Mississippi River Economy SummitAC Wharton
Mayor of Memphis, TN
MRCTI Co- Chair, Host
Roy Buol
Mayor of Dubuque, IA
MRCTI Co -Chair
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
Chris Masingill
Federal Co -Chair
Delta Regional Authority
Michael Marshall
Alternate Federal Co -Chair
Delta Regional Authority
Welcome to Memphis, host of the first Mississippi River Economy Summit convened by Mayors
along the River and the Delta Regional Authority. We want to personally thank you for joining us on this
very important occasion. We also want to thank the Northeast- Midwest Institute and the Walton Family
Foundation for their continued faith in all our efforts including this new and exciting partnership between
the Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative (MRCTI) and the Delta Regional Authority (DRA).
MRCTI has been engaged in a lot of firsts lately — helping to build the first bicameral Mississippi River
Caucus in the U.S. Congress; ratifying the first memorandum of common purpose between the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers and mayors along the Mississippi River; and now co- hosting the first Mississippi
River Economy Summit Though these moves have been calculated, trust is required between mayors and
stakeholders. Few entities have shown more trust and given more guidance around what the mayors are
trying to accomplish than the Delta Regional Authority. As co- chairs of both DRA and MRCTI, we are
very pleased to present this Summit on the economy of the Mississippi.
An economy anywhere must have natural resources to thrive —an ecological stock from which to build
and grow. For the cities and towns adjacent to its banks, the most important natural resource is America's
Great Waterway, the First Main Street, the gateway to what would be our nation's manifest destiny —the
Mississippi River.
As much as the River takes while it ebbs and flows around our lives, it returns in making possible almost
half a trillion dollars in gross municipal product every year. The River is not something we have domin-
ion over; it is something that has been entrusted to our care —our sacred trust, as one mayor puts it.
Though we are unable to explore all facets of the Mississippi River's economy in one meeting, we can
come together around targeted initiatives to promote and embed sustainability in the industries that
depend on the waterway. We invite you to be part of this endeavor as we work to more emphatically and
accurately profile the River's economic impact, increase the competitive edge it can create for jobs and
trade, and better develop the business opportunities aligned to near -water communities.
Mississippi River
Cities & Towns Initiative
Economy Summit
Oct. 16 -17, 2013
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A ` NORTHEAST- MIDWEST
• 1 NS T I T U T E
MISSISSIPPI RIVER ECONOMY SUMMIT
Agenda
Hosted by:
Mississippi River
Cities & Towns Initiative
Delta Regional Authority
City of Memphis, TN
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Title Sponsors: Peer Power and
Aerobic Cruiser
Unless noted, all sessions and events are open to all mayors and other officially invited attendees. Official functions and
meeting services are located at the Mud Island River Park, 125 North Front Street, unless otherwise stated.
October 16
Registration
9:OOam — 5:OOpm, Harbor Landing, Mud Island River Park
Opening Lunch Plenary, Sponsored by: International Port of Memphis
Buses will begin loading in front of Courtyard Marriott (75 Jefferson Avenue) at 11:OOam
Welcome and Opening Address
12:OOpm — 12:30pm, River Terrace, Mud Island River Park
Presiding: AC Wharton, Mayor of Memphis, TN; Roy Buol, Mayor of Dubuque, IA;
Christopher Masingill, Federal Co- Chair, DRA
Join Mayors AC Wharton of Memphis and Roy Buol of Dubuque and the Federal Co -Chair of the Delta Regional
Authority for the opening of this first gathering of mayors for the sole purpose of detailing and developing the
large -scale economy of the Mississippi River.
Preview Unveiling of LMRCC Lower Mississippi River Economic Profile
12:30pm — 1:30pm, River Terrace, Mud Island River Park
Introduction: George Flaggs, Mayor of Vicksburg, MS
Bryan Hopkins, Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Dominika Dziegielewska- Parry, Environmental Economist
Bruce Reid, Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee Outreach Specialist
The Lower Mississippi River Economic Profile is a 10 -year update to the 2004 profile also coordinated by the
LMRCC. One of the few near - comprehensive economy reports of the Mississippi River, the profile provides a
telling picture of the complex and essential economic engine that is America's Great Waterway.
CREATING A RENAISSANCE FOR THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER ECONOMY
Container -on -Barge Shipping
2:OOpm — 3:30pm, Harbor Landing, Mud Island River Park
Moderators: Larry 'Butch' Brown, Mayor of Natchez, MS; Franklin Parker, Chief Counsel of U.S. Maritime
Administration; Michael Marshall, Alternative Federal Co- Chair, DRA
SHIPPERS
Bryan Most, VP of Global Logistics &Global Sourcing, WaI -Mart Stores, Inc.
Scott Sigman, Transportation & Export Infrastructure Lead, IL Soybean Association
Carolyn Hardy, President & CEO, Chism Hardy Investments
BARGE COMPANIES
Dan Mecklenborg, Senior VP, Ingram Barge Company
PORTS & TERMINALS
Robert Landry, Chief Commercial Officer, Port of New Orleans (invited)
Dennis Wilmsmeyer, Executive Director, America's Central Port
Break (10 min) — Refreshments provided
The Mississippi River as a Link to Global Trade — Open Discussion
3:45pm — 5:OOpm, Harbor Landing, Mud Island River Park
Moderator: Christopher Masingill, Federal Co- Chair, DRA
Bruce Lambert, Executive Director, Institute for Trade & Transportation Studies
Buses will begin loading to return attendees to Courtyard Marriott (75 Jefferson Avenue) at 6 :OOpm
Summit Evening Reception and Dinner
Buses will begin loading in front of the Courtyard Marriott (75 Jefferson Avenue) at 6 :OOpm.
6:30pm — 8:30pm, Beale Street Landing
Presiding: AC Wharton, Mayor of Memphis, TN; Roy Buol, Mayor of Dubuque, IA; Christopher Masingill,
Federal Co- Chair, DRA
The Honorable Steve I. Cohen, U.S. House of Representatives, 9th District of Tennessee
Charles McVean, Chairman and CEO, McVean Trading & Investments
Greg Maxted, Maxline, Inc.
Tom Marshall, Principal, T.O. Marshall Architects, Managing Architect for Bass Pro Development
Dorchelle Spance, VP, Memphis Riverfront Development Corporation
Join the Summit hosts for an evening at the new Beale Street Landing along the River and witness the
reemergence of waterfront tourism and culture with a modern twist. Presentations will also include using
cultural, heritage, and re- purposed infrastructure of the Mississippi as economic drivers.
