CONFERENCE OVERVIEW - Building Local Economies | BALLE

LivingEconomies.org

CONFERENCE OVERVIEW

MONDAY MAY 14

1:00 pm – 6:30 pm Conference Registration at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

TUESDAY MAY 15

7:30 am – 6:30 pm Conference Registration at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

8:30 am – 12:30 pm BALLE Network Leaders Exchange (breakfast and sign-in from 8:00 am to 8:30 am)

2:00 pm – 6:00 pm Local Living Economy Tour: Building a Closed Loop Recycling Program

2:00 pm – 7:00 pm Local Living Economy Tour: Sustainable Manufacturing in the ‘Furniture Capital of the World’

WEDNESDAY MAY 16

7:30 am – 6:30 pm Conference Registration at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

8:30 am – 5:15 pm Workshop: Accelerating Community Capital (breakfast and sign-in from 8:00 am to 8:30 am)

8:30 am – 5:15 pm Workshop: How to Build a BALLE Network (breakfast and sign-in from 8:00 am to 8:30 am)

11:30 am – 4:00 pm Local Living Economy Tour: Farm to Fork - Michigan’s Sustainable Agriculture

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Opening Reception (with hors d’oeuvres and beverages)

8:00 pm – 9:30 pm Opening Night Presentation

10:00 pm – 12:00 am After Hours

THURSDAY MAY 17

7:00 am Good Morning Grand Rapids! Group Runs/Walks

7:00 am – 8:30 am Continental Breakfast

7:30 am – 6:30 pm Conference Registration at Fountain Street Church

8:00 am – 8:30 am Better Than Coffee: Inspiring Short Films Exploring the New Economy

8:30 am – 5:30 pm Living Economies Expo

8:30 am – 11:30 am Vision Sessions

11:30 am – 1:30 pm Lunch

12:00 pm – 12:55 pm Lunchtime Film: We Are Not Ghosts

1:30 pm – 3:15 pm Interactive Sessions

3:15 pm – 3:45 pm Break (beverage service available)

3:45 pm – 5:30 pm Collaborative Sessions

5:30 pm – 7:30 pm Shuttle Service Available to Evening Party

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ‘Dinner on the Lawn’ Evening Party

7:30 pm – 12:00 am Shuttle Service Available from Evening Party


FRIDAY MAY 18

7:00 am Good Morning Grand Rapids! Group Runs/Walks

7:00 am – 8:30 am Continental Breakfast

7:30 am – 12:00 pm Conference Registration at Fountain Street Church

8:00 am – 8:30 am Better Than Coffee: Inspiring Short Films Exploring the New Economy

8:30 am – 5:30 pm Living Economies Expo

8:30 am – 11:30 am Vision Sessions

11:30 am – 1:30 pm Lunch

12:00 pm - 12:55 pm Lunchtime Film: GrowthBusters


3:15 pm – 3:45 pm Break (beverage service available)


5:30 pm – 7:45 pm Happy Hour and Closing Reception

7:00 pm – 10:00 pm Dine Around


SATURDAY MAY 19

8:00 am – 10:30 pm Local Living Economy Tour: The Phoenix Thriving - Building Local Business Ecosystems in Detroit

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WELCOME TO THE 10TH ANNUAL BALLE BUSINESS CONFERENCEReal Prosperity Starts Here!

Across North America — from Arizona to Nova Scotia —

entrepreneurs, investors and local network leaders are

reconnecting farmers with eaters, community capital with

local businesses, manufacturers with regional supply chains,

and businesses with the communities and eco-systems they

serve. We are rethinking our hometown economies from the

bottom up.

Our belief that local ownership, cooperation and place matter

brings us together for this conference every year. It’s here

where we learn what’s working, and where we recharge to do

our work all year. Plus, as we like to say about BALLE: It’s just

a better party! From the local food to the tours to the dance

parties and the amazing Midwestern experience you’re going

to enjoy, we promise you all the makings for a very good time.

So, engage deeply over the next three days. Turn off your

cell phones and soak in the wisdom and experience that is

present in the room. Make friends! The one thing we know for

sure is that we are much more together than we are apart.

The BALLE Team

TWEETING, BLOGGING?

If you are posting to social media during

the conference or want to follow us online,

visit our social media page for quick links:

livingeconomies.org/conference-2012-media

BALLE STAFF

• Michelle Long, Executive Director

• Christine Ageton, Managing Director

• Stephanie Ashton, Administrative Coordinator and

Executive Assistant

• Alissa Barron, Managing Director

• Andrew Connor, Program Manager

• Jessica Renner, Communications Manager

• Martin Sorge, Program Coordinator

• Alie Walker, Program Coordinator

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

• Sandy Wiggins, Chair; Founder and Principal, Consilience

LLC; Chairman, e3bank

• Matt Bauer, Vice Chair; Cofounder, BetterWorld Telecom

• Paul Saginaw, Treasurer; Cofounder, Zingerman’s Community

of Businesses

• Don Shaffer, Development Committee Chair; CEO, RSF

Social Finance

• Ellen Shepard, Secretary and Governance Committee Chair;

Executive Director, Andersonville Chamber of Commerce/

Andersonville Development Corporation

• Baye Adofo-Wilson, Founder, Lincoln Park Coast

Cultural District

• Merrian Goggio-Borgeson, Researcher, Lawrence Berkeley

National Laboratory

• David Korten, Author; Founder, Positive Futures Network;

Cofounder and Board Chair of YES! Magazine

• Derrell Ness, CEO, Ready Distribution

• Jamila Payne, Director, African Leadership Academy’s

Centre for Entrepreneurial Leadership; President, Milla by Mail;

Founder, National Association of Sustainable Fashion Designers

• Judy Wicks, Cofounder, BALLE; Founder, White Dog Café;

Founder, Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia

CONFERENCE STEERING COMMITTEE

Baye Adofo-Wilson, Guy Bazzani, Merrian Goggio-Borgeson,

Elissa Hillary, Paul Saginaw, Judy Wicks and the BALLE staff team

VERY SPECIAL THANKS

... to our partners in crime at Local First, for bringing so

much creativity and hard work to this year’s conference. Your

dedication, experience and insight have been essential to

making this bird fly. Many thanks to you and your community

for working with BALLE to make this conference amazing.

WEDNESDAY MAY 16

TUESDAY MAY 15

7:30 am - 6:30 pm Conference Registration Check In - Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

8:30 am - 12:30 pm BALLE Network Leader Exchange - Gerald R. Ford Presidential Ballroom, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

Breakfast and sign-in from 8:00 am to 8:30 am

The annual North American gathering for staff and board members of existing BALLE networks! This peer

gathering is designed by network leaders for network leaders, and is an opportunity to share ideas, recharge and

plan for the year ahead.

2:00 pm - 6:00 pm Local Living Economy Tour: Building a Closed Loop Recycling Program – Pick up at Motor Coach Drop Off on

Lyon St. behind the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

Tour businesses and facilities that have contributed to and benefited from an innovative public-sector/nonprofit

partnership – mygrcitypoints – which is a hugely successful, all-local, closed loop recycling incentive program

available to city of Grand Rapids residents. The tour ends at Brewery Vivant, to taste some of their beer and hear

how they played an integral role in making mygrcitypoints a success.

2:00 pm - 7:00 pm Local Living Economy Tour: Sustainable Manufacturing in the ‘Furniture Capital of the World’ – Pick up at

Motor Coach Drop Off on Lyon St. behind the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

Being the ‘Furniture Capital of the World’ gave West Michigan its strong economic start over a century ago, and

still provides a strong foundation from which the local economy has grown and evolved. Tour Holland, just west

of Grand Rapids, and visit Herman Miller and Haworth, capping off the tour with a trip to Lake Michigan and the

New Holland Brewing Company.

WEDNESDAY MAY 16

7:30 am - 6:30 pm Conference Registration Check In - Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

8:30 am - 5:15 pm Workshop: Accelerating Community Capital – The Pantlind Ballroom, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel


Back by popular demand! This hands-on workshop uses place as the lens to understand how to meet regional

needs with regional resources, and identify the kinds of capital needed to get there. The day will feature

promising pilot projects and innovators developing models that connect local businesses with local lenders,

investors and donors. Registration includes breakfast and lunch. Cohosted by RSF Social Finance and Slow Money.

8:30 am - 5:15 pm Workshop: How to Build a BALLE Network – The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Ballroom, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel


Attendees learn how local, independent business networks throughout North America are transforming their

economies into community-centered, green, and fair places to live and work through a focus on green jobs,

sustainable industries, investing locally, and buying local first. Registration includes breakfast and lunch, a 100+

page workshop binder, and a DVD of sample materials and program ideas.

11:30 am - 4:00 pm Local Living Economy Tour: Farm to Fork - Michigan’s Sustainable Agriculture – Pick up at Motor Coach Drop

Off on Lyon St. behind the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

Learn the ins and outs of the local food system from farmers and those in the restaurant industry and enjoy lunch

provided at one of Grand Rapids’ most true “farm to fork” establishments, Grove. Visit Lubbers Family Farm, and

hear their family’s unique story on how they started farming sustainably, and where they see the West Michigan

food system headed. End the tour enjoying a beer from one of West Michigan’s favorites – Founders Brewing

Company.

5:15 pm End of Pre-Conference

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Opening Reception – Ballroom A, DeVos Place

Enter via the skywalk from the 2nd Floor of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

Delight in a riverfront reception featuring creative local hors d’oeuvres, brew and wine. Local musicians, buskers,

street performers and performance artists will be sure to make this a ‘magical’ affair.

