U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Will Present Awards at Banquet

Contact:
Jessica Thompson, Marketing & Communications Director
jessica@bgchamber.com; 270-781-3200

BOWLING GREEN, KY-The Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that Matthew S. Erskine, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development and Chief Operating Officer at the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), will give the keynote address at the Chamber's 2011 Business & Industry Appreciation Banquet on September 29, 2011.

"Mr. Erskine's speech at our banquet will be an unprecedented event for the Chamber. His professional experience in the public and private sectors, and now at the federal level, gives him a unique perspective on the economy, both nationally and internationally," said Chamber Board of Directors Rodney Rogers. "We're grateful to have such a high caliber speaker participate in our banquet, which is our time to publicly thank our businesses and industries for their contributions to our region."

The Chamber's 2011 Business & Industry Appreciation Banquet will honor South Central Kentucky's targeted businesses, which conduct more than 50 percent of their business outside of Kentucky, thereby bringing new dollars and investment into the region. The Chamber will present awards in the following categories: Business of the Year, Newcomer, Expansion, Export Excellence, Green-to-Gold, and Innovation. More information about the banquet, including registration information, can be found online at www.bgchamber.com.

"I thank the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce for the opportunity to address the 2011 Business & Industry Appreciation Banquet," Erskine said. "Bowling Green has many unique assets that make it a great place to do business, and I look forward to discussing how the Obama administration is partnering with communities like Bowling Green to catalyze their bottom-up strategies to create new jobs."

U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development and Chief Operating Officer Erskine was recently appointed to the U.S. EDA, where he assists U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development John Fernandez in overseeing the operations at the EDA, which include the review and development of the EDA's programs and the implementation of policy priorities that support President Barack Obama's efforts to create jobs and increase business growth. The EDA's mission is to generate jobs, help retain existing jobs and stimulate industrial and commercial growth in economically distressed areas of the United States.

Before joining the EDA, Erskine was the Greater Washington Board of Trade's vice president and the executive director of the Greater Washington Initiative, a public-private regional economic development organization that works to strengthen and enhance the economic competitiveness of the Greater Washington region that includes the District of Columbia, northern Virginia and suburban Maryland. He was previously the president of PLAY, a management consulting firm based in Richmond, Va., that specializes in advising the senior management of Fortune 500 and mid-cap companies in areas of business strategy and organizational development. He served as the deputy secretary of commerce and trade from 2002 to 2005 under Virginia Governor Mark Warner and as a member of Virginia Governor Tim Kaine's Commerce and Trade transition advisory committee from 2005 to 2006.

"I worked with Mr. Erskine during my time in Virginia," said Chamber President & CEO Ron Bunch, CEcD. "He is a dynamic professional, and I'm confident that his remarks will provide our Chamber representatives with great insight into our current economy. We're honored that he's agreed to attend this year's banquet."

To learn more about U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development and Chief Operating Officer, visit www.eda.gov. To purchase tickets for the Business & Industry Appreciation Banquet, visit www.bgchamber.com.

About the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce:
Incorporated in 1935, the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce is a 5-Star Accredited Chamber by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and was named the 2009 Chamber of the Year by the American Chamber of Commerce Executives. As the fourth largest chamber in Kentucky, the Chamber serves as a premier business advocate for its more than 1,300 partners and is the driving force for economic development in South Central Kentucky. Its primary goals are to promote growth and success in the business community, reaching its small business partners and those in large industries alike. With leadership programs, governmental relations projects, educational initiatives and involvement opportunities, the Chamber aims to support the community and its neighbors in order to enhance the business climate and continue to grow the region.