*Media Advisory* Annual Missouri Community Development Conference

WHAT: "Building Communities from Within," the annual Missouri Community Development Conference, which will allow communities of all sizes a unique opportunity to exchange ideas, discuss updates, network and share new information about community development.

WHEN: Jan. 25 - 27, 2006

WHERE: University Plaza Hotel and Convention Center in Springfield, Mo.

WHO: The Missouri Community Development Society, in partnership with Great Southern Bank, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, Ozarks Regional Economic Partnership, Springfield Finance and Development Corp., Bank of America and Economic Development Resources Inc.

Conference keynote speakers will include:

• Burt Chojnowski of Fairfield, Iowa, the brains behind BrainBelt Inc., the online community for rural and small-town entrepreneurs.
• Lisa Trevino Cummins of Arlington, Va., who has worked at the White House and HUD with faith-based organizations and is now doing the same through her own firm, Urban Strategies LLC.
• Jack Stack of Springfield, Mo., founder and chief executive officer of SRC Holdings Corp. and one of Inc. magazines "25 Most Fascinating Entrepreneurs."

WHY: Topics will include philanthropy in small communities, regionalism, faith-based community development, disaster recovery, entrepreneurship, the arts of economic development, doing the tough deal, strengthening "Main Street" and sources of financing for smaller communities.

Registration deadline is Monday, Jan. 23. The registration fee for the two-day conference is $145 for nonmembers, $110 for members and $90 for students with identification. Participants can register online at www.mocds.org or call (417) 895-4628.

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