LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: 
THE CHALLENGES OF COMMUNITY RENEWAL 
co-sponsored by MASC (Municipal Association of South Carolina)
Francis Marion Hotel, Charleston, South Carolina
April 27-29, 2008

» Download the Charleston Seminar brochure  pdf
» Download the Charleston Scholarship application  pdf

What does the future of your community look like?

While no one can definitively answer the questions...‘What will the U.S. economy look like?’ or ‘When will the current housing market stabilize?’ —one thing is for sure— local city leaders must find innovative approaches to deliver the services and economic prosperity that citizens expect. Successful city leaders clearly understand the intricacies of local economic development and aptly chart a course for the renewal and future success of their community.

Join leading experts and trainers who will engage you in a hands-on program of local economic development where you can examine new approaches and workable solutions.  Broaden your skills and learn effective tools to build sustainable results in your community; engage in a dynamic program that will strengthen your role in local government. 

Seminar Agenda
A preliminary schedule of events (subject to change)…

Sunday, April 27, 2008 
      1:30 pm – 5:30 pm    Registration 
      2:00 pm – 5:00 pm     Opening Session
                                           Economic Development:
                                              The Hidden Job Description for Local Elected Officials
                                              William Morris, Sr. Vice President of Public Finance, D.A. Davidson, Chicago, IL
      6:00 pm - 7:30 pm    Reception
                                           Welcome: The Honorable Joeseph P. Riley, Mayor, City of Charleston

Monday, April 28, 2008
      7:30 am – 5:00 pm     Registration 
                     – 7:30 am    Continental Breakfast 
      8:30 am – 12:00 pm   Second Session: 
                                              Local Economic Development: the Good, Bad, and Ugly
                                                 Dr. Lloyd Blanchard, Professor of Public Administration, LSU
    12:00 pm – 1:30 pm    Lunch 
      1:30 pm – 5:00 pm   Third Session: 
                                          Collaborative Venture: Building a Vibrant Future 
                                              Katherine Aguilar Perez, Vice President of Development, Forest City Development
 
    Tuesday, April 29, 2008 
      7:30 am – 10:00 am   Registration 
                    –   7:30 am   Continental Breakfast
      8:30 am – 12:30 pm   Fourth Session: 
                                            Realistic Solutions to Meet the Challenges of 
                                              Local Economic Development 
                                                   Henry Harold 'Hal' Johnsin III, President/CEO, Upstate Alliance, South Carolina
     10:30 am – 12:30 pm   Mobile Tours of Charleston, SC 
                                            Working Solutions - City of Charleston, SC
                     – 12:30 pm   Return to Francis Marion - seminar concludes

Seminar Trainers

William Morris is Senior Vice President of Public Finance for D.A. Davidson in Chicago, IL.  Morris has been involved in transactions with a par value of over $4.5 billion and he created Illinois' first multi-city single-family low interest mortgage program. He works extensively with local governments ranging in populations of less than 5,000 to the City of Chicago, as well as the States of Illinois and Wisconsin. Morris served eight years as mayor of Waukegan, IL and one term in the Illinois State Senate.

Dr. Lloyd Blanchard serves as Executive Assistant to the Chancellor of Louisiana State University, where he is also an Adjunct Associate Professor of Public Administration. Blanchard’s academic background includes faculty positions at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University and the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs at the University of Washington. Blanchard teaches graduate-level courses in budgeting, economics, quantitative analysis, urban policy, and executive leadership. 

Katherine Aguilar Perez is the Vice President of Development for Forest City Development.  Her focus is on transit oriented development and development in emerging markets.  She is a professional transportation planner with experience in national transportation policy, regional planning and local government.  She was recently recognized as an “Outstanding Leader” in Business Life Magazine. Perez was the co-founder and Executive Director of the Transportation and Land Use Collaborative (TLUC) of Southern California; a nationally recognized non-profit that promotes greater civic involvement in planning and development. 

Henry Harold 'Hal' Johnson III is President/CEO of the Upstate Alliance, a public/private regional economic development organization.  Previously, Johnson served nearly six years as Executive Director of the Orangeburg County Development Commission and three years with the South Carolina Department of Commerce.  Johnson is a member of the Board of Directors for the South Carolina Economic Developers’ Association, serving as President from May 2005 to May 2006.  He was named 2003 ‘Economic Developer of the Year’ by the National Rural Economic Developers Association.