Two regional economic development organizations in north Missouri work diligently to grow and promote their respective corners of the state: Northwest Missouri Roundtable of Economic Developers and Northeast Missouri Development Partnership.  On Thursday, May 19, 2016, 35 group members and partners met at Brickhouse Bar and Grill in Brookfield to brainstorm joint projects and initiatives.

 

After welcoming the group, Becky Cleveland, Chair of Roundtable and Director of Brookfield Industrial Development Authority, and NMDP President Carolyn Chrisman (Kirksville Regional Economic Development, Inc.) presented histories and objectives of their respective organizations.

 

Randy Railsback and Jackie Soptic, both from Green Hills Regional Planning Commission, facilitated a conversation about the attributes shared by all of north Missouri, including entrepreneurial spirit, work ethic, excellent secondary and post-secondary schools, low crime rate, and untapped resources.  The group discussed the common economic development goals shared by all communities and counties throughout this 32-county region, such as job creation, youth retention and attraction, and business retention, and what is needed to be better able to address these goals.

 

From that discussion, three critical focus areas arose: better broadband policy and implementation, rural economic development legislation including incenting capital investment, and communications.  Going forward, each organization will be selecting individuals to participate in these joint task forces and efforts will be made to meet regularly as a north Missouri region.

 

Lunch was sponsored by Allstate Consultants, Nodaway County Economic Development and Brookfield Industrial Development Authority.

 

Attending this meeting were economic development leaders  from Albany, Atchison County, Brookfield, Hannibal, Kirksville, Lewis County, Nodaway County, Shelby County, and Trenton, and partners from Community Foundation of Northwest Missouri, Green Hills Regional Planning Commission, Missouri Western State University Craig School of Business, Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments, North Central Community College, Department of Economic Development, Department of Workforce Development, Missouri Community Betterment, Missouri Economic Development Council, Missouri Partnership, Small Business and Technology Development Center, Northeast Missouri Electric Power Cooperative, Representative Graves’ office, Senator Blunt’s office, and Senator McCaskill’s office.

 

For more information, contact ACDC Director Monica Bailey at 660-744-6562 or acdcdirector@rpt.coop.