Blue Springs EDC teams up with area counterparts for business seminar

By Miranda Wycoff
The Journal Staff

The Blue Springs, Lee's Summit, Grain Valley, Grandview and Independence Economic Development Councils will join forces to sponsor an informative seminar on state and local incentives to help bolster business in Eastern Jackson County.
The program will focus on resources for companies in the manufacturing, warehouse distribution, office, high-tech and medical-life science industries according to EDC information.
The workshop will be on April 1 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Hilton Garden Inn in Independence.
Jim Devine, president and CEO of the Lee's Summit Economic Development Council, said the regional EDCs are working collaboratively so that area companies will have the opportunity to learn how to use the state's economic development incentive programs.
Devine said the LSEDC played an important role in organizing and publicizing the event.
The seminar is free and will feature Mike Downing, co-director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development Division, according to the event's news release.
Downing will discuss the availability of tax, finance and training incentives available to eastern Jackson County companies. He also will detail state incentive programs and discuss how to qualify and apply for them. Additional topics of discussion will include how to utilize state funds to train new employees and improve productivity of current employees from Andrew Filla and Stan Fields, administrators of the workforce training program with the Metropolitan Community College Business and Technology Campus, and Skip James, from the Missouri Career Center.
Chris Guiterrez, president of KC Smart Port, will discuss the new certification training program for distribution employees.
And Tim Cowden of the Kansas City Area Economic Development Council will moderate as panelists from area cities discuss local incentives and answer questions. Panelists include Eric Johnson, city manager of Blue Springs, Gary Bradley, city administrator of Grain Valley, Alan Kenyon, economic development director for the city of Grandview, Robert Heacock, city manager of Independence, and Greg Foss, director of development with the city of Lee's Summit.
"We invite companies in these target industries to take advantage of this opportunity to learn about the business tools available to them directly from the experts who manage the incentive programs," said Teresa Evans, vice president of the Lee's Summit Economic Development Council. "By partnering with other economic development organizations in Eastern Jackson County, our collective goal is to grow business for the entire region in the face of increased competition."
Devine said he also will be talking about the Eastern Jackson County Workforce Training Corsortium, a training seminar for companies in Eastern Jackson County.
To attend this event, register by visiting https://www.123signup.com/servlet/SignUpMember?PG=1520554182300&P=1520554191156613800.
For more information or questions about this event, contact the Lee's Summit Economic Development Council by visiting its Web site at www.leessummit.org or call 816-525-6617.