Ideas, Entrepreneurs and Neighbors: Why I’m Excited About CEC 2026
There are conferences where you sit in a hotel ballroom, listen to presentations, take a few notes and head home. Then there are conferences where the community itself becomes the classroom . That is one reason I’m excited about MU Extension’s 2026 Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities (CEC) Conference , coming to Maryville, Missouri, Sept. 15–17. This year’s theme is “Show-Me Momentum: From Main Street to Farm Gate,” and the conference is designed for people who care about creating communities where businesses, entrepreneurs and residents can thrive. CEC brings together economic development professionals, local government officials, chamber and nonprofit leaders, educators, workforce partners, small-business supporters, community planners and others who want to strengthen their communities. But what makes CEC different is how we learn. Rather than talking about community development from the confines of a traditional conference setting, CEC takes participants into the host com...