Committee to hold focus groups

The Legislative Council's Interim Workforce Committee will host four focus groups in early February to involve business leaders in shaping workforce legislation for the 2009 Legislature.

The schedule of meetings is:

n 7:30-10:30 a.m. Tuesday, UND Center for Innovation, Grand Forks

n 11-2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Speedway Event Center, West Fargo

n 9-12 noon Feb. 12, Grand International, (formerly International Inn), Minot

n 11-2:30 p.m. Feb. 13, Dickinson State University Strom Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Dickinson

The North Dakota Department of Commerce is helping coordinate the events. Commerce Commissioner Shane Goettle said interest from key leaders in economic development, business, education and across industry sectors has been very strong. More than 250 people have already registered to attend. More than 200 of them have completed a 10-minute pre-session survey to get a broader sense of people's views on the topic.

The committee will host a statewide Workforce Congress on April 10 at the Capitol to report on the input received from the local focus groups and identify top priorities that will be included in a legislative package of proposed workforce initiatives.

BMDA annual meeting scheduled

The Bismarck-Mandan Development Association will hold its annual meeting beginning at 11:45 a.m. Friday in the Ramkota Hotel's Dakota Ballroom.

Dennis Schneider, vice president of global operations for Bobcat Co., will be the keynote speaker. Schneider will be speaking about the current and future plans of Bobcat Co., its supply bases and synergies with Bismarck related to the Northern Plains Commerce Centre.

Tickets for the luncheon meeting are $30 per person, and are available by calling the BMDA office at 222-5530 or e-mailing to info@bmda.org.