Creating a Talent-rich Region Thursday, October 11 There is a growing consensus that talent is the key to regional prosperity. Along with having a strong local education system, successful regions are now implementing talent attraction and retention strategies. This interactive session will focus on efforts to attract a skilled workforce with a particular emphasis on the value of immigrants and their extended global networks. Further, the session will explore the development a "brain gain and retain" initiatives that have been implemented in various regions. A lively discussion will be lead by AnnaLee Saxenian, renowned Berkeley professor and author of The New Argonauts: Regional Advantage of a Global Economy and Randall Kempner, Vice President of Regional Innovation at the Council on Competitiveness and author of the report Regional Innovation: National Prosperity.