Business, Community Leaders To Discuss Defense Reinvestment

BUSINESS, COMMUNITY LEADERS TO DISCUSS DEFENSE REINVESTMENT

     COLUMBUS -- As funding for defense continues to shrink, 
communities dependent on military installations and 
contractors are focusing on how to maintain their economies 
in the midst of downsizing and closures.

     Although Congress has set aside money to help 
businesses and communities affected by base closures and 
reduced contracts, there has been little evaluation of the 
results of that spending, said Patricia Byrnes, assistant 
professor of public policy and management at The Ohio State 
University.

     Byrnes has organized a conference for Ohio business and 
community leaders and government employees to examine what 
has worked and what hasn't in terms of retraining, retooling 
and converting defense production to civilian applications.  
The Defense Reinvestment Workshop will be held March 29, 
8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Fawcett Center, 2400 Olentangy 
River Road.

     "We'll look at what businesses can do and labor and 
work force issues," Byrnes said.  "We'll talk about the 
future of defense spending and defense reinvestment 
programs."

     Lt. Gov. Nancy P. Hollister will welcome a group of 
speakers that include:

     -- Dorothy Robyn, special assistant to President 
Clinton for economic policy and staff member of the National 
Economic Council.  Robyn is responsible for technology 
policy and defense reinvestment and transition.  She has 
helped to promote commercial-military integration and to 
shape and implement Clinton's plan for military base reuse.  
She has a doctorate in public policy from the University of 
California at Berkeley.

     -- David J. Berteau, vice president for business 
development at Science Applications International Corp.  
Berteau coordinates the firm's federal privatization and 
state and local government business development.  His 
business development areas include defense logistics, base 
closures and reuse, technology development and transfer, and 
defense conversion.  He has a Master of Public 
Administration degree from the University of Texas.

     -- Andrew Krepinevich, director of the Center for 
Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, an independent, non-
profit research organization.  The center is committed to 
fostering a national security policy that balances available 
fiscal resources and national security needs over the long 
term.  Krepinevich has a doctorate from Harvard University.

     -- U.S. Rep. David Hobson, R-7th District, member of 
the national security subcommittee of the House 
Appropriations Committee.  Hobson's district includes 
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton.

     Topics will include retraining workers for jobs outside 
of defense and transfer of technology to applications and 
products in the private sector.

     Byrnes said participants will discuss tools defense-
related businesses need to survive and prosper, what 
government and businesses can do to help defense workers, 
and how state and local governments can work together to 
meet community needs.

     The conference is sponsored by Ohio State's School of 
Public Policy and Management and the Ohio Department of 
Development.

     More information and registration is available from 
Byrnes by phone at (614) 292-4533 or fax at (614) 292-2548.  
Registration fee is $25 and includes lunch.

                             #

Contact:  Patricia Byrnes, (614) 292-4533.
Written by Tom Spring, (614) 292-8309.

Pronunciation guide:  Dorothy Robyn (ROW-bine).


[Submitted by: Von Reid-Vargas (ereid@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu)
               
Thu, 21 Mar 1996 10:28:06 -0500]
All documents are the responsibility of their originator.