ECONference
LEARN
•
NE T WORK
•
EXHIBIT
Bucks County Regional Economic Development Conference & Business Showcase
May 14, 2015 • 12:30 – 2:30 pm
PARX Casino
MEET OUR ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
FORUM PANELISTS
Economic Forum Moderator
Robert G. Loughery, Chairman, Bucks County Commissioner
Robert Loughery began his position as a Bucks County Commissioner in February
2011, and was named chairman of the board in January 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015.
Under his leadership the county has achieved many important milestones and
accomplishments, including the re-purposing of all county economic development
programs and agencies under the new initiative ‘Bucks 2 Invest.’ Currently, the
county is undergoing one of its largest capital projects in the construction of a new
Justice Center. In addition, planning for the re-use of the existing county courthouse
into an administration building will reduce the county’s footprint and overhead
expenses. Commissioner Loughery completed his undergraduate work at Dickinson
College, and was thereafter commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserves.
Robert Loughery
Financial Forecast for Bucks County and the Region
Michael Boldin, Senior Economic Analyst, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
Michael Boldin is a senior economic analyst in the Research Department at the
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. He specializes in the analysis of the national
and regional economies, the interaction of financial markets and business cycles, and
the construction of econometric models for forecasting purposes. Before joining the
Bank, Boldin was the director of research support services at the Wharton School of
the University of Pennsylvania, where he was responsible for leading various research
and instructional technology-oriented projects. Before that, he served as director of
business cycle research at the Conference Board and as an economist at the Federal
Reserve Bank of New York. Boldin was also an assistant professor in the finance
department of the Fox School of Business and Management at Temple University.
Michael Boldin
-2Using Todays Technology to Increase the Effectiveness and Efficiency
in the Workforce
Scott Foster, Founder, Satori Designs
Scott Foster is the Founder/Project Manager at Satori Design, a Bucks County web
design firm specializing in websites and applications built on the WordPress CMS
platform. Satori started in 2009, completely bootstrapped, and has since grown
to a team of 5 designers and developers. Because the entire team works remotely,
they have worked with many types of software and programs to help the team
work efficiently and communicate effectively.
Scott Foster
Insight on Generational Differences in the Workplace
Larry Eichel, Research Director, Pew Charitable Trust of Philadelphia
Larry Eichel directs Pew’s Philadelphia research initiatives. The project
seeks to provide timely, impartial research and analysis on key issues facing
Philadelphia for the benefit of the city’s citizens and leaders. Prior to arriving
at Pew in November 2008, Eichel was a reporter and editor at the Philadelphia
Inquirer, where he covered issues ranging from urban affairs to national politics,
including the 2008 presidential campaign. A former foreign correspondent,
national correspondent and op-ed columnist, he has written in-depth series on
Philadelphia’s tax burden and on the transformation of public housing in
the city. From 2002 to 2006, Eichel was also adjunct professor at Temple University,
where he taught courses in journalism.
Larry Eichel
Reinvesting in Your Workforce
Elizabeth Walsh, Executive Director, Bucks County Workforce Investment Board
Elizabeth Walsh is the first Executive Director of the Bucks County Workforce
Investment Board, a non-profit founded in 2006. The Bucks County Workforce
Investment Board is the fiscal agent of federal funds allocated to Bucks County
for workforce investment and development of individuals just starting out in
the workforce, those who have been recently displaced from their jobs and
the incumbent workforce. Responsible for strategic planning and effective
stewardship of workforce funds, the Bucks County WIB oversees the PA
CareerLink® Bucks County one-step career system. Ms. Walsh is a graduate of
the University of Scranton and was one of the original Eckerd 100, recongnizing
the100 top volunteer women across the nation.
Elizabeth Walsh
Will Over Skill
Karen Orr, Office Operations Manager, U-Haul
Karen Orr assists 150 company employees with their company benefits, payroll,
uniforms, and company sponsored programs. She also helps to oversee an average
of 90 temporary employees. Karen works with 15-20 supervisors and managers to
coordinate the manpower for the plant. Along with her office clerk, they process
all of the vendors, billing, purchase orders, project requests and machine repair
tracking. In previous positions, Karen was responsible for the placement and
profitability of all U-Haul trucks and trailers within Bucks, Montgomery,
Philadelphia, Chester and Delaware Counties in PA, 1/2 of NJ, DE and the Eastern
Shore of MD, working closely with 3 Marketing Company Presidents, 40+ General
Managers, 15 Area Field Managers and 200+ Independent U-Haul Dealers, while
directly responsible for the management of 10-40 reservation managers.
Karen Orr
-3STEM Careers and Education: Bridging the Gap Between Traditional Education and
Real World Work Force Needs
Hans Meeder, President, National Center for College and Career Transitions
Hans Meeder is president of the National Center for College and Career Transitions,
former Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education, and author
of “The STEM Leader Guide” and “Building Advisory Boards That Matter.”
Mr. Meeder was formerly President of the Meeder Consulting Group, LLC, until a
recent merger with NC3T. Meeder Consulting offered analysis of education and
workforce policy, strategic visioning and implementation planning, and research on
promising and proven practices. The Meeder Consulting Group worked extensively
Hans Meeder
with state education agencies throughout the United States, as well as with the
Ford Motor Company Fund’s Next Generation Learning. Mr. Meeder has an extensive and varied career in
education and workforce policy and government leadership, with an emphasis on high school redesign,
career and technical education, and workforce quality.
Jason Bowman, STEM Supervisor, Bensalem Township School District
Jason Bowman is the K-12 STEM Supervisor in Bensalem Township School District
where he oversees all aspects of Science, Technology and Engineering programs
district wide. Mr. Bowman was a driving force in the push to create a strong STEM
program in Bensalem Township School District. In five short years, Bensalem has
implemented STEM programs at each grade level and across the entire district.
Students are learning 21st Century skills while being challenged to create solutions
to given problems. Highlights of the program include robotics at the high school
and middle school levels, the use of CNC laser cutters and CNC routers as well as
3D modeling and rapid prototyping through the use of 3D printers. SPONSORED BY
Jason Bowman