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Monthly Update is the newsletter of the Alliance for Regional Development. For more information or to inquire about submitting content, please contact Kelly O'Brien at (312) 602-5148 or kobrien@allianceRD.org.
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A NOTE FROM PRESIDENT & CEO KELLY O'BRIEN
Regional economic development is challenging, in large measure, because we do not elect “regional” officials. Understandably, Governors, Mayors, and other elected officials are first and foremost concerned with their own votes. So why invest time and money in ways that can benefit voters in another state, city, or municipality? Why create and support the Alliance for Regional Development?
One need only look at Silicon Valley, Boston’s Route 128, or the Research Triangle in North Carolina to understand that regional economic clusters exist as innovation-rich geographic clusters. Granted, the examples above are areas all within a single state, but the Chicago Metropolitan Tri-State OECD Review determined that 21 counties in our three-state region ( the Milwaukee - Chicago - northwest Indiana corridor) are functioning as a single economic unit, and that coordinated policies can build and sustain long term prosperity.
Research has demonstrated that innovation clusters generate positive economic results. Innovation and entrepreneurship are critical for long-term economic development. It has been suggested that each tech job created supports three jobs in other sectors of the economy. Yet, the United States does not have a coherent or effective national innovation strategy and the three states in the Alliance have varying degrees of innovation “support” and access to innovation information.
One of the key findings in the Innovation chapter of the OECD Review points out that “the region needs to develop a common understanding of its innovation ecosystem…” Our ecosystem is rich with assets but unknown to so many both in and out of the region.
Stakeholders in Detroit recently launched an interactive website that allows a visitor to select different pathways whether you are someone with an idea, a start-up or an existing business. This tool then provides answers to many questions regarding business location, opportunities, and funding sources. Examples of questions and answers that should be only a click away for those interested in our 21 counties.
The Alliance's Innovation Working Team needs to hear from you. Political leaders can’t force clusters and the private sector must lead in encouraging cluster formation. Let us know about local resources that can be leveraged and best practices that should be scaled up. If we work together, we can enhance growth prospects and make the Chicago Metropolitan Tri-State region an innovation hub recognized on the national and international stage.
That’s just one reason to support the Alliance!
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| THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS! The Alliance would like to welcome our newest sponsors: ArcelorMittal; Comcast; and the South Metropolitan Higher Education Consortium (SMHEC). SMHEC representatives will also join the Alliance Working Teams, and we are grateful for their participation.
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SAVE THE DATE: WORKING TEAMS AUTUMN MEETING, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10
The next Alliance Working Teams quarterly meeting is scheduled for Friday, October 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread, 33 East Four Mile Road, Racine, WI (map). A calendar invite was sent to working team members in June. Additional information will be provided as the date approaches.
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WORKING TEAMS FOCUS ON COLLABORATIVE STRATEGIES AT QUARTERLY MEETING HOSTED BY PURDUE CALUMET
The Alliance Working Teams met for a quarterly Strategic Doing workshop on Tuesday, June 3, hosted by the Purdue University Center for Innovation through Visualization & Simulation (CIVS) in Hammond, Indiana. Working Teams in the Alliance's four key focus areas--Green Growth, Human Capital, Innovation, and Transportation and Logistics--used the daylong workshop to further strategize collaborative projects to support the goal of increasing regional economic competitiveness. All four team strategies were reviewed by the Alliance's operational team in a collegial "Shark Tank" presentation that capped the day's activities. The initiatives championed by the Working Teams will be showcased at the Alliance's Second Annual Summit on Regional Competitiveness on December 19 (see item further below.)
The Alliance would like to thank Dr. Chenn Zhou, CIVS Director and Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies, for hosting the meeting.
Team strategies are summarized below, including updates since June 3:
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GREEN GROWTH The Green Growth team is focusing on the water sector and ways to regionalize the growing water cluster. Data collection is underway and before July 4 a tri-state conference call with key players will take place to identify state water initiatives. By August, the team will investigate state university water initiatives. In autumn 2014, graduate research assistance to identify water stakeholders will be provided by the faculty and students from the University of Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences, and in November, two receptions will be held in Illinois and Indiana to gauge local stakeholder interest in organizing and possibly growing the Water Council’s footprint.
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HUMAN CAPITAL The Human Capital team is aiming its efforts at reaching employers. The team wants to show employers already in the region and those considering locating here that we have innovative workforce development programs that are both replicable and scalable by filming an informative, best practice, branding video. In addition, the team will adopt and scale Illinois’ existing successful “Hiring Event” model to other parts of the region. Hiring Events differ from job fairs in that attendees are pre-screened and scheduled in advance to have interviews with exhibiting employers, with the aim of attendees interviewing during the event and leaving with an offer of employment. Two regionally coordinated dual-state hiring events will also be organized—Illinois/Indiana and Illinois/Wisconsin—in locations near the common state borders and with employers from both states, with the aim of scaling such regionally coordinated Hiring Events. Data will be gathered through July, then the pilot Hiring Events will be scheduled and employer feedback collected. The Hiring Events will be featured in the branding video to be exhibited at the December 19 Summit on Regional Competitiveness.
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INNOVATION
The Innovation Team is focused on mapping the regions innovation ecosystem as suggested as one of the Key Findings in the Chicago Metropolitan Tri-State OECD Review. Resources of use to local innovators in the region will be organized in a user friendly way. The team is considering several web models including Detroit BizGrid and are working with the creators of Illinois Innovation Network, Indiana's Innovation in America's Regions, and the innovation section of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation website to obtain pertinent information. In addition, businesses, institutions, resources that demonstrate innovation leadership in the region will be identified, as will their messaging and how that messaging is being delivered. Branding this region as a vibrant innovation hub is another team priority. Possibilities exist for a regional innovation award competition in 2015.