8:00 pm - 9:30 pm Opening Night Presentation – Ballroom A, DeVos Place

• Passing of the Prayer Bundle: Judy Wicks, cofounder, BALLE; Derek Long, Sustainable Connections;

Elissa Hillary, Local First

• Local Welcome

• Welcome from Don Shaffer, RSF Social Finance

• Real Prosperity Starts Here: Michelle Long, executive director, BALLE

• Stories of Change - Local Economy Visionaries Share Their Journeys

• Laury Hammel , cofounder, BALLE; Sustainable Business Network of Greater Boston; The Longfellow Clubs

• Judy Wicks, cofounder, BALLE; Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia; White Dog Cafe

• Paul Saginaw, Zingerman’s Community of Businesses

• Grace Lee Boggs, James and Grace Lee Boggs Center to Nurture Community Leadership

10:00 pm - 12:00 am After Hours - Reserve Wine Bar

TUESDAY MAY 15 - WEDNESDAY MAY 16

Real Prosperity Starts Here

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MAIN CONFERENCEPRE-CONFERENCE

If it hadn’t been for the Accelerating Community Capital workshop last

year, I wouldn’t have developed the connections I needed to ‘accelerate’

the development of our community capital investments. BALLE can take

credit for making this happen! - JEFF ROSEN, Solidago Foundation

A NOTE ABOUT CONFERENCESESSION TYPES

Every year we aspire to push the boundaries of BALLE

conference programming in terms of quality and

innovation. Here is what you can expect from the 2012

BALLE conference session types:

VISION SESSIONS

This is our place for bringing everyone together to

hear about the big ideas, innovative solutions to our

collective challenges, and inspiring trends that are

shaping the movement.

INTERACTIVE SESSIONS

While some of these sessions focus on conceptual

work, most delve deeply into the nuts-and-bolts,

successes and challenges, of established work that can

serve as models for other communities. These sessions

involve short presentations and are 30 minutes

longer this year to allow significant time for Q&A and

dialogue about the potential for replication.

COLLABORATIVE SESSIONS

New this year! These sessions will be generative

among the participants, with a facilitator assisting the

work. Some are hands-on training workshops; others

are peer-facilitated work sessions.

DON’T SCRAP THAT NAPKIN! It could be your ticket to a free registration to the 2013 BALLE Conference.

Once again the BALLE Conference is holding the

Back-of-the-Napkin Business Plan Competition,

sponsored by Organic Valley.

Here’s how it works:

Pair up with a team of 3 to 4. Write out your business

plan on the back of a napkin. Extra points for creative

visuals (we have to read a lot of napkins, after all).

The goal is a business idea that could really happen:

several past winners have actually launched their

ventures!

All entries are due at the BALLE registration desk at

the Fountain Street Church by 11:30 am on Friday.

Winners announced at our Friday party!

looking to align

At RSF, our financial transactions are direct, transparent, and personal, based on long-term relationships. Out of reverence for the planet, our communities, and our future we have built a strong community of investors, donors, and social entrepreneurs working to create a new economy, one that values more than financial profits.

Learn More www.rsfsocialfinance.org(888) rsf.3737

investing, lending, and giving i inspired by the work of rudolf steinerFOOD & AGRICULTURE ECOLOGICAL STEWARDSHIPEDUCATION & THE ARTS

your moneywith your values?

Invest in the RSF Social Investment Fund or open a Donor Advised Fund today

THURSDAY MAY 17

7:00 am Good Morning Grand Rapids! - Leaving from the lobby of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

Stretch, warm up and hit the roads/paths for a run or walk led by Local First member, Gazelle Sports for anyone

interested in starting the day active. Routes and paces available for all different distances and levels!

7:00 am - 8:30 am Continental Breakfast - Fountain Street Church

7:30 am - 6:30 pm Conference Registration Check In - Fountain Street Church

8:00 am - 8:30 am Better Than Coffee: Inspiring Short Films Exploring the New Economy - Fountain Street Church

8:30 am - 5:30 pm Living Economies Expo - Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center, Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC)

Vendor and exhibit tables, book signings and special events

8:30 am - 11:30 am VISION SESSIONS - Ownership Matters - Fountain Street Church

Back-of-the-Napkin Business Plan Competition Sponsored by Organic Valley

• Introduction: Alissa Barron, BALLE

• Theresa Marquez, Organic Valley

The Emerging Ownership Revolution

• Introduction: David Korten, YES! Magazine

• Marjorie Kelly, Tellus Institute; Cutting Edge Capital; author of Owning Our Future: The Emerging

Ownership Revolution

Opportunity Now!

• Introduction: Shawn Escoffery, Surdna Foundation

• Rha Goddess, Move The Crowd

We Own It! Cooperatives, Communities and Worker Empowerment

• Medrick Addison, Evergreen Cooperatives

Building Entrepreneurs to Rebuild Communities

• Alfa Demmellash, Rising Tide Capital

Conscious Consumerism and the Cultivation of Ownership

• Maggie Anderson, The Empowerment Experiment; author of Our Black Year

Maggie and other presenters will do book signings at the Living Economies Expo during lunch.

11:30 am - 1:30 pm Lunch - Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center, GRCC

• Visit the Expo for vendor and exhibit tables, book signings and special events

12:00 pm - 12:55 pm Lunchtime Film: We Are Not Ghosts - Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center, GRCC (inside the

conference lunch area)

Fifty years ago, two million hardworking people were living the American dream in Detroit. Then the auto

industry and Detroit fell on hard times. But some have a vision for a new Detroit as a human-scaled, post-

industrial city, and they are starting to make it real. Join Grace Lee Boggs and others in the film for screening and

discussion, followed by book signing with Grace.

1:30 pm - 3:15 pm INTERACTIVE SESSIONS 1

Joining Forces: Model Partnerships between Governments and Local Business Networks - Mika Music Library,

St. Cecilia Music Society

Across the U.S. networks of local businesses are finding creative and innovative ways to partner with their local

governments to achieve their collective goals. Whether working together on green energy campaigns, recycling

programs, local farming initiatives, or passing local business-friendly policies and incentives, networks and

governments are collaborating in newer and deeper ways than ever before. Come learn how several leading

networks are doing high level work with their local government partners and laying the foundations for future

collaborations.

• Karen Black, May 8 Consulting; Elissa Hillary, Local First; Leanne Krueger-Braneky, Sustainable Business

Network of Greater Philadelphia; Derek Long, Sustainable Connections; Greg Sundstrom, City of Grand Rapids;

Stephanie Greenwood, City of Newark (moderator)

ZingTraining on Servant Leadership - Room 234, Student Center, GRCC

A new economy requires new types of leadership, and what better purveyor of new leadership thinking than

Ari Weinzweig, one of the cofounders of Zingerman’s Community of Businesses, which has spent the past

three decades reinventing business from the inside out. This much acclaimed ZingTraining will teach leaders

how to invert traditional leadership paradigms to place their skills and talents in service of their organizations,

businesses, employees, customers and the world.

• Ari Weinzweig, Zingerman’s Community of Businesses

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LivingEconomies.org

MAIN CONFERENCE

THURSDAY MAY 17

Growing the Money Tree: Empowering Accredited and Unaccredited Investors to Bankroll Local Businesses -

Room 420, Cook Academic Hall, GRCC

The case is closed! Wall Street is not serving either Main Street businesses or small investors who want to keep

their money local. Fortunately, however, pioneers across the continent are developing numerous methods to

navigate the adverse legal climate and empower local investors to put their community capital in service of local

businesses. From legal-style investment clubs to relationship models, these techniques are tapping into local

capital and creating new opportunities for accredited and unaccredited investors alike.

• Carol Peppe Hewitt, Slow Money North Carolina; Eleanor Kinney, No Small Potatoes (Slow Money Maine);

Michelle Sandoval, Local Investment Opportunity Network; Grant Abert, Kailo Fund (moderator)

Food Hubs and Food Justice: Pioneering Food Aggregation and Distribution Models - Room 348, Calkins

Science Center, GRCC

The local food movement is enjoying astronomical success, both from increased demand from consumers and

increased production from local farmers. Unfortunately, connecting that supply and demand is not always easy.

In response to this challenge, the food hub strategy has evolved to address the challenges associated with

aggregating and distributing local food in order to improve access for consumers and to allow smaller local

growers to participate in the hyper-competitive food marketplace. See how several different successful food hub

projects have benefitted farmers and the communities they serve.

• John Fisk, Wallace Center at Winrock International; Tatiana Garcia-Granados, Common Market Philadelphia;

Jim Slama, FamilyFarmed.org; Hill Grimmett, Be Local Northern Colorado (moderator)

Prosperity for All: Bringing Sustainable Business Development to Underserved Communities - Presidents

Room, St. Cecilia Music Society

There is no such thing as real prosperity without equality and justice. Inclusive economic advancement is

essential and these leading visionaries are making sure that everyone’s needs are accounted for as we build the

new economy. Whether it is providing access to capital and business education in underserved communities,

supporting new entrepreneurs with green jobs training, or bringing together the government, nonprofit and

private sectors to create an empowered workforce, these new economy leaders are truly creating prosperity for all.

• Ashley Atkinson, The Greening of Detroit; Alfa Demmellash, Rising Tide Capital; Randy Osmun, The SOURCE;

Amy Kedron, Baldy Center for Law & Social Policy (moderator and speaker)

Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt: The Latest Proof That Thinking Local First Matters - Room 168, Wisner-Bottrall

Applied Technology Center, GRCC

For years evidence of the positive impacts of buying local, supporting local business growth, and pursuing local-

friendly economic development policies, has been stacking up. Come learn how several pivotal local economic

studies concretely demonstrated the centrality of local business to the health of a community’s economy. This

session will delve deeply into how these studies were done, how the results were used to create change, and how

you can use the results and do similar research and marketing in your community.

• Matt Cunningham, Civic Economics; Bridget Lane, Business Districts Inc.; Colleen O’Toole, Andersonville

Development Corporation; Radha Singla, United Nations (moderator)

Real Prosperity: Transformative Visions for Building a New Economy - Ryerson Auditorium, Grand Rapids

Public Library

This will be an unparalleled opportunity for session attendees to engage in a conversation with several of the

world’s leading New Economy thinkers about BALLE’s economic vision and how to navigate the transition to its

realization. The discussion will explore big picture challenges relating to ownership, finance, the purpose of the

firm, movement building, and the language of transformation, and will reflect on opportunities to address these

challenges as we work collectively to create real prosperity for all people.

