WASHINGTON, September 14, 2005—The Appalachian Regional Commission's 2005 annual conference will be held October 5–6 at Muskingum College in Appalachian Ohio. The conference's theme is "Winning the Economic Future: The Rural Advantage."

Hosted by the Ohio Governor's Office of Appalachia, the conference will explore innovative strategies to enhance the competitiveness of Appalachia's rural communities in the twenty-first century's global economy.

In a joint statement, Ohio Governor Bob Taft and ARC Federal Co-Chair Anne B. Pope said, "Together with our public and private partners, we will explore new ways to leverage our partnerships and resources to the maximum economic benefit for the Region. We challenge you to engage in dialogue, share ideas, and hear updates from various experts on what economic development strategies are working."

Those expected to attend include state and local economic- and community-development officials, chamber of commerce staff, and business and community leaders.

Keynote speakers will include Charles W. "Chuck" Fluharty, director of the Rural Policy Research Institute; and Amy Glasmeier, professor of Geography and Regional Planning at Pennsylvania State University.

The conference agenda will include sessions on exploring industry clusters that are positioned for growth in Appalachia's economy; examining demographic characteristics of migration flows into and out of Appalachia; discovering the natural resources found in Appalachia's mountains, valleys, and forests; and learning how businesses expand markets through global trade.

The conference registration fee is $155.00 and includes all meals and conference materials. For more information and to register, visit www.arcfallconference.com.