2021 Growth Summit

Description

Join us for this socially-distanced, half-day event packed with content as we bring players in commercial real estate and mixed-use development together along with business owners, landowners, business services, and more to discuss Real Estate growth, development, transportation, and other factors both spurring and inhibiting growth across Kalispell and the Flathead Valley. 

7:00 - 8:00am: Check in and networking
8:00 - 8:15am: Welcome remarks
8:15 - 9:00am: Growth and Momentum Across the Flathead
Growth can be seen county-wide. Hear highlights from the last year and upcoming plans from communities across the Flathead Valley, featuring the city planners and city managers from Kalispell - Doug Russell, Columbia Falls - Eric Mulcahy, and Whitefish - Dana Smith. 
 9:00 - 10:00am: Redevelopment in Downtown Kalispell
Hear from property owners and developers about several upcoming projects and a look into the future of the heart of our community. 
Panelists: Cara Lemire (R & R Home - Sherman Lodge, Cardinal Hardware Building), Molly McCabe (Hayden Tanner - 4th Avenue E. Development), Bill Goldberg (Compass Construction - K & M Building, Alpine Lighting Building)
Moderator: Pete Akey, Glacier Bank
10:00 - 10:15am: Break
10:15 - 11:00am: Innovations in Transportation and Community Mobility
Now that we have more people living here and traveling thanks to expanded air services, how do we best move everyone around? A look changes in public transportation from The Mountain Climber, the Move2040 and Parkline Trail project from KLJ Engineering, highway projects and updates from Montana Department of Transportation, and more. 
Panelists: Kyle Waterman (Mountain Climber), Mark Rowheder (KLJ Engineering), Bob Vosen (MDT)
Moderator: Courtenay Sprunger, Big Sky Public Relations
11:00 - 12:00pm: The Case for Childcare and Attainable Housing
Just what kind of impacts are these vital services (or lack thereof) having on the needs of local businesses and the community? Hear from business finding unique solutions to workforce housing, local childcare and early childhood education providers, and experts in housing. 
Panelists: Niki Lintz (Entrust), Collette Box (Discovery Developmental Center, Joe Kola (First Interstate Bank)
Moderator: Ryan Bowman, MontanaSky Networks
12:00 - 12:20pm: Break for buffet lunch
12:30 - 1:15: Keynote: Nic McKinley, CEO and Founder of Verafi
In addition to all of the incredible growth happening across our community, how can we best encourage non-brick-and-mortar growth and capital infusion into the Flathead Valley? How can be we be better targeting recruitment strategies to bring more businesses here? Nic an experienced Special Agent at the CIA and an Air Force Pararescueman, Nic understands the ramifications of bad intelligence and the disastrous consequences of poorly researched decisions. Perhaps more importantly, he also understands the peace of mind and confidence that comes with making a well-informed decision. That's why he has spent over two decades of his life devoted to fusing intelligence and technology to solve some of today's biggest problems.