The South Dakota Economic Summit drew 425 people to the Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls on April 9, 2009.  The event, co-hosted by Bender Commercial Real Estate Services, the Associated General Contractors of South Dakota and Forward Sioux Falls brought business leaders to the area to discuss predictions and prospects of the economic recovery of South Dakota.

Mayor Dave Munson and U.S. Senator John Thune discussed some of the positive aspects of Sioux Falls and South Dakota.  These included the ability of local business owners to band together for the greater good of the community, the excellent work force and work ethics that the city and state has to office as well as ways to solve state weaknesses, such as transmitting wind energy.

Best Buy, CEO, Brad Anderson, one of the keynote speakers of the event discussed the opportunities that such economic times may provide people.  "This generation has the tools", he said about our country's recovery if we capitalize on new ideas as we move away from more traditional business plans.

Dr. Gary Stern, Chief Executive of the Ninth Federal Reserve Bank, thought that economic recovery might be more than a year away preceeded by a slow climb.  He has seen some progress in the financial sector through the work of the Federal Reserve to reduce short term interest rates, improve liquidity and efforts to decrease the interest rates of longer term loan instruments.  He stressed that the health of the financial systems is essential to economic growth for business and individuals alike for the purchases of homes and durable goods.

Below are links to videos of excerpts from the South Dakota Economic Summit:

Introduction to the South Dakota Summit

Dave Fleck of the AGC of South Dakota

U.S. Senator John Thune

Dr. Gary Stern of the Ninth Federal Reserve Bank