Thanks for helping to make Summit 2008 a great success!

On October 10th, over 500 highly engaged Mainers left the Augusta Civic Center energized with new ideas and new optimism for the future of our state.

We'll be posting workshop summaries, recordings of the keynote addresses, and other Summit material here on our website as it becomes available - check our blog for the latest (or subscribe to our RSS feed).

Since 2006, when the GrowSmart-Brookings report defined an "action plan for sustainable prosperity in Maine," our state has made major new commitments towards growing our innovation economy, enhancing our "quality of place," and reorganizing governments to make more efficient use of public resources.

Now, GrowSmart Maine wants to initiate the next stages of our “action plan.” How can Maine secure dedicated, long-term funding to preserve and enhance its “quality places” - our Main Streets, downtowns, working landscapes, and wildlands? How will Maine’s government systems, structures, and resources need to adapt to become more effective and less expensive for taxpayers? And how might the linked challenges of climate change and energy prices spur new innovation and growth in Maine’s innovation economy and natural resource-based industries?

We want you to help us answer these questions and realize a new era of sustainable prosperity in Maine.

Event Details

The 2008 Summit will be held on Friday, October 10th, at the Augusta Civic Center (map).

Program of events:

8:30 AM: Welcome

9:00 AM: Keynote: "A Progress Report on the 'Charting Maine's Future' Action Plan," by Bruce Katz of the Brookings Institution.

9:30 AM: Keynote: "Governing Maine in the 21st Century," by Jim Chrisinger, Public Strategies Group

10:15 AM: Morning breakout sessions:

• Building A Green Innovation Economy
• Innovating our way out of fiscal crisis
• Smart Growth Solutions to the Climate and Energy Crises
  

Noon: Lunch

12:45 PM: Keynote: "Building a Green Innovation Economy in the Face of Energy Challenges and a Changing Climate," by Joel Rogers, co-founder of the Apollo Alliance.

1:45 PM: Afternoon Breakout Sessions:

• Can Maine Become the Green Energy State?
• Healthcare in Maine: Keeping costs low and coverage broad
• Our Quality Places Agenda: Permanent Funding for our Environment and Main Streets

Opening keynote speaker:
Bruce Katz

We're very pleased to announce that Bruce Katz, a lead author of the 2006 GrowSmart-Brookings report and a founding director of the Brookings Institution's Metropolitan Policy Program, will deliver a keynote address at the 2008 GrowSmart Summit.

Katz, who gave an extremely popular address on the Charting Maine's Future report at our 2006 Summit, will assess how Maine has progressed so far in the report's "action plan," and how Maine can overcome new challenges to secure sustained prosperity for the long term.

"Green Innovation" keynote speaker:
Joel Rogers

Joel Rogers co-founded the Apollo Alliance, a coalition of business, labor, environmental, and community leaders working to catalyze a clean energy revolution through focused research and development initiatives on the scale of the Apollo space program. He is also a director at the Center on Wisconsin Strategy, a national policy center and field laboratory for "high-road economic development."

Joel's morning keynote will frame some of the issues and discussions for later Summit workshops on energy, climate, and prosperity in Maine.

"Governing Maine in the 21st Century" keynote speaker:
Jim Chrisinger

Jim Chrisinger is a Public Strategies Group consultant who has nearly 30 years of experience in public service at all levels - and in all three branches - of government. Formerly an employee in Governor Tom Vilsack's administration n his home state of Iowa, Jim worked with other consultants from the Public Strategies Group to draft and lead implementation of Iowa’s Accountable Government Act. That work facilitated transformational, cost-saving reforms in Iowa's state government and garnered an "Innovation in American Government" award from Harvard's Kennedy School.

Now, GrowSmart Maine is proposing to bring the Public Strategies Group to Maine to propose solutions for our own budget crises. Jim's morning keynote will set the stage for the Summit's two subsequent workshops on government structure and spending.

Purchase a membership on our secure webpages for discounted registration and other benefits.
Members receive $20 off the standard price of Summit registration.

To pay with a check or purchase order, download our registration form here, print, and return to the address below with your payment.  Please note, registration is not complete until payment is received:
GrowSmart Maine
81 Bridge Street
Yarmouth, ME  04096
fax: 207-847-9270
phone: 207-847-9275 x316

Thanks to this year's Summit sponsors!

Kennebec Valley Council of Governments

Sponsors help make the GrowSmart Maine Summit happen each year.  The support of these companies and organizations reflects their commitment to sustainable prosperity and to work together with GrowSmart Maine and diverse others for a better Maine. 

Interested in sponsoring this year's Summit? Please contact Mary Mayo, our Development Director, at 847-9275 ext. 302.

Click here for a list of Summit 2007 sponsors.

Learn more about Summit 2007

Learn more about Summit III, 2006.

View photos from Summit II, 2005