Yesterday’s Infrastructure Forum brought together leading experts and stakeholders from the region to discuss both built infrastructure and green infrastructure, including water resources. Former Mayor of Pittsburgh Tom Murphy delivered the keynote address.

All presentations have been posted.

The Tallahassee Democrat reported on the event.

Infrastructure for the New Economy: June 9th from 8:30 am – 1:30 pm at the FSU Conference Center (Turnbull Center) in Tallahassee, with Keynote Speaker Tom Murphy, Senior Resident Fellow at the Urban Land Institute and former Mayor of Pittsburgh.

Register today!

We all know that transportation systems are important components for economic development and day-to-day mobility. However, demographic trends, the creative class, emerging economies and the demand for “quality of place” will require, and even demand that communities and regions contain a “competitive infrastructure set” that includes broadband/communications; sustainable energy/power grid; and green infrastructure that views water resources as assets.

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TechExpo 2010, the third annual conference of the Tallahassee Technology Alliance, will take place Thursday with sessions on the future of information technology and trends likely to affect business.

Representative Allan Williams, House District 8, and Dr. Bill Law, President of Tallahassee Community College, are hosting a Green Jobs Summit at the TCC Capitol Center on Monday, April 12, 2010. The event will go from 8:30 am – 2:30 pm. The event is free and open to the public, but space is limited. RSVP to Marissa Mainwood at 201-6672 or mainwoom@tcc.fl.edu. Click Big Bend Green Jobs Summit for additional information.

As the year progresses, ORT is continually looking to highlight organizations that provides visionary leadership and economic growth possibilities that otherwise would not exist. Innovation Park and their 2010 Technology Commercialization Grant Program is a great example of a purposeful mission that is being executed within our region.

Part of the mission of ORT is to stay connected with the leadership in each of the counties that represent our region. On Friday, Rob Palmer and I (Matt Doster) met with Johnny Eubanks the director of Liberty County Chamber of Commerce (http://www.libertycountyflorida.com/).

Two projects planned for this year — in corrections and health care — hold the promise of bringing jobs to Gadsden County. Tallahassee Community College President Bill Law announced last week plans to construct a 576-inmate re-entry corrections facility at the TCC Public Safety Institute and the Pat Thomas Law Enforcement Academy on U.S. Highway 90 in Midway.

UPDATE: Suzanne Cartwright and Marta Goldsmith from Urban Land Institute will participate in ORT meeting immediately following the Legislative Dialogue.

Legislators from the 18-county region of Northwest Florida (from Madison and Taylor counties in the east to Escambia in the west) will hear from economic and workforce development leaders on the issues facing the region. Presented by Florida’s Great Northwest and Our Region Tomorrow, the event will take place Monday, February 15, from 10:30 am to 12:00 noon at the Doubletree Hotel in Tallahassee, Florida, to coincide with the planned legislative committee week.

We presented before the TalTech Alliance yesterday at lunch. Discussion focused on opportunities for economic development in this region for clean, high tech jobs. Key ingredients for such an economy are found in the region, with universities and colleges supporting the knowledge economy and small businesses poised to take advantage of opportunities with state government.