October 17
Registration
Breakfast Pienary: Innovative Approaches to Securing Mississippi River Infrastructure
Buses will begin loading infront of Courtyard Marriott (75 Jefferson Avenue) ot8:3Oann
9:0Oann—IO:15ann, River Terrace, Mud Island River Park
Presiding: Harry Rediger, Mayor of Cape Girardeau, MO; Tom Thom Mayor of Grafton, IL
The Honorable Stephen I. Fincher, U.S. House of Representatives, 8`" District ofTennessee
Dan Overbey, Executive Director of Southeast Missouri Port Authority
Dirk Draper, Vice President, CH2M Hill
ALIGNING INVESTMENT TO LOCAL PROSPERITY ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
10:3Oann-11:3Omnn, Harbor Landing, Mud Island River Park
Moderator: Dickie Kennemore, Mayor of Osceola, AR
Dominik Knoll, Chair, World Trade Center Mississippi River Alliance
Charles Theiling, Mississippi Valley Division Regional Technical Specialist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Summit Press Conference
lI:45omn-1I:15pmn, River Walk, Mud Island River Park
Presiding: AC Wharton Mayor of Memphis, TN; Roy Buol, Mayor of Dubuque, IA; Christopher Masingill, Federal
Co-Chair, DRA; Michael Marshall, Alternate Federal Co-Chair, DRA
Closing Lunch Plenary: Building the Capacity of the Rural Economy, Sponsored by Wepfer Marine Inc
12:3Opnn — 1:3Opnn, River Terrace, Mud Island River Park
Presiding: Christopher Masingill, Federal Co-Chair, DRA
Mark H. Luttrell, Jr., Mayor of Shelby County
The Honorable Mark Norris, TN State Senator, National Chair-Elect, Council of State Governments
Janet Kavinoky, Executive Director, Transportation & Infrastructure, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Closing Remarks: AC Wharton, Mayor of Memphis, TN
Buses will begin loading to return attendees to Courtyard Marriott (75 Jefferson Avenue) ot2:3Umn7
Adjourn
: The Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee is producing a
profile to document the economic values derived from or associated with
the Lower Mississippi River. A similar report was released in 2004.
PURPOSE
The economic profile will provide an understanding of the multiple uses
: and benefits of the Lower Mississippi River. This information can be used
by government agencies, legislative bodies, private organizations, busi-
nesses and individuals.
STATUS
An updated economic profile will be completed in late 2013. A preview of
: findings will be unveiled at the Mississippi River Economy Summit hosted
by the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative and the Delta Regional
Authority in Memphis, Tennessee, on October 16 -17, 2013.
DISTRIBUTION
The economic profile will be distributed publicly by the Lower
Mississippi River Conservation Committee and partner organizations.
PARTNERS
▪ The Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee is working with the U.S. Fish
: and Wildlife Service Division of Economics, Industrial Economics Inc., U.S. Army
• ▪ Corps of Engineers and Walton Family Foundation to prepare the economic profile.
LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE
•
; • Photos and illustrations: Jan Hoover, Bruce Reid, Bill Stripling and Paul Ingram.
•
OotiG A
Cs
LMRCCI
ECONOMIC SECTORS
Economists are examining 10 economic sectors
for the updated profile:
• • Agriculture
•
Commercial navigation
•
• • Energy production
• ▪ Manufacturing
Mineral resources
• • Natural resources harvest
• ▪ Natural resources services
• ▪ Outdoor recreation
• ▪ Tourism
• • Water use and supply
LMRCC MEMBER AGENCIES
• • Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection
• ▪ Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality
• • Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
• ▪ Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks
• ▪ Missouri Department of Conservation
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
• Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
• • Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
STUDY AREA
• Includes 113 counties and
parishes in seven states.
• Extends from Cairo,
Illinois, to the Gulf of Mexico.
• Covers >71,000 square miles.
• Focuses on the Mississippi
River's historic floodplain and
deltaic plain.
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Mississippi River
Cities & Towns Initiative
A project within the
Northeast - Midwest Institute
Year of Change for the River 2013
Illirteett
The Northeast- Midwest Institute ( NEMWI) received a grant from the Walton Family
Foundation to create a new and influential voice for the Mississippi River dramatically
increasing demand for effective river protection, restoration and management in Washington,
DC in 2012. NEMWI Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI) addresses matters
of mutual concern, including:
• River water quality and habitat restoration,
• Flooding and floodplain issues,
• River- focused recreation,
• Sustainable economies,
• Celebration of the River culture and history.
Over 3 million residents collectively populate the 124 Mississippi River main stem cities and
towns. These riparian population centers are soundly River - centric. MRCTI gives a common
voice to those who depend most upon the River, and by virtue of doing so, spans political and
economic interests. That is, it taps a natural source of the longed -for integration of
transportation, farming, industrial, municipal and environmental interests to launch lasting
solutions to River management issues.
The outcome of the MRCTI is designed to be tangible improvement of Mississippi River:
• Water quality,
• Flood and floodplain management, and
• River economy and environmental protection.
The MRCTI articulates and helps drive multi - stakeholder solutions to recurring federal and
state policy problems that impede environmental and economic health of river communities.
This project also builds capacity of the MRCTI members to undertake effective local initiatives
to attract green jobs, move to sustainable economies and achieve local environmental protection
goals. Ultimately, this work helps protect and restore the Mississippi River as a natural system
that can sustainably support human culture and economies as well as wildlife.
MRCTI is a local government -lead effort empowering the ten States and over one hundred
cities that border the Mississippi River to act for its continued prosperity, sustainability, and
economic growth. Through MRCTI mayors and other leaders cooperate to give new urgency to
issues facing the Mississippi River, and new strength to effectively resolve them. Contact:
Colin Wellenkamp, Director, cwellenkamp a,nemw.org, 202 - 464 -4010.
NORTH H -T -M [DWEBT
"� .,N - 1 4 - - ! T O T E
Mississippi River
Cities & Towns Initiative
Participating Cities
Year of Change for the River 2013
These cities have joined the MRCTI. All ten Mississippi River states are represented.
