The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

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February 9, 2010

Enid economic summit on tap at Autry Tech Center

By Kasey Fowler, Staff Writer Enid News and Eagle

ENID — Development in Enid will be the topic of “Enid in 2025: An Economic Summit on Early Childhood Investment” next week.

The summit will begin at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 17 at Autry Technology Center. It will begin with a planning session for selected business leaders to identify opportunities and address challenges relating to work force development at the local and regional level.

“This discussion will use the World Cafe model of facilitated conversation designed to tap into the collective vision of business and community leaders regarding Enid’s future,” said Paula Waters, coordinator for Commu-nity Development Support Association/Smart Start Northwest Oklahoma.

“There will be several questions about things, like: Is Enid a community that our children will want to return to? Are all our different parts of the community working together to develop a vision for Enid’s future?

“The participants are going to rotate from table to table to discuss these issues. It is a visioning process.”

Following the planning session, keynote speaker, Bill Millett, founder and CEO of Scopeview Strategic Advantage, of Charlotte, N.C., will address participants during a luncheon.

Millett, a consultant to business, municipal and non-profit entities, will focus on local and regional economic strengths and challenges for the future.

“He has a real passion for children and family. He knows we have to focus on the children when thinking about economic development,” Waters said.

According to Waters, the goal of the summit is to call attention to the importance of investments in human capital beginning in the early years.

The summit will help to identify ways for the Enid community to focus on producing more capable, productive and valuable citizens.

“We already have an excellent list of participants with a wide range of city, business and military folks responding,” she said. “It is going to be a great day.”

The Summit is sponsored by Bank Of Oklahoma, CDSA, Enid Regional Development Alliance and Greater Enid Chamber of Commerce.

Although registration is filling quickly, Waters said there are some spots still open for the noon luncheon.  

For registration information, call Autry Tech at 242-2750.

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