• Gar Alperovitz, The Democracy Collaborative; John Fullerton, Capital Institute; Marjorie Kelly, Tellus Institute

and Cutting Edge Capital; David Korten, YES! Magazine (moderator)

3:15 pm - 3:45 pm Break - Beverage service available at session locations

3:45 pm - 5:30 pm COLLABORATIVE SESSIONS

Building Policy and Political Power for a Sustainable Economy - Ryerson Auditorium, Grand Rapids Public Library

Wandering into the labyrinth of policy advocacy and engagement can be a daunting task, but this training

workshop will give attendees a crash course in how to build political power and effectively communicate with

elected officials and government agencies, and advocate for their agendas. How can you engage the media?

When do you call or visit? When do you start a campaign, and how? Answers to all these questions and more!

• David Levine, American Sustainable Business Council (facilitator)

The New Economy and the 99% - Room 234, Student Center, GRCC

Awareness about wealth inequality and economic justice have exploded into the mainstream during the past year,

and in order for the local economy movement to continue to flourish it needs to answer the concerns raised by the

popular movements that have brought these issues to the fore. Participate in this facilitated dialogue about how

the BALLE community can deepen the connection between economic transformation and the pursuit of justice.

• Chuck Collins, The Institute for Policy Studies; Ben Cohen, Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream (facilitators)

Leader as Host: Cultivating New Forms of Leadership - Room 420, Cook Academic Hall, GRCC

Today’s problems are complex and interconnected. There are no simple answers, and no single individual can

possibly know what to do. It’s time to stop expecting heroics from ourselves and to face the truth of our situation

- that we’re all in this together. In this workshop, we’ll explore the leader as host: How does each of us use our

role as leader to engage the intelligence and capacities of everyone in our organizations and communities?

• Deborah Frieze, author of Walk Out Walk On; Tuesday Ryan-Hart, Confluence Unlimited and Art of

Hosting (facilitators)

Shift Your Shopping Campaign 2012: Moving the Economy to Main Streets Everywhere - Room 348, Calkins


This past holiday season over 150 local business networks including many BALLE and AMIBA members joined

forces to create a shared-resource holiday campaign to promote the support of local business. The resulting Shift

Your Shopping campaign was a significant success that laid a solid foundation for future collaborative holiday

campaigns and greater collaboration among our networks. Led by two members of the 2011 campaign steering

committee, join in to collectively set the vision and chart the future of this promising campaign.

• Joe Grafton, Somerville Local First; Laury Hammel, Sustainable Business Network of Greater Boston (facilitators)

Proof Points: Data Collection and the Advancement of Local Living Economies - Room 168, Wisner-Bottrall


As a part of its ongoing mission to elevate the impact of the local economy movement, BALLE is embarking

on a program to create a comprehensive data set to measure and quantify the impact of supporting and

expanding local economic activity. Participate in this collaborative session to learn the latest status of this

ambitious project and to assist in the formation and refinement of the metrics that will measure and advance

the local economy movement.

• Christine Ageton, BALLE; Radha Singla, United Nations (facilitators)

5:30 pm - 7:30 pm Shuttle - A complimentary shuttle will circulate between Fountain Street Church, the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel,

Aquinas College and the fantastic East Hills Neighborhood, one of Grand Rapids most vibrant local shopping districts.

7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Dinner on the Lawn - Mangiamo!

Enjoy an enchanted dinner on the lawn of a beloved historical mansion – now local restaurant – just outside of

downtown in the East Hills Neighborhood. Local music by The Fauxgrass Quartet and lawn games will make it an

evening to remember.

7:30 pm - 12:00 am Shuttle - A complimentary shuttle will circulate between the East Hills Neighborhood, the Amway Grand Plaza

Hotel and Aquinas College.

10:00 pm - 12:00 am After Hours - Brewery Vivant near Mangiamo!

LivingEconomies.org

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MAIN CONFERENCE

As the old greed-based economic model collapses from above, BALLE’s remarkably creative members are reinventing business from the ground up. - NAOMI KLEIN, author of The Shock Doctrine and No Logo

7:00 am Good Morning Grand Rapids! - Leaving from the lobby of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

Stretch, warm up and hit the roads/paths for a run or walk led by Local First member, Gazelle Sports for anyone

interested in starting the day active. Routes and paces available for all different distances and levels!

7:00 am - 8:30 am Continental Breakfast - Fountain Street Church

7:30 am - 12:00 pm Conference Registration Check In - Fountain Street Church

8:00 am - 8:30 am Better Than Coffee: Inspiring Short Films Exploring the New Economy - Fountain Street Church

8:30 am - 5:30 pm Living Economies Expo - Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center, Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC)

Vendor and exhibit tables, book signings and special events

8:30 am - 11:30 am VISION SESSIONS - Collaborate and Flourish - Fountain Street Church

Pioneering Entrepreneurs: Engines for the Emerging Sustainable Economy

• Introduction: Jay Coen Gilbert, B Lab

• Fred Keller, Cascade Engineering

We are Relationship: The Transition to a Collaboration Society

• Charles Eisenstein, author of Sacred Economics

Interconnected Capital

• Joel Solomon, Renewal2 Investment Fund and Renewal Partners

From Rust to Gold: The Elevating Alchemy of the Network Economy

• Amy Kedron, Baldy Center for Law & Public Policy, University at Buffalo

Food Justice, Food Security and Collaborative Community Empowerment

• Malik Yakini, Detroit Black Community Food Security Network

Charles Eisenstein and other presenters will do book signings at the Living Economies Expo during lunch.

11:30 am - 1:30 pm Lunch - Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center, GRCC

• Visit the Expo for vendor and exhibit tables, book signings and special events

12:00 pm - 12:55 pm Lunchtime Film: GrowthBusters - Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center, GRCC (inside the conference lunch area)

GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth is a wake-up call for those who think business-as-usual is working just fine.

See a film that could be a useful organizing and public education tool for localization efforts.

1:30 PM - 3:15 PM INTERACTIVE SESSIONS 2

Building Real Prosperity: Proven Strategies for Local Living Economy Development - Room 168, Wisner-Bottrall


Economic development theories are nice, but they don’t amount to much without proven success stories to

vouch for their credibility. This session will share several detailed stories about how the local living economy

approach has been effectively implemented in a variety of communities, and has yielded tremendous results.

Come and kick the tires, look under the hood, and learn everything you need to know so that you can take the

local living economies approach for a test drive in your community.

• Shane Barton, University of Kentucky Appalachian Center; Bruce Seifer, City of Burlington Vermont’s

Community and Economic Development Office; Michael Shuman, Cutting Edge Capital and BALLE Fellow

(moderator and speaker)

Doing Good Work, Making Work Good: How to Be an Effective Triple Bottom Line Employer - Room 420, Cook

Academic Hall, GRCC

Most people and businesses want to do good, but it isn’t always easy to give equal attention to people and

planet, when profit pays the bills. This is an opportunity to dig deep with several business leaders who are on the

cutting edge of creating positive, healthy and meaningful work opportunities for employees. A company’s most

valuable asset is its workforce, and caring for that asset is essential to maintaining a healthy triple bottom line.

• Matt Bauer, Betterworld Telecom; Kenyatta Brame, Cascade Engineering; Vince Siciliano, New Resource Bank;

Laury Hammel, The Longfellow Clubs (moderator)

The Nail on the Head: Choosing the Right Legal Business Structure to Support your Mission - Room 234,

Student Center, GRCC

The realm of legal business structures is a jungle of options and opportunities for businesses attempting to

find the right fit to best support their goals and mission. Between traditional approaches like LLC’s and more

innovative structures, such as B Corporations, co-ops, and L3C’s, this session will cover the practical nuts and

bolts – and the bigger vision considerations – associated with choosing the best legal form for your business.

These high-power consultants will also cover techniques for transferring ownership, such as employee stock

ownership plans, and more!

• Lynn Benander, Co-op Power; Marjorie Kelly, Tellus Institute and Cutting Edge Capital; Jenny Kassan, Cutting

Edge Capital (moderator)

It Takes a Village: Community Supported Enterprise - Room 348, Calkins Science Center, GRCC

Given the explosive success of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs around the world, a new

generation of entrepreneurs is pioneering the Community Supported Enterprise (CSE) model for business

ventures in all sectors. With the CSE model, local people can deepen their relationship with the businesses that

serve them, and help ensure their success in the process. This session is an in-depth look at the how’s and why’s

of using local financial resources to create local investment, equity, and ownership opportunities and economic vitality.

• Dania Flores, Co-op Power; Melinda Little, The Community Store in Saranac Lake; Linda Ramsdell, Claire’s

Restaurant and Bar; LaTarndra Strong, The Celerity Group (moderator)

Localize This!: Bringing Global Supply Chains Back Home - Ryerson Auditorium, Grand Rapids Public Library

There are numerous reasons for businesses to pursue localization of their supply chains: cost benefits, reduction

of environmental impact, quality of business relationships, improved impact on the local community, and more.

Come hear how several trailblazing businesses have taken supply chain localization to new heights in food,

fashion, and manufacturing, and learn how localizing supply chains can work for you and your community.

• Oron Benary, Brothers Drake Meadery; Kari Bliss, PADNOS; Janet Lees, SFMade; Sarah Van Aken, S.V.A.

Holdings Corporation; Rick Chapla, The Right Place (moderator)

Community Revitalization through Local Entrepreneurship - Mika Music Library, St. Cecilia Music Society

In urban and rural communities everywhere, entrepreneurs are proving that locally owned and operated

sustainable businesses are the key to improving the economic fortunes of regions that are fighting for economic

recovery. These exquisitely creative and successful local entrepreneurs are having a big impact, breathing new life

into their small towns, rural areas and big cities. These models will teach you how to leverage the power of local

business to ignite a renaissance in your community.

