County Economic Diversification Workshop (July 20th)

If you happen to be attending the National Association of Counties Annual Conference (in New Orleans from July 17-20), please come join us at what will be a very interesting and informative workshop entitled “County Economic Diversification:  Moving Beyond Single-Industry Economies.”  Many counties across the US remain highly dependent on a single employer or industry.  Coal-reliant regions get a lot of attention on this front, but other communities may be overly reliant on a large employer or a major facility, such as a military base or a major tourist attraction.

While strong economic anchors are always important, effective development strategies also recognize the benefits of economic diversification as a means to create new jobs and to recover in the face of economic shocks.  We’ll discuss effective approaches and strategies and also hear from local leaders in Louisiana and West Virginia who are currently working to support economic diversification in their regions.  Hope to see you next week!