The First Annual THRIVE Economic Development Summit Will Be Held Next Month

by Bob Montgomery

The inaugural THRIVE Economic Development Summit will be held on May 14th and 15th at the Blyth Community Hall.

Economic Development Director Vicki Lass says the two-day event is an opportunity for them to work with their business community as well as their municipal partners to highlight issues and road blocks but also celebrate successes related to economic development in Huron County. “It's an opportunity to bring in guest speakers that will offer us insights and education, talk with business owners about things like attracting and retaining their future work force, and to talk about their best practices and what they feel will help them move forward and grow their businesses.”

It's also an opportunity to hear from their municipal partners on some of the issues they're working on. Lass says, for example, they're doing a relatively good job at attracting newcomers to Huron County but retention is a real issue so there has to be more attention given to what it takes to be a welcoming community. “We're seeing an increase in interest from our newcomers but we have to provide welcoming communities that aren't just welcoming, but setting the stage so that our newcomers feel that they belong, that this is home.”

Lass says over the two days, May 14th and 15th, they'll be looking at a number of different topics from Preparing for Business Transitions, Harnessing the Power of Artificial Intelligence, Elevating Tourism Marketing Strategies, Strengthening Workforce Recruitment and Retention, Initiatives Embracing the Essence of Placemaking, Celebrating Progress in Housing Advances, Fostering Belonging and Welcoming Communities for Newcomers, and Exploring Investment Readiness and Opportunities.

Tickets for the Summit are on sale now. More information about the THRIVE Summit click here.