• Karen Kimbrel, Swamp Gravy, Georgia’s Folk Life Play; Cameron Ratliff, Saxapahaw General Store & The Eddy

Pub; Kaija Woullet, Ponyride; Kimberlee Williams, FEMWORKS, LLC (moderator)

Sacred Economics and the Gift Economy - Presidents Room, St. Cecilia Music Society

Charles Eisenstein digs deep into the spiritual and community values that surround money and the thinking that

underpins our current economy. Weaving together research into the historical and present-day myths, traditions,

and interpretations of wealth and exchange, Eisenstein advocates for a spiritual component to our economic

transformation. Come and see the man that David Korten called “one of the up-and-coming great minds of our time.”

• Charles Eisenstein, author of Sacred Economics and The Ascent of Humanity

3:15 pm - 3:45 pm Break - Beverage service available at session locations

3:45 pm - 5:30 pm INTERACTIVE SESSIONS 3

Stirring the Pot: Transforming Local and State Economic Policy - Room 168, Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology

Center, GRCC

There is a revolution afoot in the halls of state and local governments across the U.S. Policy advocates are

passing legislation to support local businesses and create a business climate that nurtures the development

of local economies that serve their communities. This session will focus on two specific legislative efforts – B

Corporations and procurement policies that favor locally owned business – dissecting the models and showing

how they can be applied in your community. We will also explore other policy changes in progress at the local,

state and national level, accelerating the shift toward local living economies.

• David Brodwin, American Sustainable Business Council; Kimber Lanning, Local First Arizona; Heather Van

Dusen, B Lab; Mickki Langston, Mile High Business Alliance (moderator)

ZingTraining on Business Visioning and Growing Deep - Room 234, Student Center, GRCC

Zingerman’s Community of Businesses has defied the norm for the past several decades by choosing to

grow deep instead of wide. Instead of franchising their model in a shallow expansion around the globe, they

decided instead to develop an interconnected place-based network of mutually supportive, independently owned

enterprises that make up the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses. Come dive in to the Zingerman’s approach to

growing deep in a community, and the extraordinary visioning process that is taking Zingerman’s to the next level.

• Paul Saginaw, Zingerman’s Community of Businesses

Show Me The Money: Finding Values-Aligned Investment Capital - Room 420, Cook Academic Hall, GRCC

Complaining about access to capital is so 2011! Come rap with our crackerjack squad of financial experts in this

extensive “curbside consulting” session that will leave no stone unturned as they walk you through the most

effective strategies and avenues for pursuing the values-aligned capital you need to start, expand or operate

your venture. Don’t miss this invaluable access to leading lights in the community capital field.

• Leslie Ackerman, Alternatives Federal Credit Union; Jenny Kassan, Cutting Edge Capital; Esther Park, RSF

Social Finance; Vince Siciliano, New Resource Bank; Joel Solomon, Renewal Partners Company; Michael Shuman,

Cutting Edge Capital and BALLE Fellow (moderator)

LivingEconomies.org

8 9


FRIDAY MAY 18MAIN CONFERENCE

Zingerman's Guide To Good Leading, Part 1 A Lapsed Anarchist’s Approach to

Building a Great BusinessRated one of Inc. magazine's

Best Books for Business Owners, 2010

The second in the Guide to Good Leading book series by Zingerman’s co-founder Ari Weinzweig, Part 2, A Lapsed Anarchist’s Approach to Being a Better leader is all about

learning ways to lead that bring out the best in everyone in an organization.

NOW AVAILABLE! www.zingtrain.com and www.zingermans.com.

Bulk discounts available at www.zingermanspress.com

ALSO AVAILABLE!

zingerman’S co-fOunder ShareS LeadErship SecRets

in New BoOk!

$29.95/ea.“You know you’ve read a great book when you find it so engrossing that you’re disappointed to reach the last page.”

—Bo Burlingham, Inc. magazine Editor-at-Large and author of Small Giants: Companies That Choose To Be Great Instead of Big

Not Your Parents’ Sharing: The Emergence of Collaborative Consumption Business Model - Room 348, Calkins


The decline of consumerism is one of the great under-reported stories in recent memory, but the rise of

collaborative consumption businesses and new economic models based on sharing, as an alternative to business-

as-usual, has been one of the hottest topics of the year. With incredible creativity, collaborative consumption

businesses are revolutionizing our relationship with vehicles, tools, travel, clothing and just about everything else.

Come see how these innovators are breaking new ground – and changing the ways we all do business – with

some of the most original economic thinking around.

• Adam Black, KeyWifi; Sharon Schneider, Good Karma Clothing; Milicent Johnson, Shareable Magazine (moderator)

All Roads Lead to Local: How Microenterprise, Chambers and “Traditional” Economic Development

Organizations Can Build the New Economy - Ryerson Auditorium, Grand Rapids Public Library

Come hear from innovative chambers of commerce and other “old-school” economic development agencies

that are focusing on entrepreneurship, local ownership and environmental sustainability to build strong, resilient

communities. Also learn from the microenterprise community about their growing “network of networks”

for supporting small businesses and social enterprise. The power of microenterprise, market studies, historic

preservation, entrepreneurship training and more are revealed!

• Connie Evans, Association for Enterprise Opportunity; Matt Raker, AdvantageWest; Ellen Shepard,

Andersonville Chamber of Commerce & Andersonville Development Corporation; Suzanne Keers, Local First

Chicago (moderator)

Next Generation Loyalty Cards and New Thinking in Think Local First - Mika Music Library, St. Cecilia Music Society

An explosion of new Local First loyalty cards has swept the U.S. and Canada over the past few years, proving

that there are numerous ways that this powerful tool can encourage local consumers to connect with their local

businesses. This session will look under the hood of a range of styles and models that have come out of this

fascinating resurgence. Come and question the experts on the successes and challenges of these loyalty card

models and explore how they could help your community to Think Local First.

• Terry Garrett, Sonoma County GoLocal Cooperative; Jamee Haley, Lowcountry Local First; Katrina Scotto

di Carlo, Supportland; Timothy Wolf Starr, Columbus Small Business Beanstalk; Nancy Quinn, Local First

Milwaukee (moderator)

Media Panel - National Trends in the New Economy - Presidents Room, St. Cecilia Music Society

It is easy to feel that the world economy is lurching from crisis to crisis, but there are lots of signs that the seeds

of the new economy are taking hold. What trends suggest that a more sustainable and just new economy could

emerge, and which innovations have the potential to get to scale? These accomplished authors, editors, and

publishers will offer their unique perspective on the shifts, currents, and upheavals that are emerging around the

world as the economy reinvents itself.

• Brian Back, Sustainable Industries; Neal Gorenflo, Shareable Magazine; Sarah van Gelder, YES! Magazine; Janda

Black Keenan, Team Soapbox (moderator)

5:30 pm - 7:45 pm Happy Hour and Closing Reception - Rosa Parks Circle

Close down the conference and unwind with local music, hors d’oeuvres and drinks in this gorgeous outdoor

amphitheater in the heart of Grand Rapids. Come groove to the music of Afro Zuma, a ten-piece horn and

percussion-driven, African funk Afro-beat band, and stay for the announcement of our Back-of-the-Napkin

Business Plan Competition winner!

7:00 pm - 10:00 pm Dine Around - Various locations

Enjoy Grand Rapids’ vibrant local food culture at several of the city’s best local spots. Dine Around maps and

special deals will be distributed at the closing reception happy hour.

10:00 pm - 12:00 am After Hours - Founder’s Brewery

8:00 am - 10:30 pm Local Living Economy Tour: The Phoenix Thriving - Building Local Business Ecosystems in Detroit – Pick up at Motor

Coach Drop Off on Lyon St. behind the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

Breakfast, lunch, dinner and a roundtrip bus ticket from Grand Rapids are included in the day.

Join us for a day to explore some real stories of the ways in which Detroit’s local business community

participates in reimagining a new city, by building (and re-building) relationships with one another and with

community members. Tour highlights will include Brightmoor Community Gardens and D-Town Farms, the Green

Garage urban sustainability laboratory and business incubator, independent retail in the Cass Corridor, and

thriving Latino community businesses in Southwest Detroit. The day will end downtown at a strolling dinner and

celebration with Detroit business and community leaders at the local-focused, nonprofit entrepreneur training

restaurant COLORS-Detroit.

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FRIDAY MAY 18 SATURDAY MAY 19MAIN CONFERENCE POST CONFERENCE

Change begins as local actions spring to life simultaneously… If these changes remain disconnected, nothing happens beyond their own locale. However, if connected, then… relatively small local efforts can become a global force for change, powerful enough to create the world we all desire. - MEG WHEATLEY

The Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

187 Monroe Ave NW (enter on Pearl St)

• Conference Registration Check In (Mon-Wed)

• BALLE Network Leaders Exchange (Gerald R. Ford

Presidential Ballroom)

• Accelerating Community Capital Workshop

(Pantlind Ballroom)

• How to Build a BALLE Network Workshop (Gerald R.

Ford Presidential Ballroom)

• Local Living Economy Tour pick up/drop off (Motor

Coach entrance behind hotel on Lyon St.)

• Good Morning Grand Rapids walk/run departure point

Ballroom A, DeVos Place

303 Monroe Ave NW (enter via skywalk from Amway Grand)

• Opening Night Reception

• Opening Night Presentation

Reserve Wine Bar

201 Monroe Ave NW

• After Hours (Wed night location)

Fountain Street Church

24 Fountain Street NE

• Continental Breakfast (Thurs-Fri)

• Conference Registration Check In (Thurs-Fri)

• Better Than Coffee short films

• Vision Sessions

Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center, GRCC

Fountain Street NE and Ransom Ave NE

• Conference Lunch (Thurs-Fri)

• Living Economy Expo

• Lunchtime Films

• Interactive/Collaborative Session room (Room 168)

St. Cecilia Music Society

24 Ransom Ave NE

• Interactive/Collaborative Session rooms (Mika Music Library

and Presidents Room)

Grand Rapids Public Library

111 Library Street NE

• Interactive/Collaborative Session room (Ryerson Auditorium)

Cook Academic Hall, GRCC

Lyon St NE and Winchester Pl NE


Student Center, GRCC

Lyon St NE and Ransom Ave NE


Calkins Science Center, GRCC

Bostwick Ave NE and Crescent St NE


Mangiamo!