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TRANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS The Transportation & Logistics team is gathering regional asset data by taking State data and parceling out and then connecting the 21 counties in the three states to create a first of its kind regional transportation map. A platform will then be identified to plot the data, making it available for comprehensive analysis. The Purdue Regional Decision Maker is under consideration as a possible platform. Also being reviewed is the use of different platforms for different transportation sectors. The desired outcomes include identifying the existing interconnected transportation infrastructure as well as underutilized assets in order to build a model for the future that local mayors and other elected officials can use in terms of policy making and funding requests. The team expects to have data collected, a platform identified, and analysis begun by September.
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| As always, the Alliance is grateful to the hardworking volunteer members of the Working Teams. We look forward to continuing to work together throughout the year!
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ALLIANCE MANAGEMENT TRAVELS TO WASHINGTON TO BRIEF E.D.A. LEADERS ON PROGRESS
Alliance for Regional Development Wisconsin Operational Chair Carmel Ruffolo and President & CEO Kelly O'Brien traveled to Washington in June to meet with senior leaders from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (E.D.A.) to discuss the recently awarded "Tri-State Regional Development Case Study" grant. Ruffolo and O’Brien updated the E.D.A. leaders on the activies of the Alliance Working Teams, including the March kickoff and June quarterly meeting.
In addition, Thomas Guevara, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional Affairs, offered to continue to meet with Alliance stakeholders and working team members. E.D.A. investment policy is designed to establish a foundation for sustainable job growth and the building of durable regional economies based upon two key economic drivers: innovation; and regional collaboration. "Regions that work together can leverage resources and strengths to fare better than those that do not," said Guevara.
O'Brien also met with Assistant Secretary for Economic Development Jay Williams, newly sworn-in on May 20, to discuss the Second Annual Summit on Regional Competitiveness. Assistant Secretary Williams was very impressed with how far the Alliance has come in convening leaders to work on implementing the recommendations of the OECD territorial review, an EDA-funded endeavor.
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PLANNING CONTINUES FOR ALLIANCE'S SECOND ANNUAL SUMMIT ON REGIONAL COMPETITIVENESS ON DECEMBER 19
The Alliance in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago will host the second annual Summit on Regional Competitiveness on December 19, 2014. The Summit will serve as an opportunity to brief stakeholders about the progress of the Alliance Working Teams and will have high level key note speakers discussing regional economic development. Accommodations have been reserved and guests may stay at the J.W. Marriott Chicago at 151 West Adams Street in the heart of the Chicago Loop at a specially negotiated rate.
This high-level event will serve as a showcase for the power of cross-jurisdictional cooperation to move regional strategies forward. Sponsorship opportunities are available. More information will be announced in the coming weeks.
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Kelly O'Brien Attends Water Council's Water Summit in June
Alliance President & CEO Kelly O'Brien attended the Water Council’s 7th annual Water Summit in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on June 18. The Alliance Green Growth Working Team is currently exploring possibilities to expand the regional water economy.
The largest Summit to date, the Council welcomed over 360 water professionals from across the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America, and Europe, and also hosted the International Water Association’s Board of Directors for their Annual Board Meeting. The Summit focused on "Thriving in the Global Water Economy" in three key areas: Water Innovation & Sustainability; Financing & Investment; and Operating in the Global Water Market.
Announced at the Summit were the Water Council’s new water stewardship role through a partnership with the Alliance for Water Stewardship; a new partnership with the Wisconsin Historical Society documenting the water initiative in Wisconsin, and the introduction of Batch II winners of The Water Council’s BREW (Business Research Entrepreneurship In Wisconsin) accelerator program.
Read the Water Council's Water Summit Blog Post
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE RECOGNIZES MANUFACTURING COMMUNITIES IN NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN
On May 28, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker announced the first 12 communities that will be designated Manufacturing Communities as part of the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) initiative. The Chicago and Milwaukee metropolitan areas were both included in the list of initial IMCP communities, based on the strength of the economic development plans, potential community impacts, and public- and private-sector partnerships highlighted in the winning proposals.
Led by the counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will, as well as the cities of Chicago and Joliet, the Chicago Metro Metal Consortium Manufacturing Community consortium aims to build on the region’s metal base—including 3,700 metals industry firms generating more than $30 billion in annual revenues, transportation network, and workforce development partnerships to create a virtuous cycle of development in the region.
In Wisconsin, the Milwaukee 7 Manufacturing Community consortium will focus on strengthening the region’s human capital, cultivating research and innovation, accelerating exports, and enhancing supplier networks.
The U.S. Commerce Department-led program is designed to accelerate the resurgence of manufacturing in communities nationwide by supporting the development of long-term economic development strategies that help communities attract and expand private investment in the manufacturing sector and increase international trade and exports.
The 12 designated Manufacturing Communities will receive coordinated support for their strategies from eleven federal agencies with $1.3 billion available in federal economic development assistance, and be recognized on a government website accessible to prospective private foreign and domestic investors looking for information on communities’ competitive attributes.
The Alliance congratulates the Illinois counties and cities and Milwaukee 7 for their wonderful achievement, and looks forward to continuing to work together to move the needle forward on improving the competitiveness of the Tri-State Region.
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