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Take me to my 2017 IEDC Annual Conference e-Brochure.
 On behalf of the Board of Directors for the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), and as your 2017 Chairman, I am delighted to extend this invitation to attend our Annual Conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Join us from September 17-20 for North America's premier annual event, and I know you will see the tremendous value of being there. Those of us with IEDC are very excited, as this will be the first Annual Conference held outside the United States.
This conference is for people who work in economic development, interact with economic developers, or who want to learn how economic developers and their community leaders grow their local economies. Did you know that more than 21 million tourists visit Toronto every year? It is the fifth-largest city in North America - only Mexico City, New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago are more populated. Toronto is truly international. In fact, it ranks fourth in the world in terms of global competitiveness, according to a recent KPMG Competitive Alternatives report. Toronto's global business attraction success offers the perfect backdrop to programming for this event. IEDC's conference planning team and host committee have made sure the content will meet our needs, drawing real examples from communities through the greater Toronto region.
This year's theme is Going Global: Connect. Collaborate. Create. From beginning to end, you'll find that the program focuses on these very concepts. There is no shortage of reasons why Annual Conference is so popular, and why it is my personal favorite IEDC event. First and foremost, it is the largest event we host; more than 1,200 attendees are expected to be there. You will be amazed to see economic developers come together to share insights and tips with each other. The number and value of connections made at this event can't be replicated. And this is just one reason why Annual Conference is so special.
 The plenary discussions and concurrent sessions planned are incredible, and the speakers will be outstanding and will stimulate rich discussions. You won't be disappointed, as this year, the Mayor of Toronto, John Tory; well-known author and professor Dr. Richard Florida; Canada's only NCAA Basketball referee and globally renowned entrepreneur and CEO for Fox 40, Dr. Ron Foxcroft; the Managing Director of the Arts and Culture Program for the Kresge Foundation, Regina Smith, and Dr. Meric Gertler, President for the University of Toronto are speaking. Just take a look through this brochure to see a sampling of the more than 250 speakers you'll have the opportunity to hear from. I think you will be inspired.
And finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention the actual content. Economic development is all about creation, retention and expansion of jobs, developing a stable tax base, and enhancing opportunities for every person in every community to generate
wealth for themselves and their families. This year's program focuses on these things and more. Every Annual Conference theme is supported by several concentration areas. This year's offerings range from global trade, entrepreneurship ecosystems, creative capital, regional collaboration for investment promotion and a track on the nuts and bolts of economic development - all topics that perfectly align with this historic international event. See more great reasons why Annual Conference is a must-attend event for you and your staff on the event's website.
Spend time with peers, hear from excellent speakers, learn cutting-edge practices that will help you function at a higher level. And do it all in one of the world's most fascinating and dazzling cities.
I am excited for IEDC's Annual Conference, and eager to see you in September. Make plans to join me there, and be sure to register by July 14 to save up to $140 on registration fees.
Sincerely,
F. Michael Langley, FM
CEO
GREATER MSP
Minneapolis - St. Paul, Minnesota
2017 IEDC Chairman of the Board
Get started now; take a short cut to sections of the brochure here!
Don't wait until the last minute. Spaces are going fast. Register today and book your room now to stay at the Annual Conference headquarters hotel:
 Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel
123 Queen Street West
Toronto, ON M5H 2M9
IEDC Room Rate: $249 CAD single/double
Group Rate Cutoff: Friday, August 25, 2017
Register now
Book your room now
Other important dates:
Conference Dates: September 17-20, 2017
Early Bird Registration Rate Cutoff: July 14, 2017
Pre-Conference Training Course:
Getting everybody on the same page is easier when there is a clear process. Join IEDC for this highly interactive Pre-Conference training course and you will work in small teams to better understand the complexity of strategic planning and its challenges.
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This highly interactive course lets participants work in small teams to help understand the complexity of strategic planning and its challenges. Economic developers must build consensus among board members, stakeholders and the community as a whole, creating a unified vision for the future. Learn techniques to build consensus among stakeholders who represent different values and interests. Also, participants will learn the quantitative techniques used to better understand their community including: location quotients, shift share, input-output and cluster analyses.
Course Highlights:
- Stakeholder analysis, structuring participation, planning fundamentals
- Consensus building, group facilitation and conflict
- Defining geography, competitive advantage and SWOT
- Determining vision, mission, goals and objectives
See them all
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Instructors:
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Eric McSweeney, CEcD, EcD(F), CCIM, ALC
President
McSweeney & Associates
See bio |
Jon Roberts
Principal
TIP Strategies, Inc.
See bio |
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Anne Roise, CEcD MCP
Instructor, Urban Studies & Planning
Savannah State University
See bio |
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Accommodations/Training Location:
Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel
123 Queen Street West
Toronto, ON M5H 2M9
IEDC Room Rate: $249 single/double
Group Rate Cutoff: Friday, August 25, 2017
Don't delay, everything you need to know about the 2017 IEDC Annual Conference is just a click away.
Register now. See all that we'll cover in Toronto, and so much more in your e-brochure. Register by July 14 and save up to $140.
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