2011 Michigan Downtown Conference Announces Keynote Speakers Doug Loescher and Rob Bliss
LANSING, Mich., July 26, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Michigan Downtown Conference Planning Partners today announced the keynote speakers for its annual conference to be held September 14 and 15 in downtown Kalamazoo. The conference will open with the executive director of the National Main Street Center, Doug Loescher, and close with Rob Bliss, creative events organizer with Status Creative in the Grand Rapids area.
Loescher brings more than 25 years of experience to the Main Street field. Initially a local director for revitalization programs in Maysville, Kentucky, and Corning, New York, he has worked with communities across the nation in his role at the Main Street Center. Trained as an urban planner, he has received additional degrees and certificates in adult education and training, consulting and creative problem solving. He has co-authored several publications, including the Main Street Committee Members handbooks and Main Street Success Stories.
Loescher will discuss the "State of Main Street" in 2011. Specifically, where our downtowns are heading, and how creative community pioneers are transforming our ideas about entrepreneurship, community capital, and what it means to sustain our local economies.
A key figure in the revitalization efforts of downtown Grand Rapids, event organizer, musician and social media expert, Rob Bliss has been creating free, fun, inclusive community events for nearly 3 years. Without any budget for advertising, he has had a combined attendance at his events of over 100,000 people. His events, including a large scale pillow fight, a Zombie walk, a giant water slide and a very famous lip dub, have brought tens of thousands of dollars of business to Grand Rapids by focusing on downtown revitalization, youth retention and the continuing improvement of the image of West Michigan.
Bliss will discuss "The Art of Large-Scale Community Engagement" along with the history of his events and how his team engaged an entire community to pull it all off.
The Michigan Downtown Conference Planning Partners include the Michigan Downtown Association (MDA), the Michigan Municipal League (MML), Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC,) the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM), the Michigan Historic Preservation Network and Main Street Oakland County.
The Michigan Downtown Conference is an annual conference to help community leaders create successful strategies and case studies to revitalize their downtowns.
SOURCE Michigan Downtown Conference
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