Bemidji, MN
Baxter, MN
Sartell, MN
Sauk Rapids, MN
St. Cloud, MN
Clearwater, MN
Monticello, MN
Dayton, MN
Minneapolis, MN
St. Paul, MN
Hastings, MN
Prescott, WI
Red Wing, MN
Winona, MN
Onalaska, WI
La Crosse, WI
Lansing, IA
Prairie du Chien, WI
Guttenberg, IA
Dubuque, IA
Clinton, IA
Savanna, IL
Bettendorf, IA
East Moline, IL
Moline, IL
Rock Island, IL
Davenport, IA
Muscatine, IA
Burlington, IA
Fort Madison, IA
Canton, MO
LaGrange, MO
Quincy, IL
Clarksville, MO
Grafton, IL
Alton, IL
Hartford, IL
East St. Louis, MO
St. Louis, MO
Sauget, IL
Prairie du Rocher, IL
Ste. Genevieve, MO
Chester, IL
Cape Girardeau, MO
Cairo, IL
Wickliffe, KY
Columbus, KY
Hickman, KY
New Madrid, MO
Tiptonville, TN
Osceola, AR
Memphis, TN
Helena -West Helena, AR
Greenville, MS
Vicksburg, MS
Natchez, MS
Vidalia, LA
Baton Rouge, LA
New Orleans, LA
2012 was our formation year. The Mayors launched their platform for the Mississippi River in
Washington, DC, March 19 -21, 2013. If you have any questions, or wish to learn more, please
do not hesitate to contact the MRCTI director, Colin Wellenkamp.
Colin Wellenkamp, Director
Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative
Northeast - Midwest Institute
50 F Street, NW, Suite 950
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 464 -4010, offc
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MISSISSIPPI RIVER CITIES
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Mississippi River
Cities & Towns Initiative
Capitol Meeting
2013 Policy Platform
. Enact an environmentally sound and financially sustainable
Water Resources Development Act that includes a Mississippi
River Environmental Restoration, Protection and
Sustainability Program
. Foster the continued growth and increased effectiveness of
the newly- formed bipartisan Congressional Mississippi River
Caucus
• Focus Federal resources where they can advance the most
improvement in the Mississippi River's water quality
. Pass a comprehensive Farm Bill that allows cities to
participate in and receive funding from the Conservation
Stewardship Program, establishes a national sodsaver
program, and reestablishes the historic Zink between
conservation compliance and crop insurance premium
subsidies
. Establish a National Drought Council that works with
stakeholders to create a drought policy action plan and
comprehensive national drought preparedness legislation
. Establish a multi- agency Federal initiative to develop and
implement a coordinated strategy that aids local governments
as they address aquatic invasive species in the Mississippi
River Basin
• Preserve the Pre - Disaster Mitigation program for hazard
planning and project implementation, and fund that program
during Fiscal Year 2014 at a level of $100 million
Our Mississi
PARTNERING TO ,.EE1'
AMERICA'S RIVER GREAT
•
Spring `13
River mayors put the Mississippi center stage
en a dozen river -town mayors traveled to Washington D.C. earlier
this spring, they brought the Mississippi River with them, so to
speak. They conducted meetings with legislators and federal agen-
cies atop a room -sized map of the Mississippi, along which were placed striking
photos from the particular river stretch. And the symbolism was fitting. The
group went to Washington to participate in the formation of a first -ever Mis-
sissippi River caucus, a bipartisan, bicameral group that indudes two senators
and four members of Congress.
The goal of the caucus is to speak for the needs of the entire river, not the
more limited needs of each caucus member's geographic focus. That in itself
made a powerful statement, said Vicksburg mayor Paul Winfield, one of the
delegation members.
"We're always stronger when we work together," he said. "If we continue to
focus on our mutual interests, we'll be a force to reckon with as we continue to
push for the river and her maintenance."
The mayors presented their river agenda to legislators, a list that includes
a heavy focus on prevention of invasive species, a comprehensive farm bill,
improvements to aging lock and dam infrastructure and more.
The group also met with generals from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
the agency with jurisdiction over many of the river's navigation and ecosystem
restoration resources. The agency has faced unprecedented challenges re-
cently, including a swing from the largest recorded flood in history to its worst
drought and the related challenges and costs.
At a joint dinner, the mayors offered to be a voice for overcoming challenges the
Corps and other agencies face in managing the waterway. Memphis Mayor A.C.
Wharton proposed a formal memorandum of common purpose to further cement
the relationship. While a formalized partnership beyond the caucus —with the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers —is only a notion at this point, it demonstrates motiva-
tion by both groups to pursue a formal alliance, said Colin Wellenkamp, director of
the Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative. The group's main goal is to elevate
the Mississippi on the federal agenda.
Perhaps the first evidence of success will come if the river ends up being
represented in the recently introduced Water Resource and Development Act.
The bill's first draft makes no mention at all of the Mississippi, but does include
several other rivers.
The mayors have started the dialogue, telling the river story to the many
lawmakers eager to listen. As the ecological linchpin to the 37 -state Missis-
sippi River Basin, the group noted, the river is responsible for creating $105
billion worth of U.S. GDP; providing drinking water for more than 18 million;
transporting 62 percent of our nation's agricultural output; delivering nearly
400 tons of coal and petroleum products; and directly supporting one million
jobs and millions more indirectly.
ABOVE. Legislators and other dignitaries mingle atop a giant map of the Mississippi
River during the announcement of the first -ever Mississippi River Caucus. BOTTOM.
A sampling of a Mississippi River photo exhibit displayed on Capitol Hill.
What has already drawn notice is the way the entire river representation has
come together in the initiative.
For so long, they've been used to regional conversations, the northern stem,
the middle, the southern stem," Wellenkamp said of legislators. "To all of a
sudden see dozens of mayors come together around a river that's 2,320 miles
long and involves so many different sectors of the economy — recreation, agri-
culture, energy —it's been striking to people. We know because they told us."
It's been obvious to people that have met with the mayors that they are really
serious about this. Whatever differences they have, they really are setting them
aside and cooperating for the entire waterway.
Mayor Winfield said he has learned more than expected about the diversity
of the massive river system as he travels to visit other river town mayors and
sees the way some are more impacted by its recreation and natural beauty, oth-
ers by the commerce it carries.
"It's awesome to realize that one body of water has such a great impact on all
our communities," he said. "On a lighter note, all of us mayors are joking about
who has the best tasting water." —K.S.
July 8, 2013
Editorial: [Mayoral Co- Chairs] will be
strong advocates for communities along the
Mississippi River
Memphis Mayor A C Wharton and Mayor Roy Buol of Dubuque, Iowa, were recently
chosen as co- chairmen of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative, a local
government -led effort to find solutions to improve and sustain the economic health of more
than 100 cities whose economic well -being is driven mainly by the river.
It would be easy to view Wharton's appointment as a figurehead position that will result in
his having another plaque or certificate to hang on the wall of his office. That would be a
mistake.
