ICMA has launched free weekly teleconferences for ICMA members to address the COVID-19 pandemic. These teleconferences will feature experts discussing the current situation, as well as how to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus on your community and local government operations. Speakers will provide up-to-date information to help inform your decisions. Details and registration for the teleconferences follows.  Listen to past COVID-19 teleconferences here.

Coronavirus: ICMA Community Conversation on Recovering from Economic Disasters

Date: Friday, March 27

Time: 2:30 – 3:00 PM ET

Jeff Finkle, president and CEO of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), will provide an update on COVID-19.  He will describe lessons learned from past experiences in emerging from economic disasters and share important information about resources that communities can tap in the weeks and months ahead to help them recover from this disaster. Following his brief presentation, ICMA members will have the opportunity to ask questions. << Speaker bio >>

Register for this event

You will receive a confirmation email once you register. 

This teleconference is part of a series on the COVID-19 topic. This event will be recorded and made available on demand at Local Gov Life podcast.

ICMA has and will continue to keep members informed on the latest developments on this issue. For more information and resources, visit ICMA's coronavirus update page.

Speaker Bios

Friday, March 27 Teleconference

Jeff Finkle

As president and CEO of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), Jeff Finkle is a recognized leader and authority on economic development. With the formation of IEDC in 2001 following the merger of the Council for Urban Economic Development (CUED) - where he was president for 15 years - and the American Economic Development Council (AEDC), Jeff set the course for a more effective and influential organization. Today IEDC is the world's largest economic development membership organization and is a $5 million annual operation that is renowned for its leadership in professionalizing and diversifying the field of economic development.

Jeff previously served as deputy assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and has received numerous awards over the years for his commitment to making sustainable economic development a priority in communities of all sizes. Significantly, in 2011 he was lauded by the U.S. Department of Commerce for his 25 years of stewardship over CUED and IEDC. Moreover, as a longtime leader in community service and philanthropy, in 2005 Jeff organized 250 economic development volunteers to work in Gulf Coast communities endeavoring to recover from Hurricane Katrina. In 1989 he also founded the Bollinger Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance to children who have lost a parent who worked in the field of economic development.

A frequent lecturer and author of numerous articles, Jeff has appeared on CBS Sunday Morning, Fox television and the Journal Report on PBS. He received a bachelor of science degree in communications in 1976 from Ohio University in Athens and pursued graduate studies in business administration at Ohio State University. He maintains a strong connection with Ohio University’s Voinovich School for Leadership and Public Affairs.

The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 5,000 members, IEDC is the largest organization of its kind. For more information about IEDC, visit iedconline.org. 

Listen to Past Teleconferences: Visit the Local Gov Life Podcast site for audio of all teleconferences

Podcast Available      Mar 20: Coronavirus: ICMA Community Conversation on the Impact on Public Health with Dr. E. Oscar Alleyne, chief of programs and services, National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO)