Leaders Summit 2016: The Tech Success Story of Kansas City, MO
If you’ve got a business in Kane County, if you play a key role in local government, health care or education, you really will want to sign up — now — to attend the 2016 Kane County Leaders Summit set for May 27 at the Q Center in St. Charles.
More than 160 people already have RSVP’d to see Kane County Chief Information Officer Roger Fahnestock’s presentation on how to take advantage of Kane County’s 47 miles of fiber-optic cable infrastructure, to learn more about the regional “Global Cities” initiative and to connect with local business and political leaders.
Michael Burke
But the keynote speaker might, by himself, be worth the $35 price of admission.
That’s because Michael Burke has been instrumental in the process of turning Kansas City, MO, into one of the most successful tech communities in the U.S.
Burke is a lawyer by trade but he might be best known as a technophile. He chaired the “Launch KC” initiative, a program of the Economic Development Corporation and the Downtown Council to assist small- and medium-size tech companies. He advises on the KC Digital Drive initiative and Digital Sandbox proof-of-concept project. He was a 2014 winner of Government Technology Magazine’s “Dreamers, Doers & Drivers Award.”
Thanks to Burke and others, Kansas City is part of a leading edge movement to use advances in technology to change the way cities work – from more efficient management of infrastructure like traffic signals, streetlights and stormwater systems to new ways to engage with residents and visitors. These changes follow three major goals established in the KC Digital Roadmap:
- to improve the delivery of city services
- to enhance the citizen experience
- to support entrepreneurship and economic development
The smart city initiative will also improve the way people experience Kansas City, from the flow of traffic to better city services to more free public Wi-Fi. Its business applications — and its economic development opportunities — are limited only by one’s imagination.
Kane County — Illinois’ own “KC” — can learn from KCMO’s example, and Burke will be able to shed light on the possibilities now available with the county’s 47 miles of fiber optic infrastructure.
You can learn from his presentation, too. Simply click here to sign up on the Eventbrite link.
SOURCE: KCMO.gov
