MEDFA News & Events CONFERENCE SPEAKERS Keynote Dinner Speaker David D. Kerr Governor Jay Nixon named David D. Kerr as the Director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development on October 29, 2009. As Director, Mr. Kerr is responsible for leading Governor Nixon’s efforts to boost economic development and attract and retain jobs in Missouri. Kerr served as Secretary of the Kansas Department of Commerce from 2007-2009. In that capacity he led the state’s economic development organization in its mission to deliver the highest level of business development, workforce and marketing services to build a healthy and expanding Kansas economy. Kerr oversaw the state’s efforts to create jobs through business recruitment and expansion, agriculture marketing, workforce development, rural development, community development, international trade and travel and tourism. Kerr joined Commerce after serving as President of AT&T Kansas from 2003-2007, where he was responsible for all regulatory, legislative and governmental and external affairs activities in the state. Kerr joined AT&T in Topeka in 1979. In 1981, he moved to St. Louis, where he held positions of increasing responsibility while leading marketing, account and finance teams. He moved to Dallas in 1997 to become Vice President, Access Marketing. Kerr grew up in the western Kansas town of Ness City, graduated from Savior of the World High School in Bonner Springs and attended Fort Hays State University. He earned bachelor’s degrees in both economics and business administration from Avila University in Kansas City and is a former Topeka Jaycee of the Year. A committed volunteer and community leader, Kerr has served as a board member of the Jayhawk Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, United Way of Greater Topeka, Topeka Performing Arts Center and Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters. He served as Chairman of the Board for the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and was the 2006 Chairman of the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce Board. Kerr also served on the Advisory Board for Kansas State University’s College of Business and Kansas University’s School of Engineering Advisory Board. He also served as a board member of the Kansas State Fair, Kansas Post Secondary Technical Education Authority, Kansas Inc., Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation, and the Easter Seals Capper Foundation. Mr. Kerr and his wife, Mary, live in Jefferson City. Their son, Douglas, and his wife live in St. Louis, while their daughter, Alicia, resides in Durham, North Carolina. Closing Session Guest Speaker Julianne C. Iwersen-Niemann (Juli Niemann) Executive Vice-President Research and Portfolio Management Juli Niemann is a financial analyst with over 40 years in the investment industry, currently with Smith Moore and Company. Prior companies include Waddell and Reed, United Mutual Funds University of Mo. St.Louis Edward Jones and Co., Stifel Nicholas, Huntleigh Securities, and RT Jones. Media: Radio: KTRS, KWMU, Metro News, National Public Radio shows including: Talk of the Nation, To the Point, Market Place, and All Things Considered, KMOX Television: KSDK 5, KTVI 2, KDNL 11, KETC 9, KMOV 4 Print: St.Louis Post Dispatch, St.Louis Business Journal, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Times, Forbes, Fortune, various regional newspapers and magazines. Book: co-authored “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Politics of Oil” with Charles Jaco and Lita Epstein Education: B.A., Fontbonne College, St.Louis, and MBA/finance, University of Missouri, St.Louis Professional affiliations: St.Louis Society of Financial Analysts, Advocacy chairman, Chartered Financial Analysts Institute, National Association of Petroleum Investment Analysts, National Association of Business Economists, National Investor Relations Institute editorial board Current community affiliations: Girl Scouts Board of Directors, treasurer, finance and endowment committees; Rotary Club 11, Metro Children’s Theater Company, finance committee; St. Louis Forum; Missouri Women’s Forum, St. Louis Culinary Society; Focus St. Louis; Women’s Democratic Forum; Parents as Teachers, endowment committee