The Mighty Mississippi is facing a host of issues, according to the MRCTI, that have an
impact on "the more than 3 million residents that populate" 124 cities and towns along the
river.
The organization focuses on invasive species, such as Asian carp, that have been intro-
duced into the river, as well as flooding and water quality problems from agricultural runoff
and industrial pollution. Those issues can negatively impact recreational opportunities
along the river and cities that depend on the river for their drinking water.
There also is a sharp focus on how the river can affect the industrial and commercial
fortunes of cities and towns along the 2,320 -mile river that stretches from Minnesota to the
Gulf of Mexico.
For example, Wharton said he will push for dedicated funding for dredging the river's ports
so that cities like Memphis don't have to "pass the hat" when harbors silt up.
He also will seek dedicated funding in case of a catastrophic failure of any locks and dams
on the upper reaches of the river. The lock - and -dam issue is a particular concern for
companies that transport all kinds of crucial goods up and down the river. That commerce
provides thousands of jobs.
It should not be overlooked that many smaller communities along the river have fallen on
hard times, aggravated by the recession. Factories have closed. Unemployment remains
high. The Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative has worked hard to find solutions to
help these cities prosper and sustain that prosperity.
Wharton and Buol have taken on significant responsibilities as co- chairmen of the MRCTI,
and the important issues the organization addresses leave no room for figureheads.
Lifeline of America, Heart of the Delta:
Small Public Ports on the Mississippi River
1. Perryville, MO
2. Scott City, MO
3. Hickman, KY
4. New Madrid, MO
5. Caruthersville, MO
6. Dyersburg, TN
7. Osceola, AR
8. Memphis, TN
9. Helena, AR
10. Rosedale, MS
11. McGehee, AR
12. Greenville, MS
13. Lake Providence, LA
14. Tallulah, LA
15. Vicksburg, MS
16. Port Gibson, MS
17. St. Joseph, LA Under Construction
18. Vidalia, LA Under Construction
19. Natchez, MS
Color indicates DRA Service Area
0 Small Public Ports
on the Mississippi River
Delta Regional Authority — Mississippi River Port Investments
1
Small Public Ports in the Delta Region
Nearly 10 million people in the Delta region and an estimated 15
million more in the Upper Mississippi rely on the Mississippi River
as a lifeline for economic development, agriculture, commerce,
drinking water, food, and recreation. It is a major source of job
creation and support for our region's communities and businesses.
Of our nation's inland and navigable waterways, an estimated
75 percent are within the Mississippi River system, making it the
busiest water transportation artery in the country. This system
supports a transportation industry that operates between $50
billion and $60 billion of commerce each year.
Over the past twelve years, DRA has supported the ports that
allow this river to succeed. With 19 small public ports directly on the
Mississippi River, five major ports in southern Louisiana, and many
more small ports on its tributaries, DRA's focus on port and harbor
infrastructure is an important part of strengthening the economy of
the Delta region.
The DRA remains committed to protecting and supporting the
industries, economies, and people of the Delta region for whom the
Mississippi River is our heart and soul.
DRA's impact on small ports and harbors through the Delta provides economic development,
jobs, and commerce to the Region's communities and people.
Delta Regional Authority Small Port Investments
Grant Amount
Leveraged Amount
Total Project Cost
Leveraged Private Investment
Jobs being Created and Retained
$ 7,690,752
$ 46,290,280
$ 53,981,033
$ 33,865,852
5,429
DRA Port Investments on the Mississippi River
Perryville, MO (1)
New Bourbon Port Authority Navigation
Study for small rivers navigation project.
Grant Amount
Leveraged Amount
Total Project Cost
$ 105,000
$ 200,000
$ 305,000
Perry County Road 238 Paving
Paving County Road 238 will allow Beelman
River Terminals to access their barge terminal.
Grant Amount
Leveraged Amount
Total Project Cost
Leveraged Private Investment
$ 43,400
$ 88,606
$ 132,006
$ 315,030
Port of New Bourbon Construction
Construction of a public multimodal port to
serve businesses in Ste. Genevieve, Perry, and
surrounding counties.
Grant Amount
Leveraged Amount
Total Project Cost
Delta Regional Authority — Mississippi River Port Investments
$ 85,280
$ 255,840
$ 341,120
2
Scott City, MO (2)
Port Access Road
Paving of approx, 1000' gap in Harbor Road,
which leads to a new corn milling facility.
Grant Amount
Leveraged Amount
Total Project Cost
$ 130,000
$ 30,635
$ 160,635
Construct Rail to Port for New Business
Construction of 10,700' of rail line across
Highway 84 will connect with a spur planned
for the bio -fuels plant.
Grant Amount $ 205,701
Leveraged Amount $ 998,520
Total Project Cost $ 1,204,221
Leveraged Private Investment $ 10,700,000
Hickman, KY (3)
Conveyor Outload Upgrade
and Riverport Road Upgrade
Upgrade conveyor system to allow loading of
barges and to connect Riverport Road to Walnut
Street by an access loop.
Grant Amount $ 125,479
Leveraged Amount $ 0
Total Project Cost $ 125,479
Emergency Dredging
Emergency dredging at the riverport dock to
return to operational status.
Grant Amount
Leveraged Amount
Total Project Cost
$ 41,099
$0
$ 41,099
Emergency Dredging Riverport Channel
Remove sediment from the harbor entrance,
allowing the harbor to open long enough to gain
funding to complete a full dredging.
Grant Amount $ 100,000
Leveraged Amount $ 0
Total Project Cost $ 100,000
Hickman - Fulton County
Riverport Authority
Repair /upgrade of the port's crane and barge
winches to increase production and repair/
replacement of the roof to the port office and
shop building, which houses equipment and
records, directly saving 11 -14 jobs.
Grant Amount $ 100,000
Leveraged Amount $ 50,000
Total Project Cost $ 150,000
Highway 1354 Improvement
Raising a short section of KY1354 beginning at
KY94 so Hickman Port and adjoining business-
es can operate during river flood stages.
Grant Amount
Leveraged Amount
Total Project Cost
$ 300,000
$ 45,000
$ 345,000
New Madrid, MO (4)
Concrete Levee Access Road to Port
Construction of a concrete roadway along the
levee road and Missouri Route EE.
Grant Amount $ 184,034
Leveraged Amount $ 735,000
Total Project Cost $ 919,034
Leveraged Private Investment $ 12,000,000
Caruthersville, MO (5)
Pemiscot County Port Authority
Assist in performing a Market Feasibility Study.
