U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, leading strategic regional development visionary Michael Gallis, and noted U.S.-Canada relations authority Chris Sands of the Hudson Institute, and a host of specialized experts on trade and transportation will join together in Des Moines June 15 to 17 for the 2010 NASCO Conference focused on transportation solutions for the 21st Century.

NASCO has tentative confirmation of participation by The Hon. John Baird, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities of Canada and confirmed participation by Juan Francisco Molinar Horcasitas, Mexico’s Secretary of Communications and Transportation, making the event one of the rare gatherings of the continent’s top three officials over multi-modal transportation in North America.

The cabinet members will review their respective government’s plans for keeping congested urban areas passable to support the again growing trade happening on the continent. Canada is the U.S.’ No. 1 trading partner. The U.S.-Canada trade is the largest between any two nations on earth. Mexico is the No. 3 U.S. trade partner, ranking behind only China.

Key event sponsors include Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations; Prairie Meadows; Trinity Industries, Inc.; Principal Financial Group; Wells Fargo; and Ruan Transport Corp. Host committee includes Iowa State Government; Polk County; the City of Des Moines; the Iowa state departments of economic development and transportation; the Greater Des Moines Metropolitan Planning Organization; the Greater Des Moines Partnership; the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau; and the Des Moines International Airport. For information and to register visit nascoiowa2010.com.

The NASCO Conference will offer extraordinary updates on the economy of North America from several leading financial institutions and economists with roots in Iowa. One panel discussion also will highlight outstanding executives of the U.S. Midwest’s rising alternative and renewable energy industry and their views on the prospects for the new, high-tech, clean-energy opportunities and jobs of the future.

Conference attendees also will be among the first to hear preliminary results of a landmark Sustainable Freight Transportation in North America research effort by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation of North America (CEC), the Montreal, Canada-based institution formed by the side agreement on the environment to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Highlights of this milestone study will be presented publicly for the first time at the NASCO Conference. The baseline study will outline freight transport impacts on air quality and harmful air emissions in North America as well as highlight public policy best options for governments to lead the way to a cleaner, more sustainable freight transport industry in North America.

“NASCO is working hard to support its members’ efforts along the NASCO Corridor to take full advantage of the economic recovery now underway,” said Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie. “As a major crossroads for domestic and international trade, Des Moines believes in the importance of this mission; and we are extremely proud to host the 2010 NASCO Conference.”

NASCO’s annual conference is unique. It rotates between the U.S., Canada and Mexico each year. NASCO member communities host the event in collaboration with many agencies from across their state or province. The 2010 NASCO Conference marks the first conference in Iowa or the upper Midwest. NASCO is excited to showcase the Iowa business community.

The 2010 NASCO Conference: Moving North America Forward conference of North America’s SuperCorridor Coalition, Inc. (NASCO) enters its sixth year with a dynamic program to closely examine the greatest challenges to continuing growth in trade and transportation through the heartland of North America. The conference will highlight the brightest opportunities to reignite cross-border trade and to streamline secure freight transport between businesses and consumers in the three North American nations allied in commerce on the NASCO Corridor.

For more information on NASCO visit nascocorridor.com.