Rural Economic Conference
Wednesday, 10/09/24
11:30 AM
Registration and Buffet Lunch
12:15 PM
Opening Comments
12:30 PM
Session 1: Replicable Strategies Rural Communities Can Use to Attract and Retain Labor
Moderator
Jason Brown, Vice President and Economist, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
Panelists
Steven Deller, Professor and Community Development Extension Specialist, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Lisa Leedy, Executive Director, Builders Exchange of Northwest Michigan
Keri Navratil, City Manager, Storm Lake, IA
1:50 PM
Break
2:05 PM
Session 2: Creative Ways for Rural Communities to Attract and Retain Labor
Moderator
Neil Sheridan, President, National Association of Towns and Townships
Panelists
Lisa Miller, Director of Partnerships and Engagement, Michigan Office of Rural Prosperity
Marie Barry, Director of Community Economic Development, Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative
Janie McNabb, CEO, Networks Northwest
3:00 PM
Session 3: Mitigating Risks for Investors and Communities Engaged in Rural Economic Development
Moderator
Susan Longworth, Policy Advisor, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Panelists
Dan Culhane, CEO, Ames Regional Economic Alliance
Megan Weiler Green, CFO, General Counsel, Weiler
Nora Foote Westbrook, Rural Innovation Initiative Team Lead, Center on Rural Innovation
4:20 PM
Break
4:30 PM
Session 4: Focus on Rural Housing
Moderator
Molly Hammond, Deputy Illinois State Director, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Panelists
Matt Daniels, Director of Operations, Origin Homes
Ray Lai, Executive Director, McLean County Regional Planning Commission
Lisa Leedy, Executive Director, Builders Exchange of Northwest Michigan
5:50 PM
Closing Remarks
6:00 PM
Reception/Strolling Dinner Keynote Address will follow
Keynote Speaker
Nick Glew, President, Professional Developers of Iowa
Thursday, 10/10/24
8:00 AM
Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:30 AM
Depart for Hotel Maytag Ballroom on bus
9:30 AM
Session 5: Historical Perspective on Zoning and Land Use
Moderator
Susan Bradbury, Interim Chair and Professor, Department of Community and Regional Planning, Iowa State University
Panelists
Carlton Basmajian, Associate Professor, Department of Community and Regional Planning, Iowa State University
Scott Hanson, Senior Planner, Crawford, Murphy & Tilly
Gary Taylor, Professor, Department of Community and Regional Planning, Iowa State University
10:30 AM
Session 6: Best Practices on How to Reimagine Zoning and Land Use in Ways That Attract Workforce to Rural Communities
Moderator
Dustin Ingram, Senior Community Development Specialist, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
panelists
Todd Blake, City Manager, Fremont, MI
Erin Chambers, Community Development Director, Newton, IA
Emilie LaGrow, Village Manager, Cassopolis, MI
Adam Sonntag, City Administrator, Ripon, WI
11:50 AM
Lunch
12:15 PM
Start Tour of Newton, IA
1:15 PM
Conclude Tour (Following the tour, the bus will drop guests at the Des Moines International Airport around 2:15pm before making a final stop back at the Surety Hotel.)
Rural Economic Conference
In 2022, at a conference in Grand Rapids, MI, the Chicago Fed helped create conversations on the challenges and opportunities rural economic development faces. With our 2024 Rural Futures event, we aimed to start building on those conversations with a deeper discussion on how rural communities are attracting labor with the help of creative zoning practices and housing policies, as well as ways to mitigate the risks of economic development. At the event, participants learned about how communities are reimagining land use and collaborating with their neighbors on place-making initiatives that not only attract labor but also the employment opportunities that come with having a sufficient workforce in a region. The conference also included a trip to Newton, IA, to see how Newton has executed some of these initiatives after the closing of its biggest employer, Maytag.
Over two days, participants learned about the following:
- Replicable strategies for attracting and retaining labor
Gain an understanding of how rural communities can attract and retain a skilled workforce through discussions on current labor trends, immigration, and strategies to make rural areas more appealing to skilled workers. - Mitigating risk in rural economic development
Discover techniques for managing risks in rural economic development for investors and communities alike. Sessions will explore the roles of public funding, partnerships, and regionalism in creating environments conducive to investment and community trust. - Creative housing solutions
Examine housing markets and the reasons for shortages in rural communities. Sessions will also explore creative approaches to addressing rural housing challenges through policy, partnerships, and community engagement. Learn how to encourage housing development that attracts skilled workers and supports community growth. - Historical perspective on zoning and land use
Understand the history and impact of zoning policies on community and economic prosperity, and then delve into how rural areas can rethink land use to promote sustainable growth and resilience. - Bus tour of Newton, Iowa
Participate in a hands-on learning opportunity with a visit to Newton, Iowa, where participants will see how community-driven initiatives are revitalizing the area and creating new opportunities.