1033 Lake Drive SE

• ‘Dinner on the Lawn’ (Thurs evening)

Brewery Vivant

925 Cherry Street SE

• After Hours (Thurs night location)

Rosa Parks Circle

135 Monroe Center NW

• Happy Hour and Closing Reception (Fri evening)

Founders Brewery

235 Grandville Avenue SW

• After Hours (Fri night location)

Aquinas College - Dorm Apartment Housing

Fulton St E and Plymouth Ave NE

Grand Rapids Amtrak Station

Wealthy St SW and Market Ave SW

Grand Rapids Greyhound Station

250 Grandville Ave SW

Stops for the City Bus

(The Rapid), Route 14, which runs between

Aquinas College and downtown Grand Rapids

LOCATIONS

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LYON ST NELYON ST NE

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LAKE DR SE

MICHIGAN ST NW

BRIDGE ST NW

PEARL ST NW

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FULTON ST W FULTON ST E

WEALTHY ST SE WEALTHY ST SE

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LAFAYETTE AVE NE

BARCLAY AVE NE

BOSTWICK AVE N

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FULLER AVE SE

FULLER AVE N

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CLAREMON

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VE S

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AVE NE

BOST

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MICHIGAN ST NW MICHIGAN ST NW

I-196 GERALD R. FORD FWYI-196

FULTON ST E

CHERRY ST SE

FULTON ST E

ALTEN AVE N

EW

HITE PIN

E LN

LAKE DR SE

MICHIGAN ST NW

BRIDGE ST NW

PEARL ST NW

PEARL ST NW

MONROE CENTER ST NWLOUIS ST NW

FULTON ST W FULTON ST E

WEALTHY ST SE WEALTHY ST SE

FOUNTAIN ST NE FOUNTAIN ST NE

JOHN ST NE

CRESCENT ST NE CRESCENT ST NE

LIBRARY ST NE

MONRO

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NW

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DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS

MAP DETAIL

Shane BartonShane, program coordinator at the University of Kentucky’s Appalachian Center, is a regional planner by training and uses his experience and expertise to support regional initiatives in Appalachian Kentucky. He holds a master’s degree in urban and regional planning and has been working for the past three years supporting new alternative ways of thinking and talking about local economic development in Eastern Kentucky, creating networks of locally owned businesses and establishing a B2B marketplace for Appalachian business owners.

Matt BauerMatt is president and cofounder of BetterWorld Telecom, the leading sustainable business-to-business voice and data carrier in the U.S. He has started or helped to grow a number of nonprofits over the past 15 years. He is co-author and editor of The Nonprofit Guide to Going Green and has written articles that have recently appeared in The Washington Post, Sustainable Industries and The Hill. Matt is on the national board of BALLE and the American Sustainable Business Council.

Lynn Benander Lynn serves as the president of Co-op Power and Northeast Biodiesel, building community owned green businesses in southern New England and eastern New York that focus on sustainability and justice. Previously, she directed the Cooperative Development Institute where she and her colleagues supported the start-up, expansion or retention of 40 group-based businesses a year primarily related to food and energy. She has been part of a think tank developing community ownership strategies that restore justice and increase sustainability.

Oron BenaryA native of Vienna, Austria, Oron is an entrepreneur at heart with an incredible passion for effective and efficient sustainable commerce. Early in his career, Oron mainly focused on supply chain management and operations for various large companies. Recently, he moved from San Francisco back to Columbus to design and implement a ‘new’ business model (Ohio’s first meadery and bar) focusing on sustainable and local end-to-end business practices combining his ‘Socialistic’ up-bringing with his ‘Capitalistic’ training.

Adam BlackAdam has 25 years in creative project development, team building and production management. In addition to KeyWifi, Adam also founded Save-Ningaloo.org, SustainabiliTV and Shared Squared NY. His background is in technology with a degree in bio-tech from London University. KeyWifi is the world’s first web-based, peer-to-peer internet access platform, allowing individuals to safely rent out their Wifi, opening up previously unavailable hotspots and turning the world into a potential “Wifi zone.”

Janda Black KeenanA dynamic innovator, Janda has spent years practicing public relations and marketing communications at the local, national and international levels for issue-based projects and clients. Her expertise in delivering coveted national media placements, managing international media efforts and winning over influencers has earned her industry accolades. She has provided strategic counsel to organizations including: PATH, The Washington State Department of Health/Hanford, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation; and humanitarian organizations such as CARE and Mercy Corps.

Karen BlackKaren is the CEO of May 8 Consulting Inc. that helps governments and nonprofits to form and implement innovative solutions to seemingly intractable problems from reclaiming vacant land to providing more services with less funding. In addition, Karen teaches urban studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Formerly, Karen was the founding director of the Metropolitan Philadelphia Policy Center. She is the author of reports and professional articles and a commentator for television and radio programs.

Kari BlissKari has served as founding member, treasurer, interim executive director and board member of Local First West Michigan. As an account executive at PADNOS, she engages mid-western manufacturers to implement sustainable recycling programs. Her initiatives connect the dots, localizing supply chains with strategies for product design through end of life. Kari speaks and trains at regional sustainability conferences on customizing programs for a wide array of businesses. Currently she serves on the TEDxgrandrapids executive leadership team.

Grace Lee BoggsGrace is an activist, writer and speaker whose 70 years of political involvement encompass the major U.S. social movements of this century: labor, Civil Rights, black power, Asian American, women’s and environmental justice. She worked with West Indian Marxist historian C.L.R. James. In 1953 she came to Detroit and married James Boggs, African-American labor activist, writer and strategist. Their book, Revolution and Evolution in the Twentieth Century, was published in 1974. The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism in the 21st Century was released in 2011.

SPEAKERS

Grant AbertGrant directs the Kailo Fund, an investment and philanthropic fund working to address social issues and opportunities through investments, philanthropy and entrepreneurial engagement. He cofounded the Donor Collaborative of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Community Fund, and served as president of the Threshold Foundation. He is a cofounder and board member of Sustain Dane. His present focus, as cofounder of Slow Money Wisconsin, is on growing the financial infrastructure for a resilient regional food system.

Leslie AckermanLeslie is director of Business CENTS (Community Enterprise Networking and Training Services), a community small business resource center at Alternatives Federal Credit Union in Ithaca, New York. For nine years, Leslie has taught and coached small business owners at all stages of development, collaborating with many of Alternatives’ other community programs in the process. In 2008, she cofounded Local First Ithaca, which became a member of BALLE in 2009.

Medrick AddisonMedrick, a life-long resident of the Glenville community in Cleveland, graduated high school and began a family in 1989. He knows the difficulty of providing for a family with inadequate employment. In 2009, Medrick was hired into the Evergreen Laundry as a supervisor. His passion for the Evergreen Initiative has propelled his growth within the cooperative businesses. He is now the Evergreen Employee/Owner Representative, traveling nationally to promote the initiative and the impact it has had on Cleveland.

Christine AgetonAs managing director, Christine’s focus areas at BALLE include strategy, monitoring and evaluation, and oversight of BALLE’s Fellowship program. In her previous work, she designed and implemented programs in economic development (Clinton Foundation – Peru), drinking water protection (New Mexico Rural Water Association), and conservation planning (IDB, World Bank –Belize, Honduras and Guatemala). She holds two masters’ degrees from the University of New Mexico, in Community and Regional Planning and Latin American Studies.

Gar AlperovitzGar, Lionel R. Bauman Professor of Political Economy at the University of Maryland, is cofounder of The Democracy Collaborative, an organization devoted to developing community wealth-building approaches to local and national democratic reconstruction. He also serves as a founding board member of the New Economics Institute. The author of numerous books on local and national economic reconstruction — most recently, America Beyond Capitalism — he has also directed legislative staffs in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.

Maggie AndersonMaggie and her family lived exclusively off black business and talent, and bought only black-made products for an entire year. Their experiment resulted in a landmark study conducted by Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Business. Maggie represents The Empowerment Experiment at universities, conferences, community events, corporate functions and in the media. She is the author of the critically acclaimed book, Our Black Year. Proceeds from the book benefit The Empowerment Experiment Foundation.

Ashley AtkinsonAshley has worked in the field of community gardening, urban greening and vacant land reuse for more than fourteen years. In her current capacity at The Greening of Detroit, Ashley and her staff support a growing network of more than 1,350 family, community, school, and market gardens as well as operate multiple model urban farms and education programs. She also serves as the sustainable agriculture representative and secretary of the Detroit Food Policy Council.

Brian BackAs one of the first business journalists in the U.S. to pioneer a beat in sustainability, Brian has been a leading expert in topics such as clean energy, green building, environmental technology and other green business sectors. His work has appeared in leading magazines, web sites, newspapers and trade journals. Brian serves as president and owner of Sustainable Industries, and he is a member of the Social Venture Network.

Alissa BarronAs managing director, Alissa leads BALLE’s services that identify and spread best practices, directing content and programming, sponsor and partner development and member relations. She designed and led training and peer mentoring programs for NOAA, the US Coral Reef Task Force and Dickinson College, assisting hundreds of organizations with program development, environmental conservation, communications and public education. She was global chair for an international conservation year involving 50 nations, and holds two degrees from Brown University.

LivingEconomies.org

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John FiskJohn is the director of the Wallace Center at Winrock International, engaged in researching and developing food hub models, fostering learning networks, acting as a re-granter for foundations and USDA, and developing market-based strategies to supply healthy and affordable food to food deserts. John is a founding board member of Food Routes Network, which manages the national Buy Fresh Buy Local campaign and serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Sustainable Agriculture.

Dania FloresDania, born in Guatemala, is a green jobs outreach coordinator with Co-op Power. She is a forensic photographer by trade, an interpreter and community organizer. She was involved in several student and social movements in Guatemala, and for the past 10 years has worked on projects and campaigns in New England including a worker-owned women interpreting co-op, English for Action, RI Jobs with Justice, and Direct Action for Rights and Equality.coop.

