"For years I have wanted to do this because it is needed so badly. Well, it's finally being done."
Dear Attendee:
In 1992, when I founded Southern Business & Development, it marked the first time I had published an economic development magazine. After 10 years of owning general-reach business publications, I quickly learned that writing about economic development was so much more difficult to do than writing about general-reach business news. To my dismay, I discovered I knew very little about the true practice of economic development. I had to learn about it and fast or crash and burn, something that is so common in the magazine industry.
I took on the challenge of understanding successful economic development and the way I did it was to travel throughout the South from town to town about every other week for 15 years. From West Texas to D.C. and everywhere in between, I saw the best practices of economic development in the South, the ones that fell in the middle and yes, the worst practices of economic development in the South. I witnessed it all by touching, seeing, feeling, listening ... generally observing it first hand and making millions of mental notes. In fact, to date, I have visited over 1,700 different places in the South, from the largest markets to the tiniest hamlets and I have met with many more Southern economic professionals than that over the last 15 years in the towns, counties, regions and states that they represent.
Economic developers are a different breed, particularly those who practice their craft in the South, the region where the economic development industry was invented. One reason they are different is that they have studied and passed many tests and earned high-brow certifications to become the most talented group of economic development professionals on the planet. After all, the only ones who study the practice of economic development at the higher education level are those who become economic developers. It is an exclusive and, unfortunately for many around them, a very private club. It is a profession we outsiders have few sources to learn from, even though we may be an important part of the economic development team.
My ignorance of economic development at first was a daunting challenge. When I finally felt I had a good understanding of it, I had a different realization altogether. There are so many people involved in an economic development team, yet, so many members of that team were like me when I first launched Southern Business & Development. They struggle many times with the understanding of what economic development is all about.
So, in an effort to help the Southern economic development professional and the team that he or she leads, Southern Business & Development is putting on a seminar February 17-19 in Birmingham, Ala., for all of those who are on the periphery of this very difficult, yet incredibly rewarding profession. Those would be the service providers in large part, but also elected officials and other leaders like legal professionals and such that help the economic developer make what are essentially social and economically transforming decisions. In short, most economic developers know their craft. Many who work with them do not. That is a significant problem that is so prevalent in the never-ending quest to practice successful economic development.
I invite you to join us in what we have titled "Your Role in Successful Economic Development." The two-day seminar will be a crash course on successful economic development practices. Some of the most well-known economic developers the world has ever known will be teaching you the economic development basics and well beyond.
If you want to be a part of this seminar, you better get your reservation in early. Call Morgan Holladay now, to reserve your spot (205-871-1220) or email Shelly Jo Jacobs at shellyjo@sb-d.com. So, check your calendars, y'all. I can say with great confidence this will be one of the best economic development events ever done. I will see you in February in Birmingham.
Sincerely,
Michael C. Randle
Owner, Editor and Publisher
Southern Business & Development
P.O. Box 380789
Birmingham AL 35213-0789
(Shipping Address)
4237 Old Leeds Lane
Mountain Brook AL 35213
205-871-1220
Fax: 205-871-1375
ShellyJo@SB-D.com
Morgan@SB-D.com
Michael@SB-D.com