The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“THANKING THE PARTICIPANTS TO OUR FIRST ANNUAL 17TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT ECONOMIC SUMMIT” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1805-E1806 on Dec. 5, 2013.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
THANKING THE PARTICIPANTS TO OUR FIRST ANNUAL 17TH CONGRESSIONAL
DISTRICT ECONOMIC SUMMIT
______
HON. CHERI BUSTOS
of illinois
in the house of representatives
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank everyone who participated in our First Annual 17th Congressional District Economic Summit on November 22, 2013 at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois.
The Economic Summit, held in partnership with the University of Illinois, brought together community leaders from across our district to share economic development strategies and best practices to reduce unemployment, create jobs, and strengthen local economies.
The Economic Summit was a huge success because of the participation of our excellent speakers and attendees. I would like to give my sincere thanks to Dr. Lawrence Schook, Adam Pollet, Steven Bahls, Tara Barney, Dr. Thomas Baynum, Shannon Duncan, and Jeffrey Kaney, Sr. for their astute analysis of the challenges and opportunities facing our district and their willingness to work together to ensure that the 17th District is one of the best places to live, work, start a business, and raise a family.
Our speakers included three exceptional educational leaders. Dr. Lawrence Schook is the Vice President for Research at the University of Illinois and is well known for his work as an educator, biomedical scientist, and entrepreneur. He also serves on the Illinois Innovation Council as well as the Board of Managers for the Argonne and Fermi National Laboratories. Steven Bahls is the President of Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois and a recognized scholar in business law, agricultural law, and education. Dr. Thomas Baynum is President of Black Hawk College with campuses in Moline and Galva, Illinois. Under his leadership, Black Hawk College serves roughly 20,000 students in degree programs, continuing education, and vocational programs.
Our panels also included prominent economic and community development leaders. We were fortunate to have Adam Pollet, the Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity. Mr. Pollet guides and oversees the agency tasked with growing our state economy. Tara Barney is the President and CEO of the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce, representing 2,000 businesses and 90,000 employees in the region. Shannon Duncan is a Planning Coordinator with the Western Illinois Regional Council and oversees community development work for many of the rural counties in Western Illinois. Lastly, Jeffrey Kaney, Sr. is the founder and CEO of the Kaney Group, an aerospace company in Rockford, Illinois. He is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and serves on the board of the Rockford Area Economic Development Council and is Chairman of the Rockford Area Aerospace Network (RAAN).
Mr. Speaker, I want to sincerely thank everyone who participated and helped make our Economic Summit such a success. While there's much work to be done, I have high hopes for our region and look forward to building on the partnerships forged at the event.
____________________
