The annual Appalachian Ohio State of the Region Conference is being held May 11 through 13 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. each day.
The conference brings public officials, economic development experts, business and organizational leaders and others to Ohio University each year to discuss different issues related to economic growth in rural Southeast Ohio.
Anyone is welcome to join in on the virtual event. Each conference has a theme with various topics that will be covered. These topics pertain to important issues within the Appalachian region. This year, the conferences specifically focus on workforce innovation, broadband, transportation, site development and water issues.
“We have a number of speakers that are in those particular areas that are either working on programs, solutions or different efforts to address those topics,” Marty Hohenberger, director of the Center for Economic Development and Community Resilience, said.
The event is part of the Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) University Center project. The planning committee consists of staff from OU’s Voinovich School, as well as leadership from local development districts, and receives funding from the EDA.
The conference has been able to bring together people that are involved in the everyday topics and issues that are being presented. The planners of the event have been able to share information and update partners and stakeholders throughout the region about what will be addressed.
“OU is a university center funded through the Economic Development Administration, and the Ohio Mideastern Governments Association, or OMEGA, is an economic development district also funded by the Economic Development Administration,” Jeannette M. Wierzbicki, executive director of the Ohio Mideastern Governments Association (OMEGA), said. “We are also one of four local development districts – we serve 10 counties in the Eastern Appalachian part of Ohio.”
The planning committee and other local development districts get together with staff from OU to come up with a topic that is timely, as well as doing an overall state of the region. Normally, they try to focus on some success stories within the region, so as to give attendees the opportunity to learn about what is working versus what isn’t working from peers.
Through the conference, presenters will be able to help the Appalachian areas strategize how to resolve their economic issues through planning and analysis.
“I think that the State of the Region Conference is definitely a banner event for the Appalachian region,” Kennedy Webb-Blakley, communications manager of OMEGA, said. “It really is our chance to showcase all of the great things that happen here all the time, that go unnoticed by the rest of the state, or the rest of the nation. (It’s) a good moment to let everyone know what we're about and all of the amazing things and people that are here.”
