SU College of Business set to host 4th Annual Economic Development Conference

The Southern University College of Business is set to host its Fourth Economic Development Administration (EDA) University Center Annual Conference entitled “Advancing Economic and Entrepreneurial Development in Disaster Recovery: the Role of Talent, Innovation and Place in Building Community Resiliency.”

The conference will be held June 15-17, 2017 in the College of Business,  T.T. Allain Hall, room 313, on the campus of Southern University. The registration cost is $25.

It will feature local and nationally recognized scholars, business and community leaders who will share their expertise on disaster recovery and strategies in fostering economic and entrepreneurial development in disaster recovery.

Some of the featured speakers include Scott Burgess, Federal Disaster Recovery Officer with FEMA; David Dodd, EDA, Economic Recovery Support Function; Ambassador James A. Joseph, former U.S. Ambassador to South Africa and Chairman of the Board, Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation during Hurricane Katrina; Dr. Ralph Christy, Professor of Emerging Markets and Director of the International Institute for Food, Agriculture, and Development at Cornell University; Lt. General Russel Honore’ (Retired) Emergency Preparedness Expert; and Madhu Beriwal, President and CEO IEM. 

Topics will include:  Louisiana Flood Disasters Status Update on Flood Recovery Efforts for Louisiana; the Role of Philanthropy in Leadership Development: What can be done to enhance Strategic Investment for Disaster Recovery in Building Resilient Communities: Lessons from Katrina and the 2016 Great Baton Rouge Flood; and Entrepreneurship Opportunities in Disaster Recovery.

The conference is open to business and community economic development professionals, business owners, small business development professionals, government officials, chamber of commerce professionals, entrepreneurs, investors, faculty, students and anyone else who is interested in learning more about leadership and business opportunities in disaster recovery.

“This conference provides participants the opportunity to re-evaluate economic objectives in light of vulnerabilities to disaster; and to establish innovative strategies and action steps to make progress toward long-term recovery.” said Dr. Donald Andrews, dean of the College of Business and coordinator of the conference. ‘It also helps attendees to develop a vision on how they will participate in building economic and entrepreneurial development as well as community resiliency.”

The conference is hosted by the College of Business EDA University Center and the Southern University Law Center.  The program will be from 7:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 16 and 8:30 a.m. until 3:15 p.m. on June 17.  It will kick off on June 15 at 5:30 p.m. with a session at the Southern University Law Center on the "Role of Health Care in Economic Development" in room 130, followed by a welcome reception in A. A. Lenoir Hall Atrium in the Southern University Law Center Roosevelt Steptoe Drive, at 7 p.m.- 8:30 p.m.

To register, go to  www.subruniversitycenter.org or call 225-772-5954 225-921-3890.