Agenda

VIP Speaker/Sponsor Networking
Private pre-event networking event for Logisitics Development Forum Sponsors and our Speaker Faculty

Optional Networking & Development Experiences
All optional experiences are designed to advance professional skills, foster strategic connections, and enhance the value of your conference participation.
Participation is optional and space is limited. Additional fee for activities.

One-on-One Meetings with Speakers

Welcome Reception
Please join us for a pre-event gathering at the Hotel on Monday evening for an opportunity to network with other attendees and speakers in a relaxed and casual environment, before the forum kicks off on Tuesday morning.

Breakfast

One-on-One Meetings with Speakers

Welcome & Introduction

Richard Blackwell, VP of Development, SE Region, Agracel, Inc.

Inside the Supply Chain Site Selection Playbook: How Logistics Projects Are Evaluated and Won

Dianne Jones, Managing Director, JLL

Gain an inside look at the methodology used to evaluate supply chain and logistics projects, including the critical factors that influence location decisions. Through real-world case studies and practical examples, this session will help economic developers better understand what matters most to site selectors and identify the key questions to ask throughout the process to improve project competitiveness and increase win rates.

The Space Race of our Generation: Infrastructure, Logistics, and Commercialization

Chuck Sexton, Site Selection, Strategic Location Advisors

The space industry is accelerating demand for advanced logistics, specialized sites, and resilient supply chains — creating new opportunities for communities and real estate developers. This session highlights how space operations, satellite manufacturing, and emerging in orbit services are reshaping industrial requirements on the ground. Attendees will learn what site selectors, investors, and economic development leaders need to know about infrastructure, workforce, and market positioning to compete for space related projects and the supply chains that support them

Break

The New Industrial Revolution & Today’s Data Center Surge

Victoria Herring, Vice President and Senior Strategist, Rural Strategies Group

Exploring how transformative shifts in history can inform the work we do now, and how communities can set themselves up for success.

Land, Locomotives, and Logistics

Jennifer Brown, Director of Industrial Development, Palmetto Railways
Eric Goodman, Managing Director of Business Development & Transload, CPKC Railway
Craig Hudson, Group VP, Industrial Development, Norfolk Southern
Aaron Evans, Senior Director, Network Economic & Industrial Development, Union Pacific

Rail remains a critical driver of economic development, supporting supply chains, industrial growth, and site selection decisions. This panel will highlight key trends shaping the industry—from intermodal expansion and infrastructure investment to sustainability and technology—and how communities can leverage rail to attract investment and stay competitive.

Lunch

One-on-One Meetings with Speakers

Group Networking Event

 

Breakfast

One-on-One Meetings with Speakers

Megatrends in the Global Supply Chain Impacting U.S. Ports

Jim Newsome, President and CEO, JImNewsome3 LLC

This session will examine the major global supply chain trends reshaping U.S. ports and freight movement, including geopolitical shifts, nearshoring, trade policy, infrastructure investment, automation, and evolving logistics strategies. Attendees will gain insight into how these trends are influencing port competitiveness, industrial growth, site selection, and economic development across the United States.

Securing the Future: How the SCIF Supply Chain Shapes U.S. National Security

Sean Ferguson, Founder, Firetiger Technologies

As defense priorities evolve, the supply chain supporting Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs) has become essential to U.S. national security. Attendees will explore key vulnerabilities, foreign dependency risks, and opportunities for regional industries to support SCIF development, highlighting how supply chain strength directly impacts national security readiness.

Break

Industrial + Digital: Aligning Supply Chain Assets and Data Center Readiness

Fred Ragsdale, Senior Vice President, CBRE

This session examines the growing convergence between physical supply chains and digital infrastructure, and why communities that support both are increasingly competitive. Attendees will learn how power, land, fiber, transportation, and workforce readiness influence site selection decisions for logistics operations and data centers—and how aligning these assets can drive sustained economic growth.

Winning Without the Perfect Logistics Profile: Strategies for Competing Beyond the Supply Chain

Jeanette Goldsmith, Vice President, Strategic Development Group

Not every community has a major port, intermodal terminal, or interstate crossroads but many still win transformative projects. This session explores how economic developers can position their communities for success by emphasizing strengths beyond traditional supply chain advantages. Through real-world examples and practical strategies, attendees will learn how to identify differentiators, mitigate perceived weaknesses, and create compelling value propositions that resonate with site selectors and corporate decision-makers.

Grab-n-Go Lunch