Site Selectors Guild Fall Forum
Opportunity for One-On-One Networking
The Fall Forum is a condensed, intimate conference with even more limited attendance. At the request of economic developers seeking more one-on-one access to site selectors, Fall Forum is about half the size of the Guild’s Annual Conference and boasts a ratio of eight economic developers to one site selector. Approximately half of the Guild’s members attend this event, creating a smaller, more close-knit conference atmosphere. Similar to the Annual Conference, knowledge sharing, discussion panels, breakout sessions and networking are the hallmark of the Fall Forum.
Event details
Date & Time
October 16-18, 2023
Location
New Orleans, LA
Venue
JW Marriott New Orleans
Agenda
All events are located at the JW Marriott New Orleans hotel unless otherwise noted. Event locations and times are subject to change.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2023
9:00 AM | Badge Pick-up
Ile de France Foyer
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Guild Partner Event (private event for Guild Partners and participating Guild Members only)
Off-site
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Welcome Reception
Pat O’Brien’s (Off-site)
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2023
7:00 AM | Badge Pick-up
Ile de France Foyer
7:30 AM – 8:30 AM | Breakfast
Ile de France Foyer
8:45 AM – 10:30 AM |
Welcome
Meet the Guild Members
Case Study Panel
Ile de France Ballroom
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM | Break
Ile de France Foyer
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Breakout Sessions
- Rural Competitiveness: Practical Advice for Building Thriving Communities
- About: Guild Members with strong experience in rural America provide valuable advice for attracting investment. From identifying competitive advantages and marketing strategies, to navigating infrastructure and workforce considerations, panelists offer their best thinking for rural communities to thrive in today’s competitive landscape.
- Panelists: Courtney Dunbar, Jay Garner, Larry Moretti
and Leslie Wagner
St. Claude
- RFI Exchange: An Open Discussion Between EDOs and Guild Members
- About: This session is a two-way street. Our experienced panel kicks things off with a range of examples of what makes an RFI response stand out or fall short. The table then turns as economic developers share their experiences and perspectives and offer recommendations on improving the overall RFI process.
- Panelists: Kim Williams Davis, Natalie Lynch, Jim Renzas
and John Rocca
Conde/Frontenac
- FDI Insights: Positioning Your Community for the Next Wave of International Investment
- About: As economic development groups grapple with the complexities of both new investment and reshoring from overseas, panelists share real-world case studies and expert predictions on the factors influencing reshoring decisions and how their clients are navigating the changing landscape of global supply chain.
- Panelists: Michelle Comerford, Jason Hickey, Dennis Meseroll,
Phil Schneider and Elias van Herwaarden
Maurepas
- The Future is Now: Will Artificial Intelligence Revolutionize Site Selection and Economic Development?
- About: This breakout session explores the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionize site selection and economic development. Attendees will learn how AI can provide more accurate, data-driven insights to inform site selection decisions and how it can streamline the economic development process from start to finish.
- Panelists: Didi Caldwell, Bob Hess, Seth Martindale
and Gregg Wassmansdorf
Orleans
- The Elevator Pitch: Guild Members Offer Candid Feedback on EDO Presentations
- About: Can you describe your community’s unique story in 90 seconds? A pre-selected group of eight economic developers will each communicate their business case before Guild Members and a room of their EDO peers. Guild Members will provide live feedback on the pluses and minuses of each pitch followed by overarching recommendations for all economic developers.
- Panelists: Dennis Donovan, Taylor Gravois, Kim Moore
and Gray Swoope
Rosalie
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM | Lunch & GUILD Talks
About the GUILD Talks: Inspired by guidelines from the popular TED Talk format, three Guild Members share 6-8-minute talks of strong relevance to economic developers:
- Rajeev Thakur – The New Nuclear and Implications for Site Selection
- John Longshore – Decisions That Define Communities
- Dennis Meseroll – Reshoring from China: The Reality and the Hype
Ile de France Foyer
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM | Breakout Sessions
Same topics and panelists as previous session
Same locations as previous session
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM | Break
Ile de France Foyer
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Table Talk – round 1
Ile de France Ballroom
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM | Happy Hour
Ile de France Foyer
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Dinner with Consultants Sponsor Dinners
(private dinners for Dinner sponsors and Guild Members)
Off-site
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18 2023
7:30 – 8:00 AM | Breakfast
Ile de France Foyer
8:00 AM – 9:15 AM | Case Study Panel
Ile de France Ballroom
9:15 AM – 9:45 AM | Break
Ile de France Foyer
9:45 AM – 11:30 AM | Closing & Table Talk – round 2
Ile de France Ballroom
Registration
Registration for the 2023 Fall Forum is currently sold out. Click here to be placed on the waiting list.
Registration Fee
The registration fee is $2,100 per attendee (excluding hotel and/or travel accommodations) and is non-transferrable between other Guild events such as the Annual Conference and/or Fall Forum and can only be transferred to another attendee within the same organization.
Eligibility
To be eligible to attend the Fall Forum, you must be a practicing professional from a local, regional, state or national economic development organization in the U.S. or abroad. Each registration will be vetted for eligibility before attendance is confirmed. Once eligibility is confirmed, you will receive notification of your acceptance and provided information in regards to payment.U.S. or abroad. Each registration will be vetted for eligibility before attendance is confirmed. Once eligibility is confirmed, you will receive notification of your acceptance and provided information in regards to payment and the hotel link.
Registration Deadlines
The last day for registration refunds is September 15, 2023.
The last day for registration name changes is September 29, 2023. The registration fee is non-transferrable between events such as the Annual Conference and/or Fall Forum and can only be transferred to another attendee within the same organization.
Sponsorships
Click here to view the available sponsorships, secure a sponsorship and download the sponsorship benefits.
Past Fall Forums
Previous Dates & Locations
2015 | Philadelphia, PA | October 26-28
2016 | Little Rock, AR | October 24-26
2017 | Seattle, WA | September 25-27
2018 | Greenville, SC | September 10-12
2019 | Dallas/Plano, TX | September 9-11
2021 | Dallas, TX | November 8-10
2022 | Richmond, VA | September 19-21
Thank You to the 2023 Fall Forum Sponsors!
Participating Guild Members
