Session Title: “How Finance Officers Can Be Major Participants in their Community’s Economic Development Discussions”
Session Description
Are you a major player in developing solutions for your entity’s economic development projects or are you being told the solution? Too often finance officers are not ‘at the table’ as economic development projects are being evaluated and negotiated. Finance officers are frequently presented a project near the end of the process, when it is too late to make meaningful contributions to a well-constructed financing and risk mitigation plan. And as they raise questions they are viewed as obstructionists. This session will present you with both the arguments for your active participation and the organizational dynamics to gain that acceptance. Speakers representing finance officers, economic development staff and city/county management will provide these insights.
Speaker Bios
Dave MacGillivray, Chairman of Springsted, is a member of the National GFOA’s Committee on Capital Planning and Economic Development, and co-teaches the national GFOA course on economic development for financial advisors. He served for ten years as a city finance director in three Metropolitan Area cities.
Tony Schertler, Director of Springsted’s Housing & Economic Development Practice Group, served for 15 years in a variety of project and management roles with the City of Saint Paul’s Planning and Economic Development Department.
Dave Unmacht, Director of Springsted’s Organizational Management/Human Resources Practice Group, served for over 20 years as a city/county manager in the Metropolitan Area.