Grant Amount $ 50,000
Leveraged Amount $ 0
Total Project Cost $ 50,000
Port Authority Railroad Crossing
Safety devices at 10 crossings.
Grant Amount
Leveraged Amount
Total Project Cost
$ 4,258
$0
$ 4,258
Dyersburg, TN (6)
Northwest Tennessee Regional
Port Authority Master Plan & Design
Planning for public port & adjacent industrial
park with access roads, rail spur, and utilities,
Grant Amount
Leveraged Amount
Total Project Cost
$ 325,000
$ 27,000
$ 352,000
Northwest Tennessee Regional
Port Master Plan & Port Design
The Corp of Engineers will dredge the port after
a land purchase.
Grant Amount $ 20,046
Leveraged Amount $ 410,000
Total Project Cost $ 430,046
Osceola, AR (7)
Osceola Riverport
Site work and construction of a flotation barge
located at the Osceola Riverport.
Grant Amount $ 399,999
Leveraged Amount $ 1,995,500
Total Project Cost $ 2,395,499
Delta Regional Authority- Mississippi River Port Investments
3
Resurfacing Access Road
to Osceola River Port
Resurface and widen the Osceola Port access.
Grant Amount
Leveraged Amount
Total Project Cost
$ 135,500
$ 27,100
$ 162,600
Rosedale, MS (10)
Relocation of Rosedale Grain Dock
Relocating a loading /unloading dock so that it
extends further into the water which will allow it
to operate in low water level conditions.
Grant Amount
Leveraged Amount
Total Project Cost
Leveraged Private Investment
$ 100,000
$ 450,822
$ 550,822
$ 200,822
McGehee, AR (11)
Infrastructure Improvements
for the Port of Yellow Bend
Installation of four port dolphins and the repair
of an existing dolphin.
Grant Amount $ 66,052
Leveraged Amount $ 296,800
Total Project Cost $ 362,852
Lake Providence, LA (13)
Lake Providence Port Improvements
Building a containment levee and access road.
Grant Amount
Leveraged Amount
Total Project Cost
$ 700,000
$ 4,120, 000
$ 4,820,000
Tallulah, LA (14)
Madison Parish Port Commission
Infrastructure Improvements
Replacing rails, roads, and utilities to raise
the levee.
Grant Amount $ 221,000
Leveraged Amount $ 2,010,000
Total Project Cost $ 2,231,000
Vicksburg, MS (15)
Warren County Port Commission
Transportation Enhancement
Purchase and installation of a new, modern
15 -ton crane to replace the obsolete crane.
Grant Amount
Leveraged Amount
Total Project Cost
$ 206,000
$ 1,717,582
$ 1,923,582
Port Gibson, MS (16)
Claiborne County Port Access Road
Repair a Frank Headley Road embankment.
Grant Amount
Leveraged Amount
Total Project Cost
$ 99,232
$ 90,000
$ 189, 232
St. Joseph, LA (17)
Tensas Parish Police Jury
Assist in construction of Phase 1 port
development for land acquisition, access road,
dolphins, and building renovations.
Grant Amount
Leveraged Amount
Total Project Cost
Leveraged Private Investment
$ 150,000
$ 2,133,500
$ 2,283,500
$ 150,000
Tensas Parish Police Jury
Renovate 40,000 SF building for Tensas Parish
Port Commission operations.
Grant Amount $ 75,000
Leveraged Amount $ 924,000
Total Project Cost $ 999,000
Vidalia, LA (18)
City of Vidalia Loading /Unloading Facility
The project consists of building a loading/
unloading facility in New Vidalia Industrial Park.
Grant Amount
Leveraged Amount
Total Project Cost
$ 65,000
$ 96,550
$ 161,550
Vidalia Port Working Pad
and Riveride Access Road
Construction of a working pad and riverside
access road, enhancing Vidalia Industrial Park.
Grant Amount $ 150,000
Leveraged Amount $ 2,297,264
Total Project Cost $ 2,447,264
Leveraged Private Investment $ 3,500,000
Delta Regional Authority — Mississippi River Port Investments
4
SPEAKER BIOS
Mississippi River Economy Summit
October 16-17, Memphis, TN
Bruce Reid
Outreach Specialist
Lower Mississippi River
Conservation Committee
Before joining the LMRCC in 2012, Mr. Reid managed conservation and communication
projects with the National Audubon Society's Mississippi River Initiative. He also worked
for nearly two decades as a reporter for daily newspapers in Maryland, Mississippi and
Virginia, specializing in environmental writing. He received a bachelor's degree in
English from Towson University in Baltimore, Maryland.
Bryan Most
V.P. of Global Logistics &
Global Sourcing
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Bryan Most, Vice President of Global Logistics, has been with Walmart for 14 years and
has led a variety of high performing teams in Supply Chain, Global Transportation, and
Global Procurement Logistics. During that tenure, he has used global leverage to create
long-term logistics strategies supporting more than 50 sourcing origins for all retail
markets by developing collaborative relationships and customer specific supply chain
solutions.
Bryan currently leads a global team of diverse associates who manage an extensive
network of third party service providers to help Wal-Mart's customers around the world
save money so they can live better. Bryan is responsible for the Global Logistics teams
in Bentonville and Shenzhen, China including Regional Logistics teams in India, Turkey,
Bangladesh and Pakistan. Additional responsibilities include the Jones Act Trade team
that services the Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico markets.
Bryan earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Misericordia
University in Dallas, Pennsylvania. Prior to joining Walmart, Bryan held a variety of
positions in global transportation with Sea-Land Service, a division of CSX Corporation.
Scott J. Sigman
Transportation and
Export Infrastructure Lead
Illinois Soybean Association
Scott Sigman serves as the Director of Trade and Transportation assigned to the
Farmer Lumpe and McClelland Chicago operating location. Scott manages the
transportation and export infrastructure program on behalf of the Illinois Soybean
Association, their Board of Directors and staff. This includes strategy development,
issues management and project coordination and evaluation.
He has most recently been a senior consultant with Informa Economics in Memphis,
TN. Prior he was Director, Research and Marketing for the Greater Memphis Chamber
of Commerce. He has previous experience in freight, global logistics, marketing and
business development with URS Corporation, IHS Global Insight, Vanguard Services,
Ports of Indiana, Transamerica Leasing, Inc. as well as P &O Containers, Inc. /P &O
Nedloyd, Inc.
Sigman was awarded a MS degree in Economics from the University of London,
London School of Economics and Political Scinece, as well as having earned a BA from
the University of Wisconsin (Madison) with a double major in Economics and
International Relations. Mr. Sigman has two sons who both attend Columbia College of
Chicago.
