The Conference is sponsored by Leadership Upper Cumberland, and is hosted by Rural Development/USDA, Collage of Business Administration, Tennessee Technological University, and Tennessee Valley Authority. This years theme is, "Revealing Your Community’s Assets and Opportunities". The Conference kicks off their event with a gulf tournament.

Industrial Development:

"Winning Behaviors: Building Trust and Credibility in the industry Recruiting Game"

Heidi Smith, General Manager, Marketing Development, TVA

Business Development:

"Business Retention and Expansion for Rural Tourism"

Kent Gustafson, Extension Service, University of Minnesota

"Opportunities for Agri-Tourism"

Debbie Spencer, Vice President, West Kentucky Corporation, Bowling Green, Ky

"Community Leadership Development: A Strategy for Sustainable Rural Development"

Dr. Davis Mills, Director, Fanning Institute for Leadership Development, University of Georgia.

"State of Rural America"

Dr. Karl Stauber, President, Northwest Area Foundation, St. Paul, Minnesota

Guest speakers included:

Robert Niebuhr, Dean, Collage of Business, Tennessee Technological University.

Ruth Tackett, State Director, Rural Development/USDA.

John Bradley, Senior VP, Economic Development, TVA.

C. Jones Hooks, President, Hampton Roads (Virginia) Economic Development Alliance.

Michael Wisdom, Executive Director, San Luis Valley Development Resources Group, Alamosa, Colorado.

Leadership Upper Cumberland (chartered in 1996, is a non-profit organization providing leadership training and networking opportunities to individuals in 15 counties in the Upper Cumberland region).

Our Mission

"...is to promote the economic and social development of the Upper Cumberland through leadership training."

We strive to achieve this mission through

* assisting the development and enhancement of local leadership programs;

* establishing and sustaining a regional leadership training program; and

* providing community leaders with networking opportunities.