Deborah FriezeDeborah is an author, entrepreneur and social activist. As former co-president of The Berkana Institute, Deborah joined Berkana in 2002 to support pioneering leaders who were walking out of organizations and systems that were failing to contribute to the common good—and walking on to build resilient communities. These leaders are the subject of her book, Walk Out Walk On: A Learning Journey Through Communities Daring to Live the Future Now, co-authored with Margaret Wheatley.

John FullertonJohn is the founder of Capital Institute, a collaborative space working to transform finance to serve a sustainable economic system. His syndicated “Future of Finance” blog and regular speaking engagements have established John as a thought leader in the New Economy. John is also a leading impact investor as the principal of Level 3 Capital Advisors, LLC. He is also a director of Grasslands LLC, New Economics Institute, and Savory Institute.org.

Tatiana Garcia-GranadosTatiana is a social entrepreneur working to improve the vitality of rural and urban communities through food system connectivity and policy change. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business MBA Program, she uses her formal training for social good. Tatiana is cofounder and executive director of the Common Market, a local foods distribution center that connects 170 schools, hospitals, grocers and workplaces to sustainable farms in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Terry GarrettTerry is primarily focused on organization development and strategic implementation to grow Sonoma County GoLocal Cooperative. For the past 10 years he has been developing models based on the transformation of local media ecosystems and local economies. He’s a member-partner in Sustaining Technologies developing a news media and business web platform.

Jay Coen GilbertJay cofounded B Lab, a nonprofit organization dedicated to using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems, in 2006. Formerly, Jay cofounded and sold AND 1, a $250M basketball footwear and apparel company based outside Philadelphia. Jay is a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute, president of the board of the Philadelphia chapter of KIPP Philadelphia Schools, and a board member of Investors’ Circle and Social Venture Network.

Rha Goddess A world renowned performance artist, activist and social entrepreneur who uses her artistic and motivational talents to heal, transform and inspire, Goddess’ work has been featured in international compilations, forums and festivals. She has received rave industry reviews from Time Magazine, Essence and The Source, among others. She is a creative organizer working on issues of racial justice and equality, electoral politics, offender aid and restoration, mental health and youth, and young women’s empowerment.

Neal GorenfloNeal is cofounder and publisher of Shareable Magazine and has shared his experiences in the sharing economy with the Institute for the Future, Lowe’s Hardware, the City of San Francisco and Neighborgoods. He speaks regularly, featured in Fast Company, Sunset Magazine, and the NBC Nightly News. His writing has been published in YES! Magazine, The Urbanist and the book Open Design Now and he is co-editor of Share or Die: Voices of the Get Lost Generation in the Age of Crisis.

Joe GraftonJoe is the founder and executive director of Somerville Local First, a leading network of locally owned independent businesses creating sustainable local economies. He is also a steering committee member of the New England Local Business Forum, a board member of The Sustainable Business Network of Greater Boston and the chief operating officer for the Together Music Festival. Joe is a Huffington Post Blogger, social media expert, published journalist and advocate for local economies.

SPEAKERS

Kenyatta BrameCascade Engineering is a leading proponent of sustainable business practices and a widely recognized employer of choice. Kenyatta is responsible for directing Cascade’s cross-organizational services. Formerly, he served as senior vice president of operations and merchandising, employee relations and legal services at SYSCO Food Services of Grand Rapids. Earlier in his career, Kenyatta was an attorney and served as an adjunct professor at Thomas M. Cooley Law School where he taught on a variety of employment discrimination issues.

David BrodwinDavid leads media and communications for American Sustainable Business Council. His background combines executive positions in management consulting with leadership in advocacy and public policy. He was a partner at Accenture and vice president of marketing at Radius. In nonprofit work, he was president of New Voice of Business and executive director at Rockridge Institute, a policy think tank. David writes a weekly column on “Economic Intelligence” for U.S. News and World Report.

Rick ChaplaThe Right Place is a regional nonprofit economic development organization. Rick’s responsibilities include assisting local units of government and private development interests with economic development policies and programs such as brownfields and renaissance zones. He coordinates efforts to grow renewable energy and food processing manufacturing supply chain business development opportunities. Rick is an immediate past president of the Land Conservancy of West Michigan, and is past president of the Michigan Society of Planning Officials.

Ben CohenBen, with childhood friend Jerry Greenfield, started Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream in 1978 in an old gas station on an investment of $8,000. Ben also founded Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities that worked to shift federal spending from the Pentagon to investing in social needs. He is the recipient of the U.S. Small Businessperson of the Year Award, honorary doctorates, and the author of several books. Ben currently serves on the steering committee for the Movement Resource Group, sourcing funding for the Occupy Movement.

Chuck CollinsChuck, author of the new book, 99 to 1: How Wealth Inequality is Wrecking the World and What We Can Do About It, is a senior scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies and directs IPS’s Program on Inequality and the Common Good. He is an expert on U.S. inequality and author of other books, including Economic Apartheid in America: A Primer on Economic Inequality and Insecurity, co-authored with Felice Yeskel, and Wealth and Our Commonwealth, co-authored with Bill Gates, Sr.

Matt CunninghamMatt, based in Chicago, is the cofounder of Civic Economics. There he has conducted a series of analyses that look at the economic impacts of shopping locally. These studies have tried to identify the amount of money and jobs that independent businesses keep in the local economy, along with creating better neighborhoods for people to live and shop.

Alfa DemmellashUpon graduating from Harvard University, Alfa cofounded Rising Tide Capital, a nonprofit that invests in the success of entrepreneurs in distressed urban areas to create economic well-being. Since 2007, Alfa has received multiple awards and widespread media recognition, selected as a CNN Hero in 2009 and recognition at the White House by President Obama. Alfa holds honorary doctorates from St. Peter’s College and New Jersey City University.

Charles EisensteinCharles is the author of Sacred Economics, The Ascent of Humanity, and numerous articles in print and online. He writes and speaks worldwide on themes of transition, money and social evolution. He is on the faculty of Goddard College and is also teaching this year at Tai Sophia Institute, Esalen and Schumacher College.

Shawn EscofferyShawn is the director of the Strong Local Economies Program at the Surdna Foundation, which provides support for communities that seek to increase access to opportunity for all residents to build their wealth in a sustainable manner by funding programs that create economic opportunities and connect people to economic opportunities. Previously Shawn served as the deputy director of the New Orleans Neighborhood Development Collaborative focused on revitalizing the Central City neighborhood.

Connie EvansConnie is an international visionary leader, strategist, activist and social entrepreneur. She has pioneered several organizations including the award-winning Women’s Self-Employment Project (the first adaptation of the Grameen Bank model to a U.S. urban setting). She served on the Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago; was appointed to the Department of Treasury CDFI Advisory Board by President Clinton; and as a delegate to the United Nations 54th Session, Commission on the Status of Women by President Obama.

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Fred KellerFred is founder, chairman, president and CEO of Cascade Engineering, a Grand Rapid’s-based plastics manufacturing firm that is driving local economic growth with an unparalleled commitment to the triple bottom line. Fred teaches a course on “Sustainability as a Driver for Innovation” at Cornell University’s Johnson School of Management and has served for seven years on the U.S. Department of Commerce Manufacturing Council, serving two years as chairman.

Marjorie KellyMarjorie is a fellow with the Tellus Institute, a 35-year-old nonprofit research and consulting organization in Boston. She is also director of ownership strategy with Cutting Edge Capital consulting firm. She is author of the new book, Owning Our Future: The Emerging Ownership Revolution. Marjorie advises private businesses on ownership and capital design for social mission. She also leads a variety of consulting and research projects for groups like the Ford Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation.

Karen KimbrelKaren is a founding member of Swamp Gravy, Georgia’s Folk Life Play and served as executive director of the Colquitt/Miller Arts Council for 11 years. During her tenure the Arts Council’s assets increased from $0 to $4.5M and created a cultural tourism industry that employs 30 people, has a budget of $ 1M and attracts an estimated 55,000 visitors each year to her small town. Karen’s consulting firm focuses on creative community and economic development using culture, heritage, art and tourism.

Eleanor KinneyEleanor is an investor and philanthropist living in Maine and focused on local, sustainable agriculture. She serves on the steering committees of Slow Money Maine and the Environmental Funders Network, on the board of Maine Farmland Trust and is a founder of No Small Potatoes, an investment club that provides micro-loans to farmers and food producers. Her investments include an organic milk company, a grist mill and an organic vegetable processing facility.

David KortenDavid is the author of Agenda for a New Economy: From Phantom Wealth to Real Wealth; The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community; the international best seller, When Corporations Rule the World, and The Post-Corporate World: Life After Capitalism. He cofounded and is board chair of the Positive Futures Network, which publishes YES! Magazine, and is founder and president of the Living Economies Forum, cofounder and co-chair of the New Economy Working Group, and a member of the Club of Rome.

Leanne Krueger-BranekyLeanne is the executive director of the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia, a 500+ member business organization working to build a just, green, and thriving economy in the Greater Philadelphia region. In 2011, SBN was named the Economic Development Organization of the Year by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. Leanne is a BALLE fellow, a senior fellow of the Environmental Leadership Program and a 2009 Pennsylvania fellow of the Center for Progressive Leadership.

Bridget LaneAs director at Business Districts Inc. Bridget specializes in commercial revitalization strategy, market analysis, development financing review, and retail business development. Her experience as a retailing executive, as a professor at Chicago’s DePaul University and managing Downtown Evanston serve as a practical foundation for her market research and business development consultations. Recent clients included communities as diverse as Lake Forest, Illinois; Mountain Brook, Alabama; Shorewood, Wisconsin; and Olympia Fields, Illinois.

Mickki LangstonRecognizing the need to reclaim our power to create community wealth, Mickki cofounded the Mile High Business Alliance in 2007. Currently serving as executive director, Mickki combines her passion for healthy communities with her experience as a small business owner. Her work focuses on organizing local business owners in working together to build a more locally focused and stable economy that doesn’t sacrifice people and the planet for the sake of profit.

