TN Managing Economic Development Course
The Tennessee Managing Economic Development Course is a one-and-a-half-day course that focuses on building an effective economic development organization at local, state and regional levels. Topics include examining organizational models, measuring performance, management approaches, roles of key leaders, stakeholder relations, navigating the political environment, board management, media relations, communications strategies and strategic planning.
This course is one of a series provided by UT Center for Industrial Services (UT CIS) designed to share best practices and trends with Tennessee’s economic development practitioners, private industry leaders, community leaders and elected officials.
Date and Location:
November 18-19, 2026 - West TN (Registration / Hotel Links Coming Soon!)
Course Agenda
2026 Agenda Coming Soon!
Course Fee:
Registration $445 | Early Registration $395 (By: TBD)
The registration fee covers course instruction. Course materials, selected meals, and refreshment breaks are complimentary. Registration does not cover hotel and other travel expenses. Registration is limited to 35 participants and is filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please remit payment for the course no later than 10-days prior to the course start date. If payment is not received, you risk having your registration cancelled to make room for those on the wait list.
Course Times:
Onsite check-in: 9:30 AM
Day 1: 10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Day 2: 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Meals provided: Day 1 - Lunch; Day 2 - Breakfast
Registration:
2026 Registration Link Coming Soon!
Cancellation and Refund Policy:
Cancellations made 7 days or more prior to the course start date will be eligible for a full refund or credit. Cancellations made less than 7 days will be eligible for credit only for a future course.
Hotel Accommodations:
2026 Hotel Booking Link Coming Soon!
Scholarships:
A limited number of scholarships are available to course participants from Tennessee. Scholarships cover $295 of the $395 early registration fee, and do not include hotel, travel or meals. Scholarship recipients will be required to pay $100 of the tuition cost, which will not be refundable should the participant withdraw from the course. Applications must be received by TBD to be considered.
If applying for a scholarship, please register for the class to save a seat and choose the "Invoice" option. If a scholarship is not received, the participant may decide to keep the seat or withdraw at the time of notification with no penalty. Scholarships are non-transferable.
Applications for scholarships can be downloaded here Scholarship Application.
Dress Code:
The attire for the course is business casual.
Other TCED Economic Development Courses:
View other TCED economic development courses
Instructor: Kendrick Curtis, PhD
Kendrick is the Assistant Executive Director for the Middle Tennessee Industrial Development Association (MTIDA), who represents and promotes economic development in 40 counties in central Tennessee. An association of the electric power distributors in the region, MTIDA provides support services for industrial recruitment in cooperation with the State of Tennessee and Tennessee Valley Authority.
Prior to joining MTIDA, Kendrick served as Community and Rural Development Director for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD). Read Full Bio
