2024 Economic Summit

Registration

Main Session

WELCOME FROM THE CAPE COD MUSEUM OF ART

Michael Rabideau, Director of Operations and Benton Jones, Director of Art

WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS (click for slides)

Kristy Senatori, Executive Director, Cape Cod Commission

STRENGTHS AND CHALLENGES IN THE POST-PANDEMIC ECONOMY (click for slides)

Dr. Mark Melnik, Director of Economic and Public Policy Research, UMass Donahue Institute

BUILDING AND SUSTAINING LOCAL ECONOMIES (click for slides)

Kennedy Smith, Senior Researcher, Independent Business Initiative, Institute for Local Self-Reliance

CAPE COD’S LOCAL BUSINESS ECONOMY (click for slides)

Paul Niedzwiecki, CEO, Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce

BREAK

THE CAPE COD CEDS (click for slides)

Erin Perry, Deputy Director, Cape Cod Commission

GUIDING STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT FOR THE 2024 CEDS

Bert Talerman, Chair, Barnstable County Economic Development Council and President, Cape Cod 5

CANAL BRIDGES: OUR ECONOMIC CONNECTION (click for slides)

Steven Tupper, Deputy Director, Cape Cod Commission

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY IN MASSACHUSETTS

Yvonne Hao, Secretary, MA Executive Office of Economic Development

RETHINKING CAPE COD’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES

Dan Wolf, Founder and Board Chairman, Cape Air and Former Massachusetts State Senator

Lunch

Breakout Sessions

Attendees will be asked to identify and help define impactful actions that support achievement of the vision and goals of the 2024 CEDS

End

Kennedy Smith

Senior Researcher for the Independent Business Initiative at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance 

Kennedy Smith is one of the nation’s foremost experts on commercial district revitalization and independent business development. As a Senior Researcher with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance's Independent Business Initiative, Kennedy’s work focuses on analyzing the factors threatening independent businesses and developing policy tools that communities can use to address these issues and build thriving, equitable local economies. In addition to her work at ILSR, Kennedy is an advisor to the Community Land Use and Economics (CLUE) Group, a consulting firm that she co-founded in 2004. Prior to that, she served as Director of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s National Main Street Center for 14 years. During her tenure as director of the national Main Street program, the program was recognized as one of the most successful economic development initiatives in the U.S.

Yvonne Hao

Secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development

As the Secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development, Yvonne Hao prioritizes economic opportunity for residents, collaborative leadership in communities, and an environment that supports job creation and business growth. Secretary Hao has had more than 25 years of executive business experience as a senior executive, including as Co-founder, Advisor, and Managing Director at investment firm Cove Hill Partners and as an Operating Partner at Pillar Ventures. She also serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees of Beth Israel Lahey Health, and a Trustee Emeriti of Williams College.

Dr. Mark Melnik

Director of Economic and Public Policy Research at the Donahue Institute at UMass Amherst

Dr. Mark Melnik, an expert in demographic, socio-economic, and labor market issues, leads a 20-person team conducting economic and public policy research for government, private industry, and non-profit sectors. Serving as principal-in-charge on projects for various clients including the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Massachusetts Gaming Commission, and Boston Foundation. He is also the Senior Managing Editor of MassBenchmarks, a journal of the Massachusetts economy. Prior to his current role, Dr. Melnik worked at the Boston Redevelopment Authority and the Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy at Northeastern University.

Dan Wolf

Founder and Board Chairman, Cape Air and Former Massachusetts State Senator

Dan Wolf founded Cape Air in 1989 and served as CEO for over 30 years. He continues to serve the company as Chairman of the Board of Directors. Under his leadership,  Cape Air has become the largest commuter airline in the Unites States. He also represented Cape Cod and the Islands in the Massachusetts State Senate, where he served from 2011 through 2016. As a business and community leader, Wolf has served on many of the region’s non-profit and civic organizations, including the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce and the Association to Preserve Cape Cod, to name a few. He currently serves on the boards of Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank and the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative.

Paul Niedzwiecki

CEO, Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce

As CEO of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, Paul Niedzwiecki advocates on behalf of businesses to strengthen and promote regional economic vitality while addressing related cultural, environmental and community concerns. Niedzwiecki, a former executive director of the Cape Cod Commission, is a seasoned public policy professional and attorney with more than two decades of experience in public administration and crafting environmental and economic policy on Cape Cod. He previously served as the assistant town manager in Barnstable where he established the Cape’s first Growth Incentive Zone to bolster downtown Hyannis small business.

 Bert Talerman

Chair, Barnstable County Economic Development Council and President, Cape Cod 5

Bert Talerman serves as President of Cape Cod 5. In this role, Talerman oversees all customer-facing areas of the Bank including Commercial, Residential and Consumer Lending; Banking Services; and Wealth Management Services. He joined Cape Cod 5 in 2007 and has over 30 years of experience in the banking industry. Talerman is also deeply embedded in the community, currently serving on the Barnstable County Economic Development Council, and holding the titles of President of the Kelley Foundation, Board member at Cape Cod Healthcare, and immediate past Chair of the Board of Directors at the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce.