A panel of homeland security experts will take a look at how the public and private sectors can work together to tighten security on our home front during the Wednesday, May 28 session of the Tennessee Valley Corridor Summit. 

The Regional Economic Summit hosted by Congressman Bud Cramer will be held in Huntsville, Ala. May 27-29 at the Von Braun Center.  On-line registration information for the event can be found at www.tennvalleycorridor.org.

"The topic of homeland security has grown in significance to the entire nation since the September 11th terrorist attacks and the ongoing War on Terrorism and the War in Iraq. With the resources in the Tennessee Valley region, we are uniquely positioned to handle these concerns," said Cramer.  "That is why homeland security is one of the Corridor's top 10 initiatives, and why we are helping lead the nation in our research and development in this area."

Dr. Robin White will moderate the 2:30 to 4 p.m. General Session III:  Corridor Initiative Update and Homeland Security Panel. White recently joined Oak Ridge National Laboratory and is the former director of the Oak Ridge Center for International Threat Reduction. Joining her on the panel will be Congressman Zach Wamp, TN-3rd district, who sits on the homeland security subcommittee of the full House Appropriations committee; Tom Devanney, deputy program director, Ground-Based MidCourse Defense Joint Project Office at the U.S. Army?s Redstone Arsenal; LZ Johnson, director of the Center for Domestic Preparedness; and Mack Barber, president of the Oak Ridge-based REMOTEC.

The panel will look at ways the Tennessee Valley Corridor can assist our nation's capital in improving security to our home front and internationally. The group also will discuss what is being done on a local level to train our region's first responders.

Later that same afternoon, General Session IV:  The Next Frontier In Space Transportation, on May 28, will focus on next generation space launch technologies and Project Prometheus' NASA's nuclear propulsion system initiative.  Additionally, the session will highlight the Army's propulsion initiatives, unmanned systems initiative and other important programs within the Army's Research and Design Evaluation Center.  

Art Stephenson, director, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center will serve as moderator for the session with Garry Lyles, manager of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center's Next Generation Launch Technologies Project Office; Sherrell Green, senior Research and Development Program Manager for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory; and officials from the U.S. Army Research and Design Evaluation Center and the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command speaking.  

The day will conclude with a closing dinner: National Leadership through Regional Cooperation, where General Paul Kern, commanding general, U.S. Army Materiel Command will discuss changes in Army command structure and responsibilities, the priorities of the Army Materiel Command and how the Tennessee Valley region can better support those priorities.  Dr. Jeremiah F. Creedon, NASA's associate administrator of Aerospace Technology, will discuss his work in developing integrated, innovative agency-level technology for aeronautics and space.  Creedon is also responsible for developing new commercial partnerships that will maintain technology core competencies at the NASA field centers.   

"Over the last eight years, the Summits have been a way for us to join together as a region to better evaluate, monitor and leverage our tremendous technological capabilities. These Summits have developed into an essential part of our region's economic development plans, bringing together our unique assets. We are truly an example for the entire nation," said Congressman Zach Wamp, who has led the Summit series since its origination in 1995. "This year's speaker line-up shows the importance of these summits.  I can't think of another event where you would have a four-star general, the top officials from NASA, Redstone Arsenal, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. DOT, Toyota, U.S. DOE, TVA and ARC together to discuss their work and how to better partner with others throughout the region.  It's truly an amazing event for everyone involved."  

The Tennessee Valley Corridor Summits have become the vehicle for monitoring the Corridor's initiatives and identifying priorities and opportunities for economic development in the Tennessee Valley under the leadership of the Valley's congressional delegation, the Corridor Summit Board, and regionally based Summit coordinating committees. The 2000 Summit was held in North Alabama.  Previous Summits have also met in Washington, D.C., Oak Ridge, Chattanooga, Tri-Cities TN/VA, Nashville, Knoxville, and Tullahoma, Tenn.

This year's Tennessee Valley Corridor Summit will meet in Huntsville, Alabama at the Von Braun Center, May 27-29. Please visit www.tennvalleycorridor.org for more information and to register for the Summit. Interested participants can register for the entire three-day event at $125, or choose to attend single events that are each priced separately.