Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood will be the keynote speaker as the QCBJ presents its first-ever Transportation & Infrastructure Seminar in April.
The seminar will provide an overview and discussions about various transportation and infrastructure projects and issues that will impact the Quad Cities region’s businesses and industries. The event will be from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday, April 11, at Bally’s Quad Cities Casino & Hotel, Rock Island.
With a 36-year career in public service, Mr. LaHood has extensive experience on major national policy issues including transportation and infrastructure. He served as the 16th U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary from 2009 to 2013. His tenure was marked by landmark efforts to improve safety in every mode of transportation, from aviation and rail to pipelines and automobiles.
Under his leadership, improvements to America’s infrastructure included building or replacing 350,000 miles of highway, renewing or constructing 6,000 miles of rail tracks, and repairing 20,000 bridges.
He launched the effort to replace the Quad Cities Interstate 74 bridge, which he declared one of the worst in the nation. And he signed off on $67 million in federal funding that kickstarted the years-long effort to make it a reality.
As secretary, he also oversaw an agency with more than 55,000 employees and a $70 billion budget for air, maritime and surface transportation.
Leaders crowd panel
In addition to the keynote address, the event will feature these presenters:
- Amy Asselin, global marketing manager, Deere Excavators, John Deere.
- Denise Bulat, executive director, Bi-State Regional Commission.
- Col. Jesse Curry, district commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District.
- Benjamin Leischner, executive director, Quad Cities International Airport.
- Scott Marler, director, Iowa Department of Transportation.
- Jeff Nelson, CEO and managing director, MetroLINK.
- Omer Osman, transportation secretary, Illinois Department of Transportation.
Among topics will be the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and how some of these monies can come back to the Quad Cities.
Attendees also will hear from a panel of Quad Cities public works leaders. They include Mike Bartels, Rock Island public works director; Nicole Gleason, Davenport assistant city administrator/public works director; Tim Kammler, East Moline director of engineering director; Brian Schmidt, Bettendorf public works director; and Denver Schmitt, Moline public works director.
Tickets still available
The 2024 Transportation & Infrastructure seminar is sponsored by Valley Construction, IMEG, Shive Hattery Architecture + Engineering, MetroLINK and Ecogistics. For information on additional sponsorships, contact Dayle Hall, QCBJ media consultant, at (563) 345-7225, ext. 326, or [email protected].
“We are pleased to be partnering with Valley Construction on the new Transportation & Infrastructure Symposium to help update the Quad Cities on all of the major transportation and infrastructure projects happening in the market,” said John Lohman, CEO and president of the Corridor Media Group, which publishes the QCBJ. “We are especially thankful that former U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has agreed to deliver the luncheon keynote.”
Tickets for the seminar, which includes a luncheon, are $75 each or $575 for a table of eight if purchased before Thursday, March 21. After that date, tickets are $95 each or $760 for a table of eight. For more information or to register, visit here or contact Lucas Hayes at (319) 665-6397 or [email protected].
