Northeast Ohio
Regional Leadership Conference INFORMATION

Community Leadership Association
Annual Conference
Denver, CO
April 24-27, 2008
Click here for info
 

 

PAST CONFERENCES

2002 - Delegate Summit - see Winter 2003 newsletter for conference summary
 Community Leaders in Northeast Ohio
Partners in Building A World Class Region
Northeast Ohio Regional Leadership Taskforce Summit III

Friday, June 28, 2002
Mather Mansion
Cleveland State University
Cleveland, Ohio

Sponsored by:
The Northeast Ohio Research Consortium
of The Ohio Urban University Program  (UUP)

2001
Community Leaders in Northeast Ohio
Partners in Building A World Class Region
Northeast Ohio Regional Leadership Taskforce Summit II

Friday, May 4, 2001
Spitzer Conference Center
Lorain County Community College
Elyria, Ohio

Sponsored by:
The Northeast Ohio Research Consortium
of The Ohio Urban University Program (UUP)

CONFERENCE CONTENT
The 2001 Summit focused on   issues related to education and  the economy of the region. Results of the 1996 and 2001 survey of leaders on the critical issues facing the region were compared. Plans for the regional indicators/benchmarks of a World Class Region were explained.  The potential of Graphic Information System (GIS) technology to aid leaders in decision making was demonstrated.  Implications of census changes in the region were explored.  Innovative partnerships in the areas of education and economic development were highlighted and public policy directions in these two areas were discussed with a bipartisan panel of state legislators.  Action plans for individuals, leadership programs and communities of the region were developed.

Dr. Roy A. Church, president, Lorain County Community College related the "eclipsing transformational change" model developed by Harvard's Michael Porter to the northeast Ohio economy.  Dr. Larry Ledebur, from CSU's Urban Center and Jan Rybarczyk, Lorain County workforce development expert offered responses and reactions.  Church outlined four priorities  which need to be met for the region to advance:

  • Lead in science and technology
  • Boost overall workforce skills/education
  • Assure that current workforce has necessary skills
  • Strengthen regional clusters of innovation

Dr. Church noted that while northeast Ohio missed the opportunity to be part of the first technology wave of the last twenty years they are well-positioned for the second wave which will be the application of technology to manufacturing strengths.

GENERAL SESSIONS

  • Census  Data Changes in Northeast Ohio
    Dr. Mark Salling     revealed the preliminary impact of  the 2000 census  results for the region.  He is the director of the Northern Ohio data and Information Service (NODIS) at Cleveland State University
  • World Class Region Indicators
    Dean Prestegaard explained how the indicators of a World Class Region will be chosen, measured and reported.  He is currently a researcher at the University of Michigan.
  • Public Policy Makers Panel
    State representatives from the region discussed Ohio's education and economic development agenda.
  • Action Plans
    Participants chose an area of interest and developed possible personal, program and regional actions.  Best ideas were shared in the concluding session.

BREAKOUT SESSIONS

  • Educational Finance - What are the Options?
  • Land Use Issues - Urban Rural and Regional Concerns
  • Regional Assets - Airports and Infrastructure
  • GIS: A Tool for Better Planning and Decision-making

1999
Community Leaders in Northeast Ohio:
Partners in Building  A World Class Region
Northeast Ohio Regional Leadership Taskforce Summit

Friday, May 7, 1999


Hilton Inn at Quaker Square
135 South Broadway
Akron, Ohio 

Sponsored by:
The Northeast Ohio Research Consortium
Of The Ohio Urban University Program UUP

 CONFERENCE CONTENT

The summit employed the participants as an elite "think tank" for advancing this region. Those attending developed a better understanding of the components of the economy of northeast Ohio and learned about the progress of organizations working across multiple geographic boundaries to advance the level of education and economic development of the region. They utilized audience response technology to help determine key indicators, measurements and strategies to help make Northeast Ohio a World Class Region.

Dr. Edward (Ned) Hill presented a comprehensive overview of the regional economy of northeast Ohio.  He is Professor of Urban Studies and Public Administration and Senior Research Scholar, The Urban Center, Maxine Goodman Levine College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University.

Larry Ledebur and Pat Carey guided participants through a unique interactive session following lunch. Summit participants used an audience response systems (ARS), a relatively new technology, to help define and prioritize the key indicators for Building a World Class Region in northeast Ohio. Instant, but sophisticated, analysis of participant opinion was available.

David A. Lieberth, facilitated the concluding session during which summit delegates had the opportunity to engage in strategic conversations with the public officials, policymakers and workshop leaders in attendance to develop "bright ideas" for advancing the region.

BREAKOUT SESSIONS

  • Working to Create a Globally Competitive Workforce
    The Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education and the Northeast Ohio Research Consortium reported on "best practice" traits in workforce development in the region.
  • Primary Drivers of the NEO Economy
    Participants learned about the economic clusters or patterns of strength in the region and discovered the existing "foundation blocks" for building a world class region.
  • Exciting Initiatives in Education
    Participants learned about community and university approaches to improving public education. Examples from the experiences in Akron, Ashtabula County, Canton, and Youngstown were shared
  • Optimizing Economic Development Projects in Northeast Ohio
    Business community leaders shared their plans to focus on significant issues and build consensus for collaboration and communication in northeast Ohio
  • Infrastructure & Planning
    Metropolitan planning representatives discussed strategies for capitalizing on the strengths and addressing the weaknesses in the capacity of the region to move people, products and materials in a global economy.
  • Sustainable Land Use and Development - New Tools, Techniques and Tactics
    Participants heard about the effects of urban sprawl and the risks facing agribusiness. They learned about new and proposed state legislation, the true urban and rural costs involved and the defensive strategies being undertaken in affected areas. 


PARTNERS

Akron Area Metropolitan Transportation Study (AMATS)
Eastgate Development and Transportation Authority (EDATA)
Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA)
Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education (NOCHE)
Northeast Ohio Four County Regional Planning and Development Organization (NEFCO)
Northeast Ohio Regional Alliance (NORA)
Northeast Ohio Regional Business Coalition
Northeast Ohio Trade and Economic Development Consortium (NEO-TEC)
Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (NEOUCOM)
Northern Ohio Live Magazine
Ohio State University Extension - Northeast District
Stark County Area Transportation Study (SCATS)

1997
Critical Issues In Northeast Ohio:
Education and the Economy

Friday, May 2, 1997
Glenmoor Country Club
Canton, Ohio

Sponsored by:
The Northeast Ohio Research Consortium
Of The Ohio Urban University Program UUP

The first conference of the Northeast Ohio Regional Leadership Taskforce was held May 2, 1997 at Glenmoor Country Club in Canton, Ohio. Titled Critical Issues in Northeast Ohio: Education and the Economy, the conference provided a day filled with cutting edge information on the issues identified by leadership program graduates as critical to the region in a 1996 survey.

Workshops addressed the issues of education and the economy and 150 participants explored the roles of community leaders in influencing these issues. Conference attendees included leadership program graduates, staff and board members as well as community representatives interested in the fields of education and economic development.

Dr. David Sweet, dean of the Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University opened the event with an overview of the region. Speakers included Dr. Ted Hershberg, director of the Center for Greater Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania and Dr. David Kozak, director of the Institute for Policy and Leadership Studies at Gannon University.

Conference evaluations were very positive. Over 76% of those in attendance rated the opportunity to expand their knowledge of the region as very good to excellent and Drs. Sweet, Hershberg and Kozak were very highly rated. Suggestions for improvement included increased opportunities to discuss critical issues and develop vision/strategies for region.

Top of page

Last Updated on February 20, 2008