With the closure of Perry’s Tyson Fresh Meats plant now only days away, PerryNext, a recently formed coalition of city, county and state officials and local business and community leaders, will host a panel discussion on ways forward on Wednesday, May 22, at 5:30 p.m. at La Poste at 1219 Warford St. in downtown Perry.
The panel will be moderated by Dr. Tom Burkgren of Perry, longtime executive director of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians and an expert in agricultural economics and community development. Burkgren will discuss current trends, challenges and opportunities within the pork industry.
Panelists will include Perry Mayor Dirk Cavanaugh, Perry City Administrator Sven Peterson, Central Iowa Workforce Development Executive Director Eric Kress, Iowa Workforce Development Business Engagement Consultant Chad Pierce, Dallas County Hospital Care Coordinator Jocelyn Monzon and Iowa Economic Development Authority Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Director Rick Peterson.
The city representatives will discuss the creation of PerryNext as part of their proactive response to the Tyson closure and its impact on Perry’s economy. They will also outline ongoing efforts to attract investment, promote economic growth and market Perry as a place for industry to thrive.
The IWD and IEDA representatives will discuss the workforce challenges and the state-level strategies and initiatives for workforce retention. The impact on community resources in the wake of the Tyson closure will also be discussed by local community leaders.
“PerryNext’s mission is to effectively mitigate the damage anticipated due to the closure of Tyson,” Perry Mayor Dirk Cavanaugh said in a statement issued Friday. “The leaders in this community are optimistic that there is opportunity for growth, and our goal is to show anyone following our story that we are open for business.”
Cavanaugh said the PerryNext panel will serve as a platform for meaningful dialogue and collective effort toward repairing, recovering and building a stronger, more resilient town.
The event is free and open to the public.
