2007 Indiana Rural Summit Promotes Rural Development

Administration Dedicates Resources to RISE 2020

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Governor Mitch Daniels and Lt. Governor Becky Skillman recently delivered remarks at the hosted by USDA Rural Development, the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA), and the Purdue Center for Regional Development. 

Governor Daniels opened the summit yesterday by speaking about the accomplishments of Indiana’s rural communities and the Daniels-Skillman Administration’s commitment to furthering rural development.  At today’s keynote address, Lt. Governor Skillman announced that the state is dedicating more resources to further the implementation of the Rural Indiana Strategy for Excellence (RISE) 2020 and has selected Susie Bruce to serve as the new RISE 2020 Ombudsman.  The position will be housed in OCRA.

“Governor Daniels and I understand the importance of fostering economic development in rural Indiana in order to promote opportunity for all Hoosiers.  We are proud to be part of an event that brings together citizens of rural Indiana, community leaders, and public officials to discuss how we can best serve all of our communities,” said Lt. Governor Skillman.  “Many Hoosiers contributed to the creation of RISE 2020.  Putting more resources behind that initiative will allow citizens to realize the vision they worked so hard to create.”

Last year, Lt. Governor Skillman launched RISE 2020, which consists of seven “pillars” as its core elements.  At this year’s Indiana Rural Summit, two of the seven pillars were highlighted: regional frameworks and wealth creation/retention. 

“The Office of Community and Rural Affairs is pleased to play a significant role in achieving the RISE 2020 vision for Indiana’s future by having Susie Bruce take on the position of RISE 2020 Ombudsman,” said David Terrell, Executive Director of OCRA.  “Our agency’s mission is to assist rural communities in achieving their visions for economic development and RISE 2020 serves as the foundation for our own strategic plan. The creation of this position will provide a resource for communities that wish to implement the RISE 2020 framework in tangible ways.”

The summit will conclude today with a plenary session, Indiana Rural Scorecard Panel, where conference participants will receive a brief “scorecard” from each participating organization.  The scorecards will provide highlights of each organization’s successes as well as projections for the challenges they will face in 2008.

For more information on the Indiana Rural Summit, visit OCRA’s Web site at www.ocra.IN.gov.

Source: Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs Press Release

Technorati Tags: News State Becky Skillman Business Environment Government Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs - OCRA Indianapolis Marion County Mitch Daniels Purdue Center for Regional Development

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