Tim Bartik, Ph.D., a senior economist with the Upjohn Institute for Employment Research in Kalamazoo, will be the keynote speaker at the Cass County Great Start Business Summit on Tuesday, June 28, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at Mathews Conference Center at Southwestern Michigan College.

The summit is sponsored by the Great Start Collaborative of Cass County, in partnership with Midwest Energy Cooperative of Cassopolis.

The summit will address how investing in quality early childhood education and programs impacts economic development and the business community.

Bartik’s research focuses on state and local economic development and local labor markets, including research in the following areas: the evaluation of economic development programs, how investment in early childhood programs affects local economies, the benefits of higher education institutions for local economic development and alternative policies for increasing labor demand for the poor. Bartik has authored several books on business and economic development, including Investing in Kids – Early Childhood Program and Local Economic Development.

Members of the regional business community are encouraged to attend this event, which is free and open to the public. Breakfast will be provided.

For more information or to RSVP, please contact Heather Merrill at (269) 445-6217 or

hmerrill@lewiscassisd.org.

Reservation deadline is June 20.

The Great Start Collaborative is a group made up of parents, clergy, business people and health and human service organization leaders, with a mission to insure that all children arrive at the kindergarten door ready, willing and able to succeed in school and in life.