I.

CALL TO ORDER

II.

ROLL CALL

III.

INTRODUCTIONS

IV.

NoRTEC OVERVIEW - C. Brown (9:00 - 9:30)
Everything you want to know about NoRTEC in 20 minutes or less.

V.

NoRTEC BUSINESS SERVICES - Kathy Schmitz and Anna Brassart (9:30 - 10:45)
We say our mission is unlimited employment opportunities for Northern California. We say our primary customer is our local businesses. Kathy (Director of the "Tehama Job Training Center and Business One Stop Services") and Anna (Director of the Shasta County "Smart Business Resource Center") will present an overview of our business service program and what impact it is having on our job seekers and businesses.

VI.

BREAK (10:45 - 11:00)

VII.

THE WORLD IS FLAT, Thomas Friedman (11:00 - 12:00)
We will show a film of Mr. Friedman presenting the ideas in his book to the National Governor's Association.

VIII.

HOSTED LUNCH (12 - 1)

IX.

SMALL BUSINESS CALIFORNIA - Scott Hauge* (1:00 - 1:45)
Mr. Hauge is the founder of Small Business California; http://www.smallbusinesscalifornia.org/. He will discuss the mission, projects, accomplishments and advantages of becoming a member. Scott is also looking for ideas on needed legislation for small business in one of the six priority areas identified by Small Business California: Healthcare, Workers Compensation, Workforce Development, Government Regulation, Energy, and Access to Capital.

X.

BREAK (1:45 - 2:00)

XI.

WHAT THE HECK DOES BUSINESS WANT? - Virginia Hamilton** (2:00 - 4:30)
Virginia Hamilton, Director, California Workforce Association (http://www.calworkforce.org/), will facilitate this brainstormimg, concensus building discussion of the challenges businesses face, particularly those that affect the bottom line. We will answer the burning question: "What do you need to stay in business, and grow your business?"

XII.

ADJOURN (4:30)

XIII.

HOSTED DINNER (6:00)

Keeping it brief
*Scott Hauge - In addition to founding Small Business California, Mr. Hauge founded the San Francisco Small Business Advocates (a political action group) and the San Francisco Small Business Network (an association of 17 small business associations in San Francisco with a membership of about 17000 small businesses.) Mr. Hauge is Vice President of Membership of the National Small Business Association, and in 2002 was cited by the Insurance Journal as one of the nine most influential insurance agents in the US.

** Virginia Hamilton - Virginia Hamilton is the Executive Director of the California Workforce Association (CWA), a non-profit that develops public policy strategies and builds local capacity to address critical workforce issues. She serves on the Board of Directors of the California Association for Local Economic Development, the National Workforce Association, the Institute for Work and the Economy, and the California Space Authority, and served on the Community Transportation Association of America Jobs project Expert Panel, Children Nows Working Families Business Advisory Committee. Ms. Hamilton has collaborated with Toffler Associates, founded by Alvin and Heidi Toffler, on developing future scenarios for workforce in California. She serves on numerous panels, task forces, and boards related to workforce policy, welfare reform, and employment, training and education issues.