By Robert H. Pittman, Founder and Executive Director
As I look out my window this week in Lakemont, Ga., at the cold, windswept porch surrounded by ice and snow, it is hard to imagine that six months ago we were enjoying 85-degree weather and great conversations with colleagues. Even if the weather were good, there would not be much time for sitting on the porch this week, as the Janus Forum at Amelia Island begins next Sunday, March 1. Actually, on Saturday, February 28, invited representatives from state-level economic development organizations will arrive at Amelia. Following the success of our first state-level directors’ Forum last summer, we will continue this program at Amelia Island.
We have a great group of economic developers coming to Amelia, and we like to mix it along the lines of urban vs. rural, gender, etc. to help all attendees. As always, we will not know the topics for the sessions until we make that collective decision at the Forum. In addition and per usual, we look forward to welcoming our panels of site consultants and corporate executives to our Janus Family at the Amelia Forum. On the consulting side will be Don Schjeldahl, Steve Weitzner and Courtney Dunbar (returning for her second visit). On the corporate side will be Alan Parsley of Saft America and Robert Cottam III of Piedmont Risk Management and United Furniture Industries. There are still a couple of seats left at this late date, so please contact us if you would like to attend – and if, like most of us in the country, you are ready for some warmer Florida weather. If you can’t make the Amelia Island Forum, perhaps we’ll see you in August in Rabun County where the ice and snow will be just a memory and the howling wind will be a gentle cooling breeze.