Carolyn Hardy
President & CEO
Chism Hardy Investments
Carolyn Chism Hardy is the President and CEO of Chism Hardy Investments, whose
goals are to invest in projects that leverage Memphis' infrastructure and utilize talent in
Shelby County. She is a native Memphian, graduate of Melrose High School, and the
University of Memphis, receiving both her BBA and MBA and is a certified public
accountant (CPA).
Hardy's career accomplishments highlight her role as a trailblazer in many non-
traditional jobs. She started her career at the J. M. Smucker Company where she
successfully managed Finance, Quality, and Human Resource before becoming the first
African-American female plant manager. As plant manager, she was responsible for
manufacturing and distributions supporting the southeastern U.S. as well as export
shipments. After a successful career at Smucker, she served as vice president of
Services, responsible for national software implementations for Honeywell-POMS
Corporation. After, Honeywell, she joined Coors Brewing Company, becoming the first
African-American female vice president/GM of a major brewery. In this role, she was
responsible for serving the southeastern U.S., and 100 percent of international
distribution and military bases around the world.
Effective September 1, 2006, she began Hardy Bottling, the first African-American
female owned major brewery with the ability to manufacture over 100 million cases.
Additionally, in 2007, Hardy started her intermodal business with the first terminal in
Memphis. On May 2, 2011, she sold her brewery assets to City Brewing while focusing
her career and investments in the intermodal/supply chain sector. As the President and
CEO of Chism Hardy Investments, LLC, Carolyn plans to continue to grow her supply
chain business by leveraging the transportation evolution and the railroad expansion.
Daniel P. Mecklenborg
Senior Vice President, Human Resources,
Chief Legal Officer and Secretary
Dan Mecklenborg joined Ingram Barge Company in 1996, as Vice President, General
Counsel and Secretary, and was promoted to Senior Vice President, Human
Resources and Chief Legal Officer in 2002. He is responsible for the company's Legal
and Claims, Human Resources, and Safety, Training and Environmental departments,
and the company's Governmental Affairs function. Prior to joining Ingram, Dan served
as Associate General Counsel of The Ohio River Company, a Cincinnati -based barge
transportation company, which he joined as Staff Counsel in 1981.
Dan has extensive experience in corporate law, including governance and compliance,
mergers and acquisitions, environmental compliance, employment and labor law,
admiralty law, and negotiating and drafting business agreements.
In 2003 he completed a four -year term as a Member and then Chairman of the Inland
Waterways Users Board. He currently serves on the Board and Executive Committee
of Waterways Council, Inc. and was its Chairman from 2007 through 2009.
In 2010, Dan was named to the Board of The Nature Conservancy's Great Rivers
Partnership (GRP), which since 2005 has worked to promote the sustainable
development of great rivers on four continents. He is currently serving as Chair of
GRP. Most recently he has served on the Steering Committee for America's Great
Watershed
Initiative.
A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Dan received his Bachelor of Arts degree in economics
from the University of Dayton in 1977 and his Juris Doctor degree from Salmon P.
Chase College of Law in 1981. He is licensed to practice law in both Tennessee and
Ohio.
Dennis Wilmsmeyer
President, IRPT and Executive
Director, America's Central Port
Dennis Wilmsmeyer was appointed executive director of the America's Central Port in
Granite City, Illinois effective July 1, 2010. Prior to that, he spent the previous 11 years
with the Port District; six of those years as general manager.
Wilmsmeyer's responsibilities at the Port District include managing day-to-day
operations, developing the Port's 1,200-acre industrial park and business campus,
redeveloping a former military base, marketing the many benefits of the Port, attracting
new tenants to the property and retaining their numerous current tenants. The Port has
grown from 12 tenants in 2001 to over 75 tenants today.
Wilmsmeyer credits the enormous success of the Port District's growth and
development to a dedicated and extremely talented team of 30 employees all working
toward a common goal of bringing business to southwestern Illinois.
Wilmsmeyer was appointed president of the national organization, Inland Rivers Ports
and Terminals, Inc. in April 2012. He also serves on the Board of the National
Waterways Conference, World Trade Center-St. Louis, and Leadership Council
Southwestern Illinois. He was recently named to the Marine Transportation System
National Advisory Committee.
Bruce Lambert
Executive Director
Institute for Trade &
Transportation Studies
Mr. Lambert serves as the Executive Director, Institute for Trade and Transportation
Studies. ITTS is a multistate research institution formed to assist member states on
understanding the relationship of transportation needs to international and commercial
traffic.
Mr. Lambert has worked for various firms researching trade and transportation activities.
At the Corps of Engineers, Mr. Lambert worked on general maritime policy and
planning, while also serving as the Secretary to the U.S. Section of the International
Navigation Association (PIANC), and worked on technology exchanges with the Latin
American maritime community. Prior to joining the USACE, Mr. Lambert worked at the
Federal Highway Administration. Mr. Lambert managed the Freight Analysis Framework
study; the first large -scale project to map and outline the underlying transportation flows
of the United States economy for national and regional policy research. In addition, Mr.
Lambert developed performance measures for trucking movements on the interstate
system. For his efforts, Mr. Lambert received the U.S. Department of Transportation's
Award of Meritorious Achievement in 2004. Before joining FHWA, Mr. Lambert worked
as a Senior Economist at Standard and Poor's DRI (now IHS Global Insight), where he
examined global maritime shipments and international trade forecasts. Mr. Lambert
spent six years at the Port of Long Beach as the Port's Trade Analyst, conducting
market research for senior management. Mr. Lambert also spent a year at LSU as a
researcher studying the importation of Latin American produce into the Gulf South.
After receiving a Bachelor's of Science Degree from Louisiana State University, Mr.
Lambert earned a Master's of Science Degree from the University of Tennessee.
Congressman Steven Cohen
9th District of Tennessee
United States House of Representatives
Upon election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006, Congressman Cohen
immediately distinguished himself on the Hill for his thoughtful legislation and quick wit.
His pointed questioning of Bush Administration officials like Alberto Gonzalez, David
Addington, Monica Good ling and Michael Mukasey in the highly influential Judiciary
Committee quickly earned Congressman Cohen the reputation as a champion of
government accountability and a fierce interrogator. Speaker Nancy Pelosi even
referred to him as the "conscience of the freshman class" in 2008.
