MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2008

PUBLIC CONFERENCE

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN SOLD OUT. WALK-INS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Globalization and the Midwest

Globalization is testing the Midwest’s productivity and resilience. Midwestern states have always been linked to international markets, but globalization today is closing factories and an anti-globalization backlash threatens the traditional political support for free trade. Immigration has become increasingly political, global pressures are leading to farm consolidation, and small towns risk ruin and abandonment. Whether America can effectively absorb immigrants, maintain a commitment to free trade, retain its competitive edge, or move forward on a host of other key issues is dependent upon the success of the Midwest in the era of globalization.

Given the importance of the Midwest to America’s future and the urgent need to encourage debate about how to position the region for global success, this conference will convene business and civic leaders, academics, and policymakers to examine key challenges and develop recommendations for how to best position the Midwest region in the global era.

Thomas Dorr, under secretary for rural development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture; John Engler, president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Manufacturers and former governor of Michigan; and Thomas Vilsack, former governor of Iowa will deliver keynote addresses. Panels throughout the day will examine the Midwest in the global economy, industries of the future, the impact of immigration, and the importance of thinking regionally.

This conference is sponsored by the Cleveland Foundation, Navistar, Barnes & Thornburg, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Panel I: The Midwest in the Global Economy
Panel II: Industries of the Future and How to Build Them
Panel III: The Impact of Immigration
Panel IV: Thinking Regionally and Why It Matters

Agenda(PDF)

The Hyatt Regency Chicago
151 East Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60601

7:30 a.m.    Registration and Breakfast Buffet
8:00 a.m.    Welcoming Remarks
12:00 - 2:00 p.m.  Luncheon and Keynote with Thomas Vilsack, former governor of Iowa
5:00 p.m.    Closing Reception

Nonprofit/Academic Rate:  $75
Private Sector Rate: $150
Luncheon Only: $50

Parking: Conference attendees receive a discounted parking rate of $25 for the full day on October 6. Please ask for your parking voucher at the conference registration table when you arrive.