UW-Stevens Point: Recapturing Your Downtown 2009 conference set for Oct. 22

Featuring the CEO of Wold International

Main Streets across Wisconsin are facing challenging times. But those challenges also lead to opportunities as public and private sector initiatives, even in difficult economic times.

Mayors, city and county officials, economic development specialists, private and nonprofit sector interests, and business owners can learn more about revitalizing their downtowns at the fifth annual Recapturing Your Downtown conference at the Jefferson Street Inn in Wausau on Thursday, October 22. The fee is $99 and includes all program materials, reception, and lunch.

This year’s conference features two high-powered speakers. Barbara Wold is an international business speaker who has shared her expertise on marketing, sales, customer service, and tourism with over 400,000 people across the country as well as in Asia, South America, the Middle East, and Canada. “It’s all about attracting entrepreneurs to Main Street and helping them succeed,” said Wold. CEO of Wold International in Los Angeles, she is a graduate of California Lutheran University. Her keynote address is at 8 a.m.

Wisconsin Department of Tourism Secretary Kelli Trumble will be the featured luncheon speaker at 1 p.m. Trumble’s talk will focus on her department’s role in statewide branding and the effect of tourism on downtowns. She will share the latest news from the governor’s office on how the state of Wisconsin can help downtowns maintain their economic development momentum and revitalization.

Breakout sessions include joining forces to promote downtowns; financing downtown improvement projects, nurturing homegrown entrepreneurs, downtown sustainability, social networking to enhance your downtown, and much more. In addition, there will be a breakout session featuring a small city (Rhinelander) and one featuring a large city (Waukesha).

To register, go online at http://www.uwsp.edu/conted/conferences/downtown or call (800) 898-9472, press “0” and ask for Dorothy. In addition, you can mail registration and payment to: UWSP-SBDC, 2100 Main St., Room 103, Stevens Point, 54481-3897.

The conference is sponsored by Continuing Education at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP), UWSP’s Small Business Development Center, Wisconsin Department of Commerce, Wisconsin Main Street, Wisconsin Public Service, the Wisconsin Downtown Action Council, and Vierbicher Associates.