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Day
2, December 7, 2006
Focus: Business and Workforce Development
Mistress
of Ceremonies: Vivian King |
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8:00-9:00 |
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Registration /
Continental Breakfast |
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9:00-9:20 |
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Remarks by Mayor Tom
Barrett |
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9:20-9:30 |
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Remarks by Common Council
President Willie Hines and Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton |
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9:30-10:15 |
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Keynote Address:
Comeback Cities – Lessons for Milwaukee
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Paul Grogan |
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President and
CEO, Boston Foundation; founder and Volunteer President,
CEOs for Cities; former President of the Local Initiatives
Support Corporation (LISC); Co-Author, Comeback Cities – A
Blueprint for Urban Revitalization |
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10:15-10:30 |
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BREAK |
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10:30-Noon |
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Panel Discussion:
Business and Workforce Development - Realities and Solutions
Moderator:
Darnell Cole, Ph.D
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President, Milwaukee Area Technical College |
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Panelists |
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Dr. John Sibley
Butler
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Director, IC2 Institute,
University of Texas – Austin, School of Business |
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Carol Coletta
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President and CEO, CEOs for
Cities |
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Antonio Lugo
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Business and Financial Strategy
Consultant, U. S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business
Development Agency - Chicago Office |
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Don Sykes
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Consultant, Mayor's Workforce
Initiative |
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William Testa
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Vice President and Director of
Regional Programs, Economic Research Department, Federal
Reserve Bank of Chicago |
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Noon - 1:00 |
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LUNCH / NETWORKING |
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1:00 – 4:00 |
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Action-Oriented Workshops
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4:00-4:45 |
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Participants Share
Outcomes
with Mayor Barrett
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Strategies to Move Milwaukee Forward |
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4:45-5:00 |
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Closing Remarks
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Return
to Day 2 agenda |
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Workshop descriptions
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Fostering Small Business
Growth and Entrepreneurship |
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Small businesses are the
backbone of our economy and our future economic vitality depends on
their success. This panel will identify strategies to create, grow
and expand small and emerging firms in Milwaukee.
Moderator:
Wendy
Bauman, Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation
Lead Speakers:
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» |
Eric Ness, Small Business
Administration – Wisconsin District Office |
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Pat Walsh, Milwaukee Economic
Development Corporation |
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Chris Martin, City of Milwaukee
Emerging Business Enterprise Program |
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Cory Nettles, Quarles and Brady,
Initiative for a Competitive Milwaukee and Milwaukee Urban
Entrepreneurial Partnership |
Goals / Objectives:
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1 |
Increase
government and corporate contracting
opportunities for small and emerging businesses. |
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2 |
Reduce the failure rate of small and
emerging firms. NOTE: A 2006 Gallup poll revealed that 53% of 600
business owners indicated they would have had an easier time had
more money been available at the outset. The poll noted that only
31% of small businesses start out with business plans. |
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3 |
Increase the number of small and
emerging firms and franchises in Milwaukee. NOTE: Wisconsin ranks
especially low with respect to minority-owned firms and franchises. |
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Doing Business at the New Job
Corp Site |
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The new Milwaukee Job
Corps Center will soon become a reality thanks to the leadership of
Mayor Barrett and many other community leaders. The U.S. Dept. of
Labor will build a brand new $28 million facility located at 60th
and Green Tree Road featuring vocational training shops, academic
classrooms, dormitories, a cafeteria, and recreation facilities,
much like a closed-campus at a junior college. All Job Corps
associated procurement must originate from small businesses. The
Department of Labor will provide insights on how to do business with
the Jobs Corp. This workshop will also focus on maximizing local
participation in contracting opportunities and hiring at the new
site.
Moderator:
Ricardo
Diaz, United Community Center
Lead Speakers:
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Tony Perez, Housing Authority City of
Milwaukee |
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Marcus Gray, U. S. Department of
Labor, Office of the Job Corps – Washington, DC |
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Patricia Morris, Ancon Group – Lanham,
Maryland |
Goals / Objectives:
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1 |
Increase local support
for the new Job Corps site. |
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2 |
Maximize local
participation in hiring and contracting associated with the new Job
Corp site. |
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Addressing Workforce
Challenges |
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The growing scarcity of
highly skilled workers and the aging workforce are major challenges
facing our community. Recent studies reveal that these challenges
are seriously impacting employers and present critical obstacles to
the future economic growth of Milwaukee and the southeastern
Wisconsin region. This panel will focus on strategies to tackle
these pressing issues.
Moderator:
Sammis
White, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Lead Speakers:
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Dale Dulberger and Duane
Schultz, Milwaukee Area Technical College |
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Gary Gruneau, Gilbane
Company |
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Eric Parker, Wisconsin
Regional Training Partnership and Earl Buford, Big Step |
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Dave Wilson, Private
Industry Council |
Goals / Objectives:
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1 |
Develop more
effective ways for workforce development organizations to connect
individuals to employment who have specific types of workforce
challenges. Choose one target population for your discussion and
solutions:
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a. |
Individuals who lack
skills, such as 6th grade reading and math skills, as well as
work experience. |
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b. |
Individuals who have limited skills (have or are close to having
8th grade math and reading skills) and who might do well in
technical programs such as the Wisconsin Regional Training
Partnership (WRTP), Big Step, the Urban Trades Partnership
Initiative (UTPI), etc. |
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2 |
Develop reasonable
strategies that can be implemented on the employer side
to ensure greater success in the identification, hiring, and
retention of individuals
who do not meet current standards of what an “acceptable employee”
is. |
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3 |
Develop mechanisms to
greatly increase the communication and
understanding between employers and the range of workforce
development organizations. |
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4 |
Develop strategies to
increase the retention of well-qualified individuals in the
community. |
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Return to Day 2
agenda |
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