will begin at 8:15 a.m.
Participants may register online at www.utm.edu/midsouthsummit. The registration fee is $50 and includes a continental breakfast, materials and a luncheon. Checks should be made payable and sent to UT Martin REED Center, 406 South Lindell St., Martin, TN 38237. Participants may also register by fax at (731) 587-7334 or by contacting Landy Fuqua at (731) 587-7333.
The deadline to register is May 22. For more information, call 587-7333.

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