Attend Economic Summit Meetings: Get You & Your Business Ahead

Here’s a chicken and the egg question: is it my background in journalism that makes me want to attend meetings like economic summits or is it my curiosity and desire to know before anyone else that got me into journalism?

Either way, I have found it valuable to attend as many public planning and economic meetings as possible to understand the local business climate in order to be prepared to anticipate and meet the needs of my community.

Attending events like these allows me to participate in the decisions making process of my community and puts me in a position of knowledge and authority. I get to weigh in with my opinions and get to know the people who are making decisions that impact me, my family, my business, my friends, and my clients.

So tomorrow, Friday June 11, you will find me at Ventura College (where I teach writing courses) attending the Central Coast Green Economy Summit. On Saturday, I will be up at Ventura’s City Hall attending the second annual Economic Summit: Partnering for Prosperity. Last year I sat with Bell Arts founder Josh Addison in the session on the “creative” economy. This year, I have signed up for Tea Silvestre’s session on the “green” economy.

I will be live blogging from both events and posting about what I think is most important. Look for a round-up of key ideas here on Monday, June 14.

More information on both events follows.

Central Coast Green Economy Summit
Where Sustainable Education, Business and Jobs Meet
Friday, June 11, 2010 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Ventura College 4667 Telegraph Road, Ventura

Keynote Panel
Opening Remarks
Senator Fran Pavley,
Author of AB 32, the CA Global Warming Solutions Act
Business, Jobs and Policies for a Green Economy

Kimberly Kielbach
Author, Warming is Good For Business: How Savvy Entrepreneurs, Large
Corporations and Others are Making Money While Saving the Planet and
the “The Triple Bottom Line” and writer for WomenEntrepreneur.com.

Yvonne Yen Liu, Sr. Research Associate,
Applied Research Center
Green Equity Toolkit: Standards and Strategies for Advancing Race,
Gender and Economic Equity in the Green Economy

Vivian Chang MA, Political Director, Green for All
The Future of the CA Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32)

Followed by break-out sessions on Sustainable Education, Business, and Jobs
Continental Breakfast and Free Parking for the Event.
To Register: www.coastalalliance.com · Registration Cost: $30
For more information contact: maricela@coastalalliance.com or 805-658-0810 x203
Co-Sponsored by the Ventura County Community College District.

You are cordially invited to Ventura’s 2nd Annual Economic Summit – “Partnering for Prosperity”

Saturday June 12, 2010
Ventura City Hall, 501 Poli Street
Council Chambers
8:30am – 12:00pm

Hosted by the newly formed Prosperity Council (City of Ventura, the Downtown Ventura Partners, the Ventura Chamber of Commerce & the Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau).  Sponsored by Community Memorial Health System.

Join business owners, community leaders, economic experts and the newly formed Prosperity Council as we work together to chart a new course for growth and prosperity.  Your participation is valuable in mapping a vibrant and sustainable economy for Ventura’s future.

Breakout Sessions

Please register for ONE of the four concurrent breakout sessions:

1) Attracting and Retaining Innovation – How do we position Ventura for prosperity in the New Economy (Education, Healthcare, High-tech, etc.)?

2) Greening Ventura’s Economy - How do we capitalize on the new green economy?

3) Developing Ventura’s Creative Economy – How can tourism and the Creative Economy partner to enhance the experience of visitors and residents alike in ways that will support economic growth?

4) Enhancing Our Business Climate – Where do we go from here?  Developing and building on the pro-business environment in Ventura.  How can we work together to facilitate business success, from start-up to sustainability?

Immediately following the breakout sessions, each group will report their recommendations to the Prosperity Council.

Tags: Ventura economic summit