On October 28th, IEDC hosted a webinar on how local and state officials can effectively collaborate with federal agencies on economic and business recovery efforts following a major disaster. The federal government is a significant resource for disaster preparedness and post-disaster economic recovery. Yet, navigating the labyrinth of various agencies, programs and requirements can be an intimidating process. This webinar will help economic developers understand how to more effectively access disaster recovery resources in the federal system. It will also provide highlights and tips from actual disaster recovery professionals on how to maximize available federal government resources and address potential roadblocks along the way to recover.
In the presentations speakers addressed:
- About the various federal tools and programs to assist in economic recovery and how local economic development interests can more effectively use these federal resources
- Details on the federal government’s new National Disaster Recovery Framework
- How the federal government interacts with and assists state and local recovery stakeholders.
Download the Webinar
Click here to download the webinar recording.
Download the Presentations
Click here to download the presentations
Speakers
Jeff Finkle,
President & CEO
International Economic Development Council (IEDC)
Jeff Finkle, IEDC’s President and CEO, has worked on economic development issues for almost 30 years, first with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and then as Executive Director of the Council for Urban Economic Development (CUED), which became known as the International Economic Development Council through in 2001. He has assisted communities and economic development directors throughout the nation as well as internationally on such issues as community development finance, downtown revitalization, enterprise zones, international trade promotion, real estate development and reuse of industrial facilities, and organizing for economic development. He is a frequent speaker on the subject of disaster preparedness and post-disaster economic recovery for economic development organizations (EDOs).
Jessie Handforth Kome
Deputy Director, Office of Block Grant Assistance
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
Jessie Handforth Kome joined the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in 1987 as a Presidential Management Intern. She has since advanced through various roles related to the community development, including her current leadership position as Deputy Director of the Office of Block Grant Assistance. The Office of Block Grant Assistance sets policy and provides technical support for a more than $45 billion portfolio of open grant appropriations. All are components of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, including the Entitlement Communities, State and Small Cities, Section 108, disaster recovery, and neighborhood stabilization program. The Office also participates actively in OneCPD, a unified community planning and development technical assistance delivery system. She has played a lead role in the Department’s response to many of the disasters of the past 15 years, managing billions of dollars in federal disaster assistance.
Joshua Barnes
Disaster Recovery Coordinator, Economic Development Administration
United States Department of Commerce
Joshua Barnes joined EDA in February 2010 to lead the agency’s continuity of operations program and support agency security and disaster recovery programs. Presently, Mr. Barnes serves as the EDA Disaster Recovery Coordinator and leads disaster recovery policy and technical assistance implementation efforts. In his tenure at EDA, he has served as a core team member in the National Incident Command Economic Solutions Team responding to the economic recovery consequences from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Through his efforts he was awarded the USCG Commander’s Award for Civilian Service. In addition, Mr. Barnes serves as the National Coordinator for the Economic Recovery Support Function, under the National Disaster Recovery Framework. In that role Mr. Barnes leads interagency efforts to coordinate information sharing, technical assistance, and the leverage of resources to support major and catastrophic disasters nation-wide. His experience has included providing economic recovery leadership in locations such as New York, New Jersey, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Vermont, Texas, Alabama and Colorado. Prior to EDA, he was the Director of the National Preparedness Division of MSA, Incorporated; a small, minority, woman-owned small business in Washington DC.
About this Webinar Series
With funding from a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), the 2013 Disaster Preparedness and Economic Recovery Webinar Series is produced by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). This training series provides practical information on key topics in disaster preparedness, recovery and resiliency for economic development organizations, chambers of commerce, and community stakeholders concerned about the local economy.
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