Midstates economic development conference set

Posted

HURON — The Midstates Community and Economic Development Conference committee has announced the speaker lineup and schedule for its 2021 virtual event planned Thursday, April 8, and Friday, April 9.

The Midstates Conference works to advance community and economic development in the tri-state region (Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota) through a partnership of public, private and nonprofit organizations.

Registration is $25 for both days and all registrants will receive a zoom link prior to the event to join. Registration is open now and can be completed online at bit.ly/medc2021.

The Keynote speakers for the conference are Becky McCray and Deb Brown from SaveYour.Town. Six other speakers from the tri-state area are set to present, allowing participants the chance to learn from peers about practices that lead to success.

Speakers on Thursday will include:

• 9:05 a.m. – Keynote address from Becky McCray. McCray lives in Hopeton, Okla., a town of 30 people, and believes small towns have a future.
• 10:05 a.m. – Rita Anderson, De Smet, who will help tell the story of how the De Smet Development Corporation stepped into action after the local newspaper closed. In just six weeks, Anderson and the De Smet Development Corporation created a county-wide, all volunteer weekly newspaper to take the place of the void left with the closing of the 141-year-old predecessor.
• 10:45 a.m. – Brad Feddersen, of Anthon, Iowa, who was one of the many farmers that began to struggle when the pandemic hit.
• 11:15 a.m. – Chelsey Morten of Hastings, Neb., who opened Lemon & Co. Juicery, which carries on with the inspiration that all humans can indulge in delicious creations without guilt, symptoms or fear.
Speakers on Friday will include
• 9:05 a.m. – Michaela Brown, Le Mars, Iowa, a singer who helped develop the Browns Century Theater in 2015, which continues to grow and provide tourism traffic and awareness to downtown Le Mars.
• 9:35 a.m. – Christine Troshynski, O’Neil, Neb., who helped start Wildflour Grocer, an indoor farmers market and community space that connects the community to the land, its food and each other.
• 10:15 a.m. – Anita Holan, Kimball, who shares experiences as the Economic Development Director for the city.
• 10:50 a.m. – Keynote address from Deb Brown, SaveYour.Town. She is a relentless optimist and knows how to build possibility in your small town.

For more information contact Jill Sokness at  (712) 223-9147 or jsokness@iastate.edu.