In August of 2008, he was instrumental in passing H.Res.194, a House resolution
apologizing for the enslavement and racial segregation of African Americans. This
historic legislation marked the first time the United States government has ever
apologized for these past injustices. He has remained a steadfast leader on issues of
importance to the people of the 9th District, leading the policy debate on issues like
infant mortality, universal health care, the economy, crime and criminal rehabilitation,
transportation and infrastructure, and of course, education
Congressman Cohen has also dedicated himself to providing outstanding constituent
service to the citizens of Memphis. The doors of his District Office in the Clifford
Davis/Odell Horton Federal Building are always open for constituents, and
Congressman Cohen held more than a dozen town halls around the city which often
included visiting leaders such as Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (MI-14) and
singer/activist Harry Belafonte. He has never faltered in fighting for those who do not
have the power bestowed by wealth and advantage, and his goal is as it has always
been: to ensure that everyone — regardless of race, class or creed — has the opportunity
to achieve their American dream.
Charles D. McVean
Chairman and CEO
McVean Trading & Investments, LLC
Memphis, TN.
McVean graduated with honors from Vanderbilt University in 1965. He began his trading
career in the grain industry, first with Cook Industries of Memphis, TN, and then with the
Louis Dreyfus Corporation of New York City, both major international trading firms.
Subsequently, McVean spent a number of years with Refco Inc., a large Chicago based
futures trading organization. He was one of three principals of the firm.
McVean founded McVean Trading and Investments, LLC in 1986. The company
conducts extensive research in three broad and interrelated areas: 1) livestock and
meats, 2) grains and oilseeds, and 3) global macroeconomics. McVean is a global
organization with foreign operations centering in Beijing, Osaka, and Geneva. In the
U.S., McVean Trading is nationally recognized as a leading authority on the beef cattle
industry. The company manages investments for over 5,000 clients.
Based on breakthroughs in lithium battery technology, a new McVean company is now
introducing its Aerobic Cruiser Hybrid Cycle. The patented Cruiser is billed as "The
World's Most Sophisticated Electric Bicycle," and "The First Truly Capable
Human /Electric Hybrid Vehicle."
McVean founded what is now The Peer Power Foundation in 2004. The organization's
mission is to prepare socioeconomically challenged youth to be professional,
productive, and competitive contributors to our society. The concept is to create and
implement new processes based on personal accountability, discipline, competition, and
incentives, very much like that of the American Free Enterprise System. Peer Power
now operates in eleven schools, employing, for pay, over 150 college and high school
honor students to tutor and mentor over 1,000 students a day. The improvement shown
by foundation "Scholars" is truly exciting. McVean was also instrumental in the founding
of The McVean Learning Center at Christ Methodist Day School.
McVean is particularly proud of two recent developments. The Memphis City Council
recognized him with its Humanitarian of the Year award in 2007 for his successful
efforts to improve public education. Very recently, in September 2009, the Peer Power
program in Shelby, Mississippi was awarded a $600,000 competitive grant from the
21st Century Foundation
Dorchelle Spence
Vice President
Memphis Riverfront Dev. Corp.
Dorchelle Spence is Vice President of the Riverfront Development Corporation, where
she is responsible for providing strategic direction as well as overseeing marketing,
public relations, advertising, community relations, programming and government
relations.
Prior to joining the RDC in 2001, she worked with the Memphis Redbirds Baseball
Foundation where she was instrumental in the completion of Auto Zone Park, the #1
rated minor league ballpark in the nation, and Toyota Center, an historic rehabilitation
office complex. She has worked in the communications and community relations offices
of Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation, First Tennessee Bank and Girls
Incorporated of Memphis. Ms. Spence is also a contributing writer to both Memphis
Parent and Grace magazines and enjoys public speaking.
In 2013, Ms. Spence was named a Woman of Excellence by The New Tri-State
Defender. In 2003, she was recognized as one of the Top 40 Under 40 by The
Memphis Business Journal and in 2001, she was named one of 50 Women Who Make
a Difference by Memphis Woman magazine. Ms. Spence earned her MBA from the
University of Memphis' prestigious Fogelman College of Business and Economics and
is an alumnus of both Leadership Memphis and the New Memphis Institute.
A native Memphian, Ms. Spence is married, has one 11-year-old daughter and three
young adult stepsons.
Congressman Stephen Fincher, TN
Co- Chair, Mississippi River Caucus
United States House of Representatives
Stephen Fincher, 39, is a managing partner in Fincher Farms, a seventh generation West Tennessee
based agribusiness. Stephen has been in agribusiness his entire life, and lives in the Frog Jump
community of Crockett County, beside his father and brother.
At the age of nine, Stephen joined the Southern gospel music singing ministry started by his family
over 60 years ago. The Fincher's produce their own music and have recorded many albums. The
Southern gospel music singing ministry has performed over 2,000 events all over the Southeast.
Stephen has raised money for dozens of community organizations and causes, including the fight
against cancer, child abuse prevention, youth sports organizations as well as many events for
individuals or families in need. He is a Lifetime Member of the NRA and a member of Ducks Unlimited.
Stephen is a member of the House Committee on Financial Services and serves on the Capital
Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises Subcommittee, the Domestic and International
Monetary Policy Committee, as well as the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.
As a successful businessman running a large agriculture operation, Stephen understands capital and
labor intensive projects. He believes Washington must get out of the way and allow small business to
get back in the business of creating jobs. The path to prosperity is not more Washington control or
Washington bailouts but expanding small businesses.
Since being elected, Stephen has been working on multiple issues to allow the private sector to create
jobs, cut government spending, and make Washington more accountable to taxpayers. Some
examples are:
H.R. 3606 Reopening American Capital Markets to Emerging Growth Companies Act of 2011
H.R. 1607 The Creating Real Opportunities for Prosperity Act
H.R. 3193 Welfare Integrity Act of 2011
Stephen and his wife of 20 years, Lynn, have three children: John Austin, Noah, and Sarah. They live
in the Frog Jump community of Crockett County and are active in Archer's Chapel Methodist Church.
Dan Overbey
Executive Director
Semo Port
Daniel L. Overbey has been Executive Director of the Southeast Missouri Regional Port
Authority (Semo Port) since 1993. He grew up in Sikeston MO and attended Southeast
Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau MO (BSBA 1974) and the University of
Texas at Austin (MBA 1976).
His experience includes positions with major railroads (clerk operator, market research
analyst, cost analyst, senior economist), trucking companies (warehouseman,
salesman, dispatcher, development director, assistant to
Dirk Draper
CH2M Hill
Vice President
Dirk Draper has worked on planning and environmental elements of transportation
projects for two decades. Dirk holds a BS in agricultural economics from the University
of Missouri and an MS in natural resource economics from Colorado State University.
