An array of state, local and private economic development officials gathered with local businesspeople and town leaders at Wareham High School Saturday, March 27, at what was billed as the first annual Wareham Works economic development summit.

"Wareham is open for business," said Chairman of Selectmen Bruce Sauvageau in kicking off the 4-hour session. "It is the ideal location to expand, grow, or start a business."

Designed as a way to showcase the town to businesses in all of those categories, the "summit" featured speakers who touted Wareham's virtues as a place to live and do business and others who outlined the resources available to businesspeople who need financing or advice.

Sauvageau, Community Development Director Chris Reilly, and others spoke glowingly of Wareham's location and attitude -- and of the A.D. Makepeace Co.'s plans for a state-of-the-art medical building and retail complex at the junction of Routes 195 and 28.

Keynote speaker Sen. Marc Pacheco of Taunton said the Makepeace Rosebrook project "can be the model for the rest of the nation. It can be the marketing tool to put Wareham on the map."

While praising Wareham's progress to date in planning for economic development, Pacheco urged local officials to give special attention to two opportunities: Partnerships with the region's institutions of higher education, particularly the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth and the Bridgewater State College, and land-based wind-power that could lower electric rates for businesses and residences.

Other speakers included:

• John Pearson, general manager of Mass Coastal Railroad. Pearson outlined the company's plans for "feeder service" linking the Cape to MBTA commuter rail in Middleborough, with stops in Wareham and Buzzards Bay. He said the company is actively seeking $1 million in start-up capital and that service could begin a few months after the money is in hand.

• Maria Gooch-Smith from the South East Economic Development Corp. SEED provides low-interest loans to start-ups and small businesses as well as offering periodic how-to workshops. She noted that, when SEED was founded back in 1994, Wareham was the original "sponsoring community."

• Melinda Ailes from the Small Business Development Center at UMass/Dartmouth. The center provides businesses with free advice on everything from export strategy to how to build and effectively use a website. "SEED has the money, we have the advice," she said.

• Sgt. Kevin Walsh from the Wareham Police Department. Walsh told the group about the department's new community outreach program and promised that officers would come out and meet with residents of every Wareham neighborhood. The department has already defined 30 neighborhoods, he said, and got a knowing laugh when he added: "Wareham has a lot of neighborhoods."

• Wareham High basketball coach Kevin Brogioli. He and a few representatives from the state championship boys basketball team were there to open the program at 9 a.m. and illustrate the theme of teamwork. Explaining why only a few members of the team were present, Brogioli quipped: "Wareham works and high school basketball players sleep on Saturday morning."

• Nancy Gibeau of BDC Capital, a regional Small Business Administration lender. Outlining some of the loans and micro-loans available to small businesses, she promised that people in her organization would help borrowers with the paperwork-heavy process.

• Dick Heaton, housing consultant. Heaton, who has worked for Wareham on the proposed and controversial Westfield senior housing project, stated his belief that providing affordable housing in the right way "is also an opportunity for incremental tax revenue."

• Marie Oliva, president and CEO of the Cape Cod Canal Region Chamber of Commerce. Although not officially on the program, Oliva stepped up to the microphone to remind those present of the wide range of assistance the Chamber provides to member businesses.

Pulled together on relatively short notice for what turned out to be a sunny spring Saturday, Wareham Works drew relatively few business participants. On the list of approximately 60 registrants, presenters and local officials probably outnumbered businesspeople.

Nevertheless, Town Administrator Mark Andrews was happy with the result. "It's a start," he said, and pointed to the town's ability to assemble a large, varied group of people who are eager and able to help businesses start, expand or relocate in Wareham. He said he hopes a second summit in the fall will be able to feature an even wider range of resources.