Regional economic summit planned for Grand Junction

Registration remains open for an economic summit in Western Colorado that will address a range of issues and also offer participants a chance to set for goals for economic development.

The Grand Junction Economic Partnership has scheduled  the summit for June 6 at Colorado Mesa University.

The day-long event will include breakfast and luncheon presentations, breakout sessions on a variety of topics and what’s billed as an afternoon visioning workshop.

Admission is $75 for the entire day, $50 for the lunch and visioning session. To register or obtain more information, visit www.westcoeconomicsummit.com.

The summit is set to begin at 8 a.m. with breakfast and presentations addressing such topics as education, entrepreneurship, health care, outdoor recreation, real estate,  site selection and technology.

The speakers will include Dr. Arlen Meyers, president and chief executive officer of the Society of Physician Entrepreneurs and director of a bioentrepreneurship program at the University of Colorado Denver Business School, and Kathy Mussio, co-founder and managing director of Atlas Insight and a management, incentive and site selection consultant.

Ben Collins, a Fox News commentator, will deliver the keynote luncheon address. A former Army special forces veteran who completed multiple combat rotations in Afghanistan, Collins has founded several businesses, including two software firms.

A two-hour visioning session will follow. The session will begin with brief presentations on potential priorities for economic development to promote over the next decade. Those priorities could include arts and culture, commercial air service, education, North Avenue revitalization, outdoor recreation, public safety and technology.

Participants will break into smaller groups to discuss those priorities and then report their findings to the overall group. Participants then will rank their priorities.