Create the Future Initiative Event to be Held on April 15

As part of the upcoming Land of Beginnings Festival, a Create
the Future Initiative event is planned for Thursday April 15 at the
Wright Brothers Pavilion in Kill Devil Hills. The event is a
collaboration between College of The Albemarle, the Create the Future
Committee, the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce, and the Dare Education
Foundation.

Create the Future Initiative (CFI) is a group of Outer Banks business
people, non-profits, and educators who have the vision of a community
working together to prepare itself for the future, pursuing educational
and technological innovation, diverse cultural offerings and the
cultivation of natural resources. Our mission is to facilitate a
diverse, robust and sustainable regional economy preserving and
enhancing the future quality of life on the Outer Banks.

Create the Future Day on April 15, will blend these elements of the
vision and the mission of CFI. Joe Fredosso, Executive Director of the
Microelectronics Center of NC (MCNC), a catalyst for technology-based
economic development throughout the state, will talk about ways MCNC can
help with economic development in the region and ways to access venture
capital for new initiatives.

A panel of four OBX entrepreneurs will discuss ways they have "made it
happen" on the Outer Banks.

Andy Keeler, Professor of Public Policy at Ohio Statue University's John
Glenn School of Public Administration will give insight into how one
economist sees the economic future of the Outer Banks unfolding.

Additionally, Create the Future Day will kick-off an Outer Banks
"community read" event that will help the audience focus on core values
that will help us prosper in the future.

The CFI website will be utilized to enable attendees to blog and post on
various topics of the day making this a most interactive event.

Lunch will be provided at no charge for those who pre-register. The
Dare County Arts Council will provide lunchtime entertainment which will
be followed by an opportunity for networking and collaboration.

Participants are urged to bring their web-enabled laptops for wireless
connection. Lunch will be provided for participants who pre-register by
April 14 by calling College of The Albemarle at 473.2264 extension 0.

The Land of Beginnings Festival is an annual celebration of
Outer Banks Originals which defines who we are as a community. Events
planned at various sites that week include exciting cultural,
educational and entertainment activities. Participating sponsors include
both nonprofits and businesses that subscribe to promoting the future of
the Outer Banks by preserving its past.



[Photo cut lines: At last year's Create the Future Initiative event,
Marshall Brain, expert explainer, teacher, columnist and author of the
best-selling book "How Stuff Works," shared his vision of tomorrow so
participants can anticipate and prepare for the needs of the community.]

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