Dominik Knoll, Chair
World Trade Center
Mississippi River Alliance
Dominik Knoll is Chief Executive Officer of the World Trade Center of New Orleans, a
non-profit organization dedicated to promoting international business and trade in
Louisiana, U.S. WTCNO consists of over 1,000 corporate members in addition to
several hundred individual members, and prides itself on being the state's strongest and
most experienced international organization. WTCNO acts as a vertically integrated hub
that creates and distributes trade-related information, facilitates community outreach
and education through seminars, meetings, and roundtable discussions, and works
closely with key industry players and government officials to promote the economic
development of the State of Louisiana through trade-related activities.
His international business experience in Italy, Germany, Austria, Denmark, the United
Kingdom, and the United States is supported by extensive management experience and
academic credentials.
Knoll is a regular contributor to the Huffington Post and has been featured in several
national and international publications including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes
Magazine, China Daily, and others. Knoll is also a regular contributor to conferences
such as the World Economic Forum, Clinton Global Initiative, Wall Street Journal
ECO:nomics Summit, and others. In 2012 Knoll was appointed by Governor Bobby
Jindal to serve on the Louisiana Board of International Commerce, an 18-member board
governing all international responsibilities for the state of Louisiana. Knoll also serves on
Congressman Steve Scalise's Energy Advisory Group and the executive committee of
the International Disaster Conference and Expo. Knoll is a member of the national
Council of Competitiveness in Washington, DC and serves on the Executive Advisory
Committee of the Council's U.S. Manufacturing Competitiveness Initiative.
Knoll holds an MBA Degree from the AB Freeman School of Business, Tulane
University, with specialization in Strategic Management and Leadership. In addition,
Knoll holds a Master of Science degree in Management from the Business School -
University of Innsbruck, Austria. Knoll obtained his professional qualification in business
accounting (Rag.) including an Italian Ph.D. (Dottore), from the University of Bolzano,
Italy and has studied at Warwick Business School (UK) and Purdue University (US).
In 2007, he published his first book in German. He is currently working on his second
book. Knoll is a native of Italy and is fluent in English, German, and Italy.
Charles Theiling
Regional Technical Specialist
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Rock Island District
Mississippi River Valley Division
Charles Theiling has degrees in Zoology and Environmental Biology, Aquatic and Fish
Ecology (MS), and a PhD in Large River Ecology from Eastern Illinois University, the
University of Michigan, and the University of Iowa, respectively. Dr. Theiling started
working on large river ecology in 1990 with the Illinois Natural History Survey where he
managed a biological field station.
A brief period of consulting with Ecological Specialists, Inc. included a focus on
macroinvertebrates and rapid bioassessment protocols for impact assessment. Work
for the U.S. Geological Survey (1995 -2000) included large system scale summaries for
ecological status and trends and cumulative effects assessments.
Dr. Theiling also helped compile ecosystem restoration needs to sequence restoration
project implementation. Dr. Theiling joined the Corps of Engineers in 2000 and began
work on watershed issues which provided an "upstream" perspective that integrates
watersheds with their downstream impacts.
Dr. Theiling returned to large river work on the Upper Mississippi - Illinois Waterway
Navigation Feasibility Study and the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program
which clearly defined ecosystem restoration goals for the Upper Mississippi River. Dr.
Theiling initiated a mid - career PhD program in 2007 to integrate hydrology,
geomorphology, and land cover data to estimate the restoration potential for nearly 3
million acres on the Upper Mississippi River System.
Dr. Theiling was appointed to a position asMississippi Valley Division Regional
Technical Specialist in Ecological Modeling in 2009. Current interests include aquatic
habitat connectivity, watershed nutrient abatement, climate adaptation, Green
Infrastructure, and ecosystem goods and services.
Mark Nooris
Majority Leader
Tennessee State Senate
Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris represents Tennessee's 32nd District, which is
comprised of the eastern part of Shelby County and all of Tipton County, which border
the Mississippi River. He was first elected to the Senate in 2000 and as Majority Leader
by his peers in 2007.
This year he was elected the Chairman of the Council of State Governments, our
nation's only organization serving all three branches of state government. CSG is a
region-based forum that fosters the exchange of insights and ideas to help state officials
shape public policy. This offers unparalleled regional, national and international
opportunities to network, develop leaders, collaborate and create problem-solving
partnerships.
Norris serves as an advisory board member of the Mississippi River Corridor —
Tennessee and as a board member on the Tennessee State Workforce Development
Board. In 2011, he championed getting a National Scenic Byway designation for the
"Great River Road Tennessee Trail and Byway." This 185.5 mile corridor interconnects
history, culture and recreation.
Senator Norris is an attorney with the firm of Adams and Reese LLC and a farmer. He
and his wife, Chris, have been married since 1978 and have two sons, a daughter-in-
law and grandson. They make their home on a farm in Collierville.
Janet F. Kavinoky
Executive Director, Transportation &
Infrastructure
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Vice President, Americans for Transportation
Mobility Coalition
Janet F. Kavinoky is a nationally recognized expert in transportation policy, funding, and
finance. As executive director in the Chamber's Congressional and Public Affairs
Division, Kavinoky leads all transportation strategy, policy, and lobbying efforts. She has
expertise in developing consensus policy positions among diverse stakeholders and
lobbying Congress and executive branch agencies on a wide range of legislative and
regulatory matters relating to surface, air, and water transportation.
Kavinoky is vice president of the Chamber -led Americans for Transportation Mobility
(ATM) Coalition, a nationwide effort by business, labor, transportation organizations,
and concerned citizens to advocate for improved and increased federal investment in
the nation's aging and overburdened transportation system.
In 2012, Kavinoky was the key architect behind the effort of the Chamber and the ATM
Coalition to ensure passage of surface transportation legislation, which included the
"Make Transportation Job #1" nationwide campaign with TV, radio, and print ads and
grassroots outreach and events with local partners.
In addition, Kavinoky developed and leads the Chamber's Let's Rebuild America (LRA)
initiative to raise the profile of infrastructure issues, broaden stakeholder engagement,
and create new opportunities for businesses to influence public policy. As part of LRA,
Kavinoky guided a multidisciplinary team to develop and regularly update the
groundbreaking Transportation Performance Index. The Index assesses the degree to
which surface, air, and water transportation systems are meeting business and
economic demands and correlates improvement and decline with economic indicators.
Kavinoky received her bachelor's degree in political economy from the University of
Wyoming, where she was a Harry S. Truman Scholar. She earned a master's degree in
business administration from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.