EDAM: Economic Development Association of Minnesota Summer Conference

APEX Director of Business Development, Ian Vincent, participated at the annual Economic Development Association of Minnesota’s (EDAM) Summer Conference in Nisswa, Minnesota from June 1-3, 2022. Attended by dozens of the state’s leading economic developers from the private and public sectors, this year’s conference focused heavily on workforce, housing and land preparedness.

Another major focus of the conference is to allow the Minnesota economic development community to network. The APEX network was well represented with attendees from Northspan, Minnesota Power, an ALLETE Company, Great River Energy, WSB, BNSF Railway, Duluth Seaway Port Authority, Itasca Economic Development Corporation, Kraus-Anderson, Lake Country Power, LHB, McGough and more.

Vincent participated in a panel titled “Crossroads: The Intersection of Supply Chain Logistics and Site Selection.” The highest attended of the conference, this session was facilitated by Tom Denaway of Baker Tilly Municipal Advisors, and featured panelists Thane Hutchenson of Baker Tilly and APEX partner, Kate Ferguson of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. Panelists discussed how the supply chain and logistics landscapes have evolved since the beginning of the pandemic and how those factors have impacted the process of site preparation and selection across the state of Minnesota. 

The APEX region was well represented throughout conference sessions, including:

• “Building Back Better in Northeast Minnesota: The Importance of Regional Strategy” - facilitated by Arik Forsman of Minnesota Power, an ALLETE Company, and paneled by Karl Schuettler of Northspan and Whitney Ridlon of the DIRRR.
• “It Takes a Village!” - focused on the great strides our region has made with NORTHFORCE, North By Choice and Student Connect programs. This session was paneled by Elissa Hansen, Ali Bilden Camps and Amber Lewis, all of Northspan.

For more information about EDAM and this conference, please contact Ian Vincent at Ian@APEXgetsbusiness.com.