2021 Governor’s Ag and Economic
Development Summit
Younes Conference Center
416 West Talmadge Road
Kearney, NE 68845
Reception/Banquet
Tuesday, August 3, 2021
6:00pm – Reception
7:00pm – Dinner & Awards
Summit
Wednesday, August 4, 2021
8:00am – 4:30pm
Summit Agenda:
8:00 am – 8:30 am: Registration
8:30 am – 8:45 am: Welcome – Governor Pete Ricketts
9:00 am – 10:00 am: Breakout Session 1
Track 1 - Revitalizing North Omaha (Diamond 6)
| Moderator: | Trevon Brooks, Nebraska Department of Economic Development |
| Speakers: | LaVonya Goodwin, North 24th Street BID Association |
| Frank Hayes, Hayes & Associates | |
| Carmen Tapio, North End Teleservices |
Track 2 – Building Broadband Infrastructure (Diamond 1)
| Moderator: | Anthony Goins, Nebraska Department of Economic Development |
| Speakers: | Todd Foje, Great Plains Communications |
| Senator Curt Friesen, Nebraska State Senator, District 34 | |
| Jason Kvols, Nebraska Farm Bureau |
Track 3 – Next Generation Value-Added Ag (Diamond 2)
| Moderator: | Steve Wellman, Nebraska Department of Agriculture |
| Speakers: | Debbie Borg, Springbank Poultry, LLC |
| Bob Campbell, Farm Credit Services of America | |
| Steve Martin, Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska (AFAN) | |
| Mark McHargue, Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation |
Track 4 – International Trade: Growing Opportunities for Nebraska’s Exports (Diamond 3)
| Moderator: | Cobus Block, Nebraska Department of Economic Development |
| Speakers: | Consul General Ariel Delouya, Canada |
| Rusty Kemp, Pioneer Outfitters, LLP | |
| Consul General Wolfgang Moessinger – Germany | |
| Deputy Consul General Maria Rennie, United Kingdom |
10:00 am – 10:30 am: Break
(Crystal 4)
10:30 am – 11:30 am: Breakout Session 2
Track 1 – Growing Education Opportunities (Diamond 1)
| Moderator: | Corey DeAngelis, American Federation for Children |
| Speakers: | Walter Blanks, Jr., American Federation for Children |
| Clarice Jackson, Voice Advocacy Center and Nebraska Parents Coalition | |
| Tanya Storer, Cherry County Commissioner |
Track 2 – Fostering Tech Startups (Diamond 2)
| Moderator: | Dan Hoffman, Invest Nebraska |
| Speakers: | Scott Henderson, NMotion |
| Chad Johnson, Grain Weevil Corporation | |
| Wade Sikink, Lindsay Corporation | |
| Kirk Zeller, The Silicon Prairie Center |
Track 3 – Protecting Private Property (Diamond 3)
| Moderator: | Governor Pete Ricketts |
| Speakers: | Margaret Byfield, American Stewards of Liberty |
| Sherry Vinton, Nebraska Farm Bureau | |
| Jeff Metz, Morrill County Commissioner |
Track 4 – Attracting Foreign Direct Investment to Nebraska (Diamond 6)
| Moderator: | Cobus Block, Nebraska Department of Economic Development |
| Speakers: | Ralph Inforzato, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) |
| James Premkumar, Monolith Materials | |
| Mark Tomkins, German American Chamber of Commerce (GACC) |
11:45 pm – 1:15 pm: Lunch & Keynote Speaker
(Diamond 4-5, 9-10)
12:00pm – 12:30pm: Lunch
12:30pm – 1:15pm: Speaker – Ambassador Terry Branstad
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm: Breakout Session 3
Track 1 - Revitalizing North Omaha (Diamond 6)
| Moderator: | Trevon Brooks, Nebraska Department of Economic Development |
| Speakers: | LaVonya Goodwin, North 24th Street BID Association |
| Frank Hayes, Hayes & Associates, LLC | |
| Carmen Tapio, North End Teleservices |
Track 2 – Building Broadband Infrastructure (Diamond 1)
| Moderator: | Anthony Goins, Nebraska Department of Economic Development |
| Speakers: | Todd Foje, Great Plains Communications |
| Senator Curt Friesen, Nebraska State Senator, District 34 | |
| Jason Kvols, Nebraska Farm Bureau |
Track 3 – Next Generation Value-Added Ag (Diamond 2)
| Moderator: | Steve Wellman, Nebraska Department of Agriculture |
| Speakers: | Debbie Borg, Springbank Poultry, LLC |
| Bob Campbell, Farm Credit Services of America | |
| Steve Martin, Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska (AFAN) | |
| Mark McHargue, Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation |
Track 4 – International Trade: Growing Opportunities for Nebraska’s Exports (Diamond 3)
| Moderator: | Cobus Block, Nebraska Department of Economic Development |
| Speakers: | Consul General Ariel Delouya, Canada |
| Rusty Kemp, Pioneer Outfitters, LLP | |
| Consul General Wolfgang Moessinger – Germany | |
| Deputy Consul General Maria Rennie, United Kingdom |
2:30 pm – 2:45 pm: Break
2:45 pm – 3:45 pm: Breakout Session 4
Track 1 – Growing Education Opportunities (Diamond 1)
| Moderator: | Corey DeAngelis, American Federation for Children |
| Speakers: | Walter Blanks, Jr., American Federation for Children |
| Clarice Jackson, Voice Advocacy Center and Nebraska Parents Coalition | |
| Tanya Storer, Cherry County Commissioner |
Track 2 – Fostering Tech Startups (Diamond 2)
| Moderator: | Dan Hoffman, Invest Nebraska |
| Speakers: | Scott Henderson, NMotion |
| Chad Johnson, Grain Weevil Corporation | |
| Wade Sikink, Lindsay Corporation | |
| Kirk Zeller, The Silicon Prairie Center |
Track 3 – Protecting Private Property (Diamond 3)
| Moderator: | Governor Pete Ricketts |
| Speakers: | Margaret Byfield, American Stewards of Liberty |
| Sherry Vinton, Nebraska Farm Bureau | |
| Jeff Metz, Morrill County Commissioner |
Track 4 – Attracting Foreign Direct Investment to Nebraska (Diamond 6)
| Moderator: | Cobus Block, Nebraska Department of Economic Development |
| Speakers: | Ralph Inforzato, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) |
| James Premkumar, Monolith Materials | |
| Mark Tomkins, German American Chamber of Commerce (GACC) |
4:00 pm – 4:30 pm: Wrap-Up & Closing – Governor Pete Ricketts
Conference Information
Younes Conference Center – Kearney, NE
Date: August 4, 2021
8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Event Registration
Please contact Lori Shaal for additional information at lori.shaal@nebraska.gov.