As its name suggests, the University Economic Development Association (UEDA) connects its members – higher education institutions, private sector businesses and economic development organizations – to resources and knowledge that facilitate economic growth in their regions. The UEDA 2019 Annual Summit is coming to Reno Sept. 29-Oct. 2, 2019, bringing a projected 250 attendees to explore manageable, scalable and impactful programs and projects that can be implemented by regions around the globe. “Designing Resilient Regions: The Biggest Little Ideas for ALL Ecosystems” is the theme for the conference to be held at the Whitney Peak Hotel in downtown Reno.

“From workforce development to commercialization, our faculty, staff and students are connecting with business, big and small,” said University President Marc Johnson. “When you combine this with the appeal of the Reno-Tahoe region as a destination, the UEDA Annual Summit is coming to the right place at the right time.”

“We are pleased to have UEDA 2019 come to Reno and to highlight our regional economic resurgence while we also learn from colleagues about what’s working across the country,” said Mike Kazmierski, president and CEO of the Economic Development Association of Western Nevada (EDAWN). 

The agenda includes keynote presentations by Terry Jones, founder and former CEO of Travelocity and chairman of Kayak.com and an accomplished motivational speaker who resides part-time in the Lake Tahoe area, and by Dennis Alvord, deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. Economic Development Administration. The 2019 Annual Summit also features plenary sessions, breakout sessions, a “lightning round” presentation of best-practice examples, presentation of the UEDA Awards of Excellence and tours of the Tesla Gigafactory.

The University of Nevada, Reno and its College of Business and Research & Innovation division, Nevada System of Higher Education, Desert Research Institute, EDAWN and Reno Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority are among the many sponsors of the UEDA 2019 Annual Summit.

For more information or to register to attend, visit universityeda.org/events/annual-summit/annual-summit-2019.