Project Manager attends Economic Development Training

James attended Basic Economic Development Training last month at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Here, he attended sessions facilitated by Dr. Jonathan Morgan, Professor of Public Administration, and many other subject matter experts on topics such as Trends in Economic Development, Site Selection, and Finance in Economic Development.  

• Overall, this conference allowed James to gain valuable knowledge about the basic functions and missions of an economic development organization and understand more about the work that he and Charity do.  

• One specific takeaway that James had from this conference was the different federal statutes and regulations for public officials, such as laws against conflict of interest, gifts and favors, and insider trading. Learning about these things reminded James of his Business Law class at Indiana Wesleyan, taught by one of his favorite professors, the late Dr. Peter Rhetts.  

A couple of weeks later, James attended the IEDA August Conference at the Alexander Hotel in Downtown Indianapolis. Here, he had the opportunity to participate in sessions covering specific topics for the state of Indiana, such as Workforce Development and Childcare.  

• Going to this event allowed James to network with other Indiana economic development professionals and learn more about how each county’s efforts contribute to the overall wellbeing of the state.  

• One interesting thing that James learned at this conference was exactly how great the need is for high quality childcare and the challenges that come with the effort to provide that kind of service. James will look to use this knowledge to supplement his ongoing collaboration with the Grant County Early Childhood Coalition.  

At both events, he had the opportunity to network with various professionals in the field and learn more about both broad and specific topics that will allow him to be more of a resource to his community.