Kimber LanningKimber is an entrepreneur, arts advocate and community activist who works to cultivate strong, vibrant communities and inspire a higher quality of life throughout Arizona. Kimber is actively involved in fostering cultural diversity, economic self-reliance, regional planning and responsible growth. In 2003 Kimber founded Local First Arizona, and has secured both a 501c6 and 501c3 for the organization. She is executive director of both organizations and oversees their 1,800 business members statewide.

SPEAKERS

Stephanie GreenwoodStephanie works as the sustainability officer for the City of Newark, NJ in the Economic and Housing Development Department. She has focused on foreclosure prevention, affordable housing development, neighborhood stabilization, environmental justice, promotion of local, sustainable economic development strategies, management of Department of Energy stimulus grants, and sustainability-related planning, policy and program development for city government and coalition partners.

Hill GrimmettHill is executive director of Be Local Northern Colorado and founder of the Northern Colorado Food Incubator. He comes to this local economy work with years of experience in both the business and nonprofit worlds. He holds graduate degrees in both theology and business, and is committed to a vision of sustainable economy that is both ethically sound and thoroughly practical and effective.

Jamee HaleyAs executive director Jamee has been instrumental in creating a solid foundation for Lowcountry Local First. She is responsible for developing the Directory of Local Independent Businesses, has produced five successful Buy Local annual campaigns, launched the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative, and created awareness throughout the community about the importance of supporting a local economy.

Laury HammelLaury founded The Longfellow Clubs, a group of health and sports clubs, holistic health centers, children’s centers, and camps that serve 10,000 members. He is the founder and executive director of the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Boston and he founded the national business group, Business for Social Responsibility. Laury with Judy Wicks cofounded BALLE and for the first six years he served as its co-chair. He is the author of the book, Growing Local Value.

Carol Peppe HewittCarol is a business owner, social entrepreneur and life-long activist. She cofounded Slow Money NC guiding affordable capital to small farmers and food businesses in North Carolina. Carol matches ordinary people who care about soil fertility, local food, and local community with sustainable farmers and food entrepreneurs in their foodshed who have viable needs for capital. Over 50 loans have helped start, sustain, or expand twenty-some sustainable farms and local food businesses in the last two years.

Elissa HillaryElissa is the executive director of Local First, working to build a sustainable West Michigan economy. Her energy and creativity have helped Local First quadruple its business membership and develop programs that promote sustainable business development, reduce waste and increase community vibrancy. In 2010, Elissa was named Grand Rapids Young Non-Profit Professionals Exemplary Executive and one of Grand Rapids Business Journal’s “Top 40 under 40” business leaders.

Milicent JohnsonMilicent’s passion for empowering communities to find meaningful solutions and resilience led her to work on asset building and economic development through education, policy, research, and community organizing with a focus on youth, low income communities and communities of color. At Shareable, Milicent’s main objective is to network shareable urban designers, businesses, alternative economy and thought leaders with communities that are ripe for implementing sharing practices in order to strengthen the sharing movement.

Jenny KassanJenny is an attorney specializing in socially responsible ventures. Her legal practice areas include small business start-up and financing, securities regulation, nonprofit law, business agreements and operations, and cooperatives. She recently cofounded Cutting Edge Capital with John Katovich and Michael Shuman that helps small businesses raise capital without venture capitalists, angels or banks. Jenny cofounded the Sustainable Economies Law Center, a nonprofit that provides legal information to support sustainable economies.

Amy KedronAmy is the founder and former executive director of the Buffalo First Inc., a BALLE network. She is also a founding board member of the progressive policy think tank, the Partnership for the Public Good. Amy has a law degree and is currently finishing a Ph.D. dissertation on local independent businesses and community development. She has studied at Columbia University and the University at Buffalo.

Suzanne KeersSuzanne is a cofounder and the executive director of Local First Chicago - a BALLE network promoting local living economies in the Chicagoland area. She serves on the board of the Dill Pickle Food Coop and the advisory committee of the Good Food Festival. She holds an undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, an MBA from the University of Chicago.

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Matt RakerAs director of AdvantageWest’s entrepreneurship efforts, Matt works closely with regional partners to ensure a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem in Western North Carolina. This work includes managing the Blue Ridge Entrepreneurial Council, the Certified Community Program and the Advantage Opportunity Fund. Building on his considerable work at the intersection of economy and environment, Matt also heads the AdvantageGreen program, an initiative to capitalize on the region’s exceptional natural assets and opportunity to be a leader in sustainable industries.

Linda RamsdellLinda began her business life in Hardwick, Vermont by opening The Galaxy Bookshop. With three partners, Linda opened Claire’s Restaurant & Bar, pioneering a community supported restaurant model. She is a past president of the New England Independent Booksellers Association and was a board member of the American Booksellers Association. She is a past board member of the Center for an Agricultural Economy in Hardwick, and has served as president of the Preservation Trust of Vermont board since 2010.

Cameron RatliffCameron co-owns and runs Saxapahaw General Store on the Haw River in North Carolina’s piedmont; she and partner Jeff Barney took over the convenience store in 2008 and developed it into a source for local foods and a central business in a reborn mill village. They opened Saxapahaw’s Eddy Pub in 2010. They now collaborate with farmers, artists, teachers and business owners as they work to develop an inclusive community in their rural home.

Tuesday Ryan-HartTuesday is a social worker who walked out of the fields of traditional service provision and academics and walked on to become a new kind of community host/facilitator who partners with change-makers around the world. Beginning as a psychotherapist, Tuesday transformed her passion for working in trauma and social justice into systems change work across sectors. She has provided training, facilitation, and consultation on self-organizing and emergence to groups working to make change at scale.

Paul SaginawWith Ari Weinzweig, Paul opened Zingerman’s Delicatessen in March of 1982 in an historic building near the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market, with a staff of two, a small selection of great-tasting specialty foods, a host of traditional Jewish dishes, and a relatively short sandwich menu. Today Zingerman’s is an Ann Arbor institution.

Michelle SandovalMichelle is a serial entrepreneur starting her first restaurant at 24, she went on to own two restaurants and a catering company. She moved to Port Townsend, WA where she co-owns Windermere Real Estate and is in her third term on the city council, having served two terms as mayor. She is a founding member of LION (Local Investment Opportunity Network), and is working on opening a community-owned mercantile through the first start-up DPO (through SCOR) in Washington.

Sharon SchneiderSharon is the founder and CEO of Good Karma Clothing for Kids, a subscription service that delivers right-sized baby clothes right when you need them. Good Karma recently won COMMON Pitch NYC to be crowned “best collaborative consumption startup” and has been featured on Good Day Chicago, Mashable, Technorati, GOOD, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Babies.com, Trendhunters and many others. She co-authored Strategic Philanthropy: Five Approaches to Making a Difference and is the author of ThePhilanthropicFamily.com.

Katrina Scotto di CarloKatrina is an evangelist for collaborative, place-based economies. Her work in this sector includes co-founding Supportland with her husband Michael. Since launching August of 2010, Supportland has 100+ locally owned businesses and 32,000+ cardholders participating in Portland, Oregon. Katrina is also on the council of Oregon Banks Local, a self-proclaimed design activist, and a mama to two brilliant kiddos.

Bruce SeiferFor the past 25 years Bruce Seifer has been responsible for managing the Burlington’s economic development plans, activities and programs. He is an advisor to the board of Directors for the Vermont Software Developers Alliance, and he is a founding Board member of Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility, currently serving on the Public Policy and Nomination Committee. Bruce was awarded Vermont Small Business Advocate of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Don ShafferDon is president and CEO of RSF Social Finance and has more than 12 years of senior management experience building social mission companies. Most recently, he served as BALLE’s executive director. In addition, Don was the interim executive director of Investors’ Circle, an organization that facilitates the flow of private capital from angel investors, professional venture capitalists, and foundations to more than 200 companies and small funds addressing social and environmental issues.

SPEAKERS

Janet LeesJanet is the senior director at SFMade, an organization focused on building a vibrant manufacturing sector in San Francisco. Previously, she served as director of programs at San Francisco-based Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center where she created the first local sector based program for apparel companies. Janet was a founding member of the San Francisco Economic Development Alliance and nominated in 2009 for the SBA’s Woman Business Advocate of the Year Award.

David LevineDavid is the cofounder and CEO of the American Sustainable Business Council, a growing coalition of business organizations and businesses committed to advancing a new vision, framework and policies that support a vibrant, just and sustainable economy. Today, the organizations that have joined in this partnership represent over 100,000 businesses and social enterprises and more than 200,000 entrepreneurs, owners, executives, investors and business professionals.

Melinda LittleA serial entrepreneur with a focus on socially responsible and innovative business models, Melinda recently led the successful effort to establish The Community Store in Saranac Lake, the first community-owned department store in the Northeast. She is the cofounder of Independent Means Inc. (IMI), the leading provider of family-centered financial education programs and products in the U.S. and currently directs IMI’s Camp $tart-Up program.

Derek LongDerek has a track record of entrepreneurism and program development in government, for-profit and nonprofit sectors. He cofounded Sustainable Connections in 2002 and is the current executive director. He was the program and development director from 2002 to 2009 where he started and grew many key programs and initiatives as well as holding the primary responsibility of funding the organization. Derek served as the first co-national coordinator of BALLE from 2002 to 2003.

Michelle LongMichelle has experience starting and growing several organizations that support mission-driven small- and medium-sized businesses. Michelle was cofounder and executive director of BALLE network Sustainable Connections. A regular keynote speaker, she is the co-author of Local First: A How-to Guide, and is the author of the new How to Build a BALLE Network. Starting in 2001, Michelle was BALLE’s first director, transitioned to serve on the BALLE board, and later returned as executive director in 2009.

Theresa MarquezAfter 17 years as chief marketing executive, helping grow CROPP Cooperative from $5 million in 1994 to $720 million in 2011, Theresa has recently changed her role and is now serving as the chief mission officer for Organic Valley. A pioneer of the natural foods movement, Theresa has been a passionate advocate for organic farming and organic foods since 1978. In 2010, she was honored by the Organic Trade Association with the Organic Leadership Award.

