Keynote Speaker: Shannon MillerShannon Miller competed in two Olympic Games, earning 7 Olympic medals! (2 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze) She is the only female athlete to be inducted into the US Olympic Hall of Fame – Twice! (Individual (2006) and Team (2008)) Her tally of five medals (2 silver, 3 bronze) at the 1992 Olympics was the most medals won by a US athlete in any sport. At the ’96 Games, she led the “Magnificent Seven” to the US Women’s first ever Team Gold and for the first time for any American gymnast, she captured Gold on the Balance Beam. In January of 2011, Shannon was diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer. Shannon has remained open and public about her diagnosis and treatment and continues to empower women to make their health a priority. She is currently cancer-free and continues to be a strong advocate for early detection, awareness, research and survivorship. Shannon is now a mother of two, cancer survivor, author and sports analyst but she will forever be remembered for her focus, determination and as leader of the Magnificent Seven! |
Workshop Presenter - Heather Presley-Cowen
In 2016, After more than 23 amazing years working in local government in the 2nd largest city in Indiana, Heather Presley-Cowen turned a side gig helping small and medium-sized communities to jumpstart their own local housing initiatives into a full-time business. Committed to growing a family-owned, family-run business, in 2020 Alexandra Wise joined forces with her mom to lead the launch of Heather's newly developed mobile app/SaaS platform, called Club 720®. In 2020, Heather also co-founded the Housing Resource Hub, a nonprofit housing development organization focused on helping communities to accomplish their workforce housing dreams. In 2022, Heather launched the Club 720® Development Corporation, a nonprofit capital stacking organization focused on helping communities and individuals to #findfundingforyourfuture by offering low- and no-cost funding, financing, education and training services for the masses. |
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| Erin EmersonErin Emerson serves as the Executive Director of the Perry County Development Corporation. In this role, Erin leads a variety of economic development initiatives focused on business attraction, business retention & expansion, entrepreneurship & small business development, community & workforce development, and quality of life. With a fierce passion for growing her hometown, Erin was integrally involved in the development of a re-branding and marketing campaign for Perry County, known as Pick Perry. The campaign has received national attention and numerous honors including a Gold Award in the Talent Development & Retention Category from the International Economic Development Council in 2020. Erin’s passion for addressing barriers to community growth also led to her involvement with Perry Preschool & Childcare, the county’s only licensed child care center. She has been involved since the initiative’s inception in 2013 and currently serves as the organization’s board president. Erin also serves on several local and regional boards including the Perry County Mental Health Coalition, the Southwest Indiana Development Council, and Indiana 15 Regional Planning Commission’s Economic Recovery & Resiliency Plan Task Force. She lives in Tell City with her family. |
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![]() Ryan HadleyRyan Hadley was appointed as the Executive Director for the Indiana Office of Energy Development in early 2022. Prior to that he lead the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission’s legislative, media and stakeholder management strategies and advised the Commission on related issues. He also oversaw the Consumer Affairs Division, which provides dispute resolution services to customers and utilities. Additionally, he directed the disbursement strategy of the Underground Plant Protection Account fund, intended to raise awareness of Indiana’s 811 law and provide education on safe digging practices. He joined the Commission staff in May 2015. Hadley earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Southern Indiana. Email: rhadley@oed.in.gov |
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![]() Bernard SwieckiBernard Swiecki serves as Director of the Automotive Communities Partnership (ACP) at the Center for Automotive Research (CAR), as well as a Director, Research. Bernard has written and managed research in a diverse array of automotive fields pertaining to automaker/supplier relationships, electric and alternative powertrain vehicles. He manages CAR’s analysis of vehicle sales, production, and segmentation data. He has also led trade missions to China, Italy, India, and Russia. Bernard has authored numerous articles for print publications, as well as a monthly column on the automotive industry. He regularly presents at conferences and industry events in North America, Asia, and Europe, and is a frequent commentator in the local, national, and international media. Bernard is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and the Society of Automotive Analysts (SAA). He has served on the U.S. Department of Commerce Eastern Michigan District Export Council. He received his BA from the University of Michigan in 1998, and his MS from Eastern Michigan University in 2003. |