NextGen Summit seeking inspiring session speakers

We Create Here was an initiative within the Gazette Company to develop evolving narratives and authentic conversations throughout Iowa's Creative Corridor. read more

By Eric Weiler and Tallis Strub

Younger workers are looking to make their mark; local businesses and organizations are looking for ways to help young talent succeed.

The annual NextGen Summit is the main event for ImpactCR, a program of the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, and EPIC, the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce young professionals group, to attract and inspire young professionals. This year's event will be the biggest yet.

The 2013 Next Gen Summit hosted 325 professionals from the Corridor, from young professionals to CEOs. Keynote speaker Kim Lear of Bridgeworks LLC expressed the importance of understanding, attracting and managing a wave of millennials now entering the work force.

This year's goal is to drive that message home by focusing on inspiring young professionals in the Creative Corridor. To do this, the steering committee is looking for a great keynote speaker who will exude "Iowa pride."

We'd like to feature someone who has demonstrated success in Iowa. This could be a person born and raised here who chose to stay and become an Iowa success story, or a person who has chosen to relocate here to make his or her mark. We believe there are so many terrific stories yet to unveil, so we are entertaining some really cool options.

The idea of inspiring Iowans will be represented in the breakout sessions as well. In the past, the NextGen Summit has received positive feedback on the breakout speakers, and this year we plan to maintain that level of quality while ensuring our speakers have a parallel message with our keynote.

If you would like to become a breakout ¿session speaker for the 2014 NextGen Summit, please submit a request for proposal to economicalliance@cedarrapids.org or drop it off at the Economic Alliance, 501 First St. SE, Cedar Rapids or the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, 325 E. Washington St., Iowa City.

One question we've had from the past two summits is whether this is an event strictly for young professionals. ¿Although there is a strong emphasis on drawing upon the "new" ¿work force, we encourage executives to attend the event as well.

The third annual NextGen Summit will be held Wednesday, Oct. 1, at the DoubleTree by ¿Hilton at the U.S. ¿Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids. For more information, visit our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/NextGenSummitICC.

Registration will open soon.

Eric Weiler is the Next Gen Summit Co-Chair from EPIC, the Empowered Professionals of Iowa City. Eric serves as Annual Giving Officer for the Kirkwood Community College Foundation. Contact him at eric.weiler@kirkwood.edu.

Tallis Strub is a Next Gen Summit Co-Chair from Impact CR. She owns Tallis Dance, choreography and professional dance instruction. Contact: tallis.dance@gmail.com