Colleen O’TooleAs managing director of the Andersonville Development Corporation, Colleen oversees district development, research and mapping, environmental initiatives, event fundraising and general organizational administration. Prior to joining ADC, Colleen developed a professional background in community and economic development. She returned to Andersonville after working in Livingston County, Illinois as an economic development specialist. Her responsibilities included administering a county-wide business education series.

Randy OsmunRandy is the executive director of The SOURCE, a CEO-created and directed nonprofit organization. Serving the employees and family members from the 19 member companies, its goal is to remove employment barriers across all economic levels of the organizations. The SOURCE is a unique collaboration between government, business and nonprofit organizations and focuses on retention, training, Welfare-to-Career and high-touch case management services.

Esther ParkEsther joined RSF in 2005 and is the vice president for strategy and business development. She is responsible for the strategic development of the organization, the expansion of its products and services, and “the how” of what RSF does. As director of lending between 2007 and 2011, Esther oversaw a tripling of the organization’s lending activities to social enterprises nationally.

Nancy QuinnNancy is the managing director of Local First Milwaukee, an organization she helped form in 2006. Then, Nancy was marketing director of the independent Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops and a board member of Local First (formerly Our Milwaukee). After the closing of the bookshops, Nancy began working for Local First, as well as Third Sector Creative, a marketing and communications firm that serves nonprofits and other organizations that move our community forward.

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Heather Van DusenHeather is a senior associate at B Lab, the nonprofit that certifies and supports B Corporations and that facilitates the passage of benefit corporation legislation. Heather has been a part of the B Lab team since its launch in 2007, and has led B Lab’s initiative to help companies elect the newly available benefit corporation status. She has worked with local environmental and community advocacy groups such as PennEnvironment and CeaseFirePa.

Sarah van GelderSarah is cofounder and executive editor of YES! Magazine and YesMagazine.org, which feature powerful ideas and practical actions towards a more just and sustainable world. Sarah also edited the book, This Changes Everything: Occupy Wall Street and the 99% Movement, and wrote the lead essay. She cofounded a cohousing community and built a produce cooperative. She serves on the board of the Suquamish Tribe’s foundation and is among those organizing a new “occupy” group in Kitsap County.

Ari WeinzweigAri is CEO and cofounding partner of Zingerman’s Community of Businesses, which includes Zingerman’s Delicatessen, Bakehouse, Creamery, Catering, Mail Order, ZingTrain, Coffee Company, Roadhouse and Candy Manufactory. Zingerman’s produces and sells all sorts of full flavored, traditional foods in its home of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Ari was recognized as one of the “Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America” by the 2006 James Beard Foundation and has awarded a Bon Appetit Lifetime Achievement Award.

Judy WicksJudy founded the White Dog Café on the first floor of her house in 1983, and grew it into a Philadelphia landmark and pioneer in the local food movement. In 2001, she founded the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia and cofounded BALLE. Judy sold the White Dog in 2009 through a unique agreement that preserves local, independent ownership and maintains sustainable business practices. Her book, Good Morning, Beautiful Business!, will be released in 2012.

Kimberlee WilliamsKimberlee is CEO and marketing director of FEMWORKS, an award-winning integrated marketing communications firm in Newark, NJ. She is a forward-thinking social entrepreneur with more than 15 years of business development experience in multicultural markets. She is a commissioner for the City of Newark LGBTQ Concerns Advisory Commission. She is also a BALLE fellow and founder of Forward Ever Sustainable Business Alliance, a Newark-based BALLE network.

Kaija WoulletKaija received her master of architecture degree from the University of Detroit Mercy in 2010. As an urbanist, Kaija has an interest in understanding how the architectural design profession can practice ‘sense-making,’ rather than problem solving, to benefit the profession, the urban built environment and society itself. She is currently on the executive board of Ponyride, an art and entrepreneur accelerator space being developed in the lower Corktown neighborhood of Detroit.

Malik YakiniMalik is a founder and executive director of the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network transforming Detroit’s food security and food justice landscapes while revitalizing urban space and providing empowering work and ownership opportunities to the Detroit community. The DBCFSN operates the seven acre D-Town Farm, a pioneering organic urban farm and training Center for Will Allen’s Growing Power, and has also created the Ujamaa Co-op Buying Club to aggregate the economic power of underserved communities.

SPEAKERS

Ellen ShepardAs executive director of the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce and the Andersonville Development Corporation, Ellen has overseen economic development in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood for the past thirteen years. Under Ellen’s guidance, Andersonville has gained national acclaim for its development strategy based on environmental sustainability and recruitment and retention of locally owned, independent businesses. She has been a BALLE board member since 2004 and is a BALLE fellow.

Michael ShumanA prolific speaker, Michael is an economist, attorney, author and entrepreneur, and one of the world’s leading experts on community economics. He has authored, coauthored, or edited eight books. His most recent book is Local Dollars, Local Sense: How to Move Your Money from Wall Street to Main Street and Achieve Real Prosperity. He splits his time between two organizations that he helped cofound, Cutting Edge Capital and BALLE.

Vince SicilianoVince is president and CEO of New Resource Bank, a mission-oriented bank in San Francisco that works with businesses, nonprofits, and individuals seeking environmental and social as well as financial returns. Vince serves on the advisory board of the American Sustainable Business Council. He is also chairman of the board for the Ken Blanchard Center for Faith Walk Leadership. Vince and the bank are founding members of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values.

Radha SinglaRadha is a well-known development professional with over 15 years of experience in innovative monitoring and evaluation, strategic planning for nonprofits, and corporate philanthropy. Radha has designed and implemented pioneering M&E tools and approaches in microfinance, economic development and women’s empowerment sectors across Africa, Asia and Latin America. She is accredited with authorship of several reports while leading projects at the World Bank, Grameen Foundation, Clinton Foundation, International Center for Research on Women and the United Nations.

Jim SlamaFor the past two decades, Jim has been a national leader in promoting environmental sustainability and the Good Food Movement. He is the founder and president of FamilyFarmed.org, which expands the market for local farmers and food producers by advancing the Community Supported Agriculture movement, training farmers to adopt best practices in food safety, playing an integral role in public policy, and supporting farmers to develop new wholesale markets.

Joel SolomonJoel is chairman of Renewal2 Investment Fund and CEO of Renewal Partners Company which includes Renewal Partners, Endswell Foundation, Tides Canada Foundation and Hollyhock. These entities together are a model of whole portfolio activation of money to mission. Joel also serves as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at RSF Social Finance leveraging his deep impact investing experience to support RSF’s growth as a leading nonprofit financial organization.

Timothy Wolf StarrWolf is the founder and CEO of Small Business Beanstalk LLC. At a young age Wolf got involved in areas such as asphalt and Christmas lights. Wolf became involved with helping others start up their own businesses and quickly came to see some “economy of scale” aspects to having local businesses pool their resources. The SBB has grown to represent over 500 local businesses and over 100,000 residents. The SBB annually gives tens of thousands to nonprofit efforts.

LaTarndra StrongLaTarndra is owner and operator of Allen Transportation, a North Carolina carrier since 2008. Focused on growing her company responsibly, she serves Central and Eastern North Carolina’s local sustainable food producers. She is passionate about entrepreneurship coaching new and developing business owners. LaTarndra celebrates cultural diversity and access and wants to assist as the quality foods movement becomes more far reaching and inclusive.

Greg SundstromGreg began working with the City of Grand Rapids as a seasonal employee in 1981, then as an entry-level permanent employee in 1986. He worked in 12 jobs over the past 23 years, most recently as deputy city manager and chief services officer. Greg envisions a city that engages all of its citizens to implement significant change, to move through this declining economy to a position when the city can blossom into the new Grand Rapids.

Sarah Van AkenSarah is the CEO of S.V.A. Holdings Corporation, a vertically integrated private label apparel business in Philadelphia she founded in 2006. Sarah’s focus is on integrating high design aesthetic and quality construction with socially responsible business practices and community building through local job creation, fair trade and sustainable raw materials, community partnerships and garments produced locally in Philadelphia.

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DON’T MISS THE LIVING ECONOMIES EXPO

Stop by the Expo in the atrium of the

Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology

Center on the Grand Rapids Community

College campus – the site of the

conference lunch on Thursday and

Friday – and network with cutting-

edge innovators, socially responsible

businesses and investors working to

build local living economies across North

America. The Living Economies Expo is

the place for networking, book signings,

and special events.

The Expo will be open from 8:30 am to

5:30 pm on Thursday and Friday, and

Expo tables will be staffed on Thursday

and Friday from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm.

SCHOLARSHIPS BUILD THE BALLE CONFERENCE

Many thanks to RSF Social Finance, Ben Cohen, and you

for making the following possible:

• Scholarship Fund for Leaders of Color: Sponsored by

Ben Cohen, cofounder of the ice cream company

Ben & Jerry’s, for fifteen entrepreneurs and community

leaders of color who are advancing one or more

building blocks for local living economies in their cities

and towns.

• RSF Community Capital Scholarships: Sponsored

by RSF Social Finance for six individuals who are

transforming the way their communities work

with money.

• The BALLE Scholarship Fund: Every year, BALLE

Conference attendees and sponsors generously

donate thousands of dollars to our scholarship

fund through our online registration process. These

contributions help us to make the BALLE Conference

available to as many attendees as possible.

ACCESSIBILITY SHUTTLE

For any conference attendees with

mobility challenges, we will have

an accessibility shuttle circulating

between all relevant conference

venues (Fountain Street Church, St.

Cecilia’s Music Society, The Grand

Rapids Public Library, all session

rooms at Grand Rapids Community

College, and the Amway Grand Plaza

Hotel) from 7:00 am – 6:00 pm on

Thursday, May 17 and Friday, May 18.

This shuttle can either be flagged

down or called through dispatch:

616.606.0467 (616.60.60-HOP)

305 FLORA STREET, SUITE E, BELLINGHAM, WA 98225 | 360.746.0840 | [email protected] | LIVINGECONOMIES.ORG

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Documents

CONFERENCE OVERVIEW - Building Local Economies | BALLE