By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Transportation, fishing, tourism, timber and health care are among a host of industries that will be represented in Sitka for the Southeast Conference annual meeting, which opens Wednesday.
More than 250 industry experts, as well as local, state, tribal and federal officials, are expected to attend the gathering at Harrigan Centennial Hall. The theme is “Building the Economy of Tomorrow.”
Rachel Roy, executive director of the Sitka Chamber of Commerce and Visit Sitka, said the conference has a number of sessions, forums and talks Sitkans will find worthwhile.
“You go because you get to hear the latest information from all the different economic segments in our region,” she said. “You make connections, and learn about best practices.”
The Chamber and Visit Sitka are the host organizations for this year’s meeting, which will have off-hour activities to help attendees get out to enjoy Sitka. The last time the conference met here was in 2013.
Southeast Conference is a nonprofit organization founded in 1958 to promote the formation of a Southeast regional transportation system that eventually became the Alaska Marine Highway System. Today its mission is broader, related to goals of promoting “strong economies, healthy communities, and a quality environment in Southeast Alaska.”
Jon Bolling, left, Craig city administrator, and Dave Kensinger, of Chelan Produce, hang up a banner at Harrigan Centennial Hall this afternoon in advance of the Southeast Conference annual meeting. The meeting runs from Wednesday through Friday and features a number of speakers covering topics ranging from health care to mining in Southeast Alaska. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
The organization is still interested in transportation issues, but has taken on all major aspects of the Southeast economy in the schedule of topics to be taken up at this week’s gathering. Talks and panel discussions are scheduled on tribal issues, energy, timber industry, housing, economic development, health care, the University of Alaska, visitor industry, seafood, small business and telecommunications.
The Chamber and Visit Sitka said the conference is also an opportunity to show off Sitka to others in Southeast, including groups that may want to hold future meetings and conferences here, Roy said. Members of the business community are offering discounts to conference attendees with a “Show Your Badge” program for the first time in Sitka.
“We’ve gotten a huge response from our community in terms of offering discounts,” Roy said. “The hotels are filling up and the restaurants are excited about the 250 visitors coming. They’ll get to save all over town.”
She noted the effort also put in by the city as well as other volunteers, businesses and organizations to bring the conference to Sitka.
At the annual meeting, municipal and business leaders throughout Southeast will “chart a course for the region,” taking into account the current economy, barriers to investment, tribal partner projects, state budget cuts and investment opportunities, organizers said.
The Southeast Conference is in its fifth year of its current five-year plan, which was given the Innovation Award last year from the National Association of Development Organizations for its economic plan for the region. Work will start on another five-year plan at next year’s annual meeting, Southeast Conference Executive Director Robert Venables said.
“We’re excited to be in Sitka,” he said. “With a blend of municipal, tribal and business leaders, we can not only assess the status of our regional economy, and our communities, we can look at opportunities and challenges in front of us.”
The event includes three days of presentations, a scholarship auction, a business meeting, a banquet, a community reception, and a market, in one of the rooms at Centennial Hall.
“I think it’s a good organization because all of us in Southeast are facing similar issues,” said Garry White, past Southeast Conference board member and current director of the Sitka Economic Development Association and the Gary Paxton Industrial Park. “We can get together with colleagues, find out what other folks are doing, find best practices of other communities, and all head in the same direction.”
One of the talks of general interest to members and nonmembers alike is “Southeast by the Numbers,” presented by Rain Coast Data Director Meilani Schijvens, who will highlight statistics on population, government jobs, cruise ship passengers and statistics on other industries. Her talk is 11:15 a.m. Wednesday.
U.S. Sens. Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski and U.S. Rep. Don Young will speak by video at various times during the conference. Registration for conference events is available at the door at Centennial Hall. Those who want to attend can pay a day rate or a fee for the whole conference.
The schedule:
Wednesday
8 a.m. Opening Ceremony
8:30 a.m. Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska
8:45 a.m. Energy
9:45 a.m. Denali Commission
10:00 a.m. 15-minute break
10:15 a.m. Timber Industry
10:45 a.m. Housing and the Southeast Alaska Economy
11:15 a.m. Southeast Alaska by the Numbers 2019
11:50 a.m. 2020 Alaska Angel Conference
Noon Luncheon
1:20 p.m. Economic Development Implementation: Panel of Municipal Managers & Administrators
2:20 p.m. Health Care and Southeast Alaska: Southeast Alaska Health Care Workforce Analysis
3:30 p.m. Health Care Break
3:45 p.m. Sitka Business Highlight
4 p.m. University of Alaska Update
4:30 p.m. Allen Marine Cruise
6 to 8 p.m. Community Reception at Sitka Fine Arts Camp Odess Theater
Thursday
8:30 a.m. Transportation
9:30 a.m. Mining Industry
10 a.m. 15-minute Break
10:15 a.m. Visitor Industry
11:20 a.m. Sealaska
11:40 a.m. Community- and Economics-Driven Land Use Master Planning
Noon Networking Luncheon
1:25 p.m. Spruce Root
1:45 p.m. Seafood Industry
2:30 p.m. Telecommunications
2:45 p.m. Break
3 p.m. Legislative Leaders Forum
6 p.m. Cocktail Hour
6:45 p.m. Awards Banquet & UAS Scholarship Auction
Friday
8:15 a.m. Workshops
9:30 a.m. Break
10 a.m. Southeast Conference annual membership and business meetings
11 a.m. Tours of Sitka visitor attractions and businesses
1 p.m. luncheon aboard the cruise ship Amsterdam
