Advance Thief River is excited to announce Ryan Pesch as keynote speaker for their annual meeting. The meeting will be held at the American Legion, 12:00-1:00PM on February 1, 2022.
Ryan has worked in community economic development for Extension in West Central Minnesota since 2004. In that capacity, he has developed and delivered Extension programming in eCommerce, business retention and expansion, tourism development, and retail market analysis. Ryan has been involved with resident recruitment and the University of Minnesota’s “Making It Home” program. Thief River Falls participated in the Making It Home program in 2019. Ryan will speak on area marketing to gain new residents and the “brain gain,” first identified by Ben Winchester, a University of Minnesota Extension researcher.
Area marketing is one of Advance Thief River’s priorities. Last October, the organization launched the Come Home to Thief River Falls promotional campaign, featuring stories on area residents and businesses, in an effort to encourage alumni to move back to the area. The campaign included both print and video. (See advancethiefriver.com for more on the campaign.)
Prior to the keynote, the meeting will begin with a few business items, including election of officers, followed by comments from outgoing Board President, Mike Barry, and from Advance Thief River Director, Michelle Landsverk.
The meeting is open to the public with a nominal charge of $15 per person to cover the cost of food. There is no cost for Advance Thief River and Rotary members. RSVPs are encouraged to help with planning. To RSVP, please text or call Michelle Landsverk, 218-280-1755, or send an email to mlandsverk@advancethiefriver.com.
