| This issue of the Alliance 2017 first quarter newsletter highlights a meeting with the State Commerce leadership for the mega-region, a Save the Date for the 5th Summit on Regional Competitiveness at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, an introduction to a new member of the Alliance team and several articles of interest to Alliance stakeholders. The Alliance remains committed to serving as a neutral platform championing initiatives and convening leaders from government, academia and the private sector to grow the regional economy.
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| Sponsorship opportunities are available. For information, please contact President & CEO, Kelly O'Brien at kobrien@alliancerd.org. The Alliance would like to thank graphic designer and School of the Arts Institute (SAIC) graduate, Heather Matlock, President, Define Graphic Design, for her creation of the 5th Annual Summit branding.
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The Alliance Welcomes Jim Schellinger as the Indiana Secretary of Commerce During Strategy Meeting
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| The Alliance hosted a strategy meeting on January 23rd with the leaders in the mega-region including Jim Schellinger, Secretary of Commerce, Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Jim Schultz, Chairman and CEO, Intersect Illinois and Mark Hogan, Secretary and CEO, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. The meeting was also attended by Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority President and CEO, Bill Hanna, Alliance Vice Chairman Greg Hummel and Alliance President, Kelly O’Brien. The discussion included points such as the need for collaboration in the area of "workforce" and recognition of the desire to work together to maximize transportation and infrastructure federal funding for the mega-region.
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Overview of Alliance Board Meeting
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| The Alliance Board of Directors met on January 24th. Paul Jones, Board Chairman, opened the meeting and expressed his enthusiasm for developing the 2017 agenda. The Working Team Managers, Steve Schlickman, Transportation, and Anne Edmunds, Workforce, provided updates including a funding announcement to hire a staff person for the Workforce team. The Board decided to continue the Quarterly Conversations series based on 2016 successes. Various topics were proposed for consideration. The Board outlined goals for the Alliance including increasing the Alliance's visibility and developing advisory boards and committees. The next board meeting will be held on Monday, April 24, 2017 from 3:00-5:00 pm at the law office of Bryan Cave LLP.
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"The Collaboration Imperative for State and Local Government"
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| Strategic Doings Extraordinaire Ed Morrison recently penned an article entitled, "The Collaboration Imperative for State and Local Government" where he discussed the need for a new platform for collaborations that extend beyond our traditional organizations. In his article, he alluded, that "in the coming years, state and local financial pressures will be relentlessly increasing. Economic growth will not generate enough momentum to take our state and local governments out of the hole." To read the article in its entirety, please CLICK HERE
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Alliance Featured on Fox News
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| Alliance for Regional Development Co-Founder and Mayor of Racine, Wisconsin, John Dickert, was live on Friday, February 17th on the FOX News segment, 'Happening Now' hosted by Jon Scott and Jenna Lee. Mayor Dickert was asked to represent the Alliance and provided commentary on infrastructure issues including the region’s bridges and roads. He also highlighted the Alliance Transportation Team and it's agenda. To view the video of the live segment, please CLICK HERE.
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| 2017 Quarterly Conversation Series“Creating the Most Water Efficient Region in the USA”
Tuesday, June 6, 2017
Doors open at 11:30 a.m.
Microsoft Chicago,
200 E. Randolph St., Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60601
CLICK HERE to Register for the June 6th Quarterly Conversation!
Confirmed Speakers Include:
- Carrie Bristoll-Groll, Principal Civil Engineer, Stormwater Solutions Engineering
- Matt Howard, Vice President, AWS-NA, Alliance for Water Stewardship
- David Garman, Associate Vice Chancellor for Water Technology, Research, & Development; Dean of School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
- Kim Marotta, Global Senior Director of Corporate Responsibility, MolsonCoors
- Alan Perlstein, Executive Director, M-Werc
- Linda Reid, Executive Director, Southeastern Wisconsin Watersheds Trust
- Debra Shore, Commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
- Jim Wasley, Director, Institute of Ecological Design, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
- Jack Wittman, Vice President, Principal Geoscientist, Intera Geoscience & Engineering Solutions
Panel Discussions Include: Water Efficiency & Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS)
Recently, the Alliance for Water Stewardship released water standards for large water users to consider adopting. This panel will provide an overview of these standards and why companies would want to implement them as a good business practice. The discussion will include the benefits of process improvements that result from water efficiency in commercial, industrial and residential complexes as well as the secondary benefits of reduced energy, improved waste management and opportunities for new process efficiencies. Kim Marotta, Global Senior Director of Corporate Responsibility, Molson Coors, formerly MillerCoors, will address water stewardship strategy and the benefit that it provides at a corporate level and how this positively impacts all areas of MC’s operations world wide.
Energy Water Nexus
There is an important interdependency between energy and water. The Energy Water Nexus (EWN) Strategic Roadmap identified opportunities for the Midwest region to further their leadership role in this emerging market space. This session will discuss the potential role of the benefits of the mega-region using the EWN strategy and the identified market potential and how the Alliance’s platform can provide an important component for demonstration and implementation.
Cooperative Analysis of Interstate Resources
This session will consider the Kankakee River and target that basin for cooperative analysis by Illinois and Indiana. The state of Illinois is currently beginning water supply analysis in the basin while Indiana is now beginning to evaluate the future needs of the state, including the area south of the Great Lakes watershed. It is important that we begin discussion regarding an interstate agreement to cooperate of the assessment of the basin.
Green Infrastructure, Rehab of Waterways
The integration of urban design, urban engineering, landscape architects and planners into management and strategic functional analysis of water systems provides a vision for the infrastructure for future cities. The avoidance of capital costs related to wastewater treatment systems and CSO storage allows for hydraulic by-pass and water quality compliance with much reduced investment. This improves local landscaping, avoidance of flooding, and sewer surcharging and overflows while providing some aspects of advanced control and management systems. The session will provide examples of GI systems locally and from around the world to stimulate and demonstrate how the mega-region can be a showcase for best practice – and a driver for innovation and capture of the emerging markets.
Watch Your E-mail and Alliance Website for More Details!
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Alliance Expands its Workforce Working Team
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| The Alliance is pleased to welcome Tim Syth as Alliance Workforce Team Associate. Tim will serve as a key staff contact for the Workforce Team implementing the agenda under the leadership of ManPower Regional Vice President and Team Manager, Anne Edmunds. Tim is responsible for creating an outline and implementing a program based on "Industry Driven Skills Matching Centers of Excellence Network.” His background includes a strong project-based worker focus on systems change, productivity improvement, and organizational development. This effort is building upon the panel discussion at the 2016 Summit on Regional Competitiveness. If you are interested in joining the Alliance Workforce Team and working on its agenda, please contact Kelly O'Brien at kobrien@alliancerd.org or Tim Syth at tsyth@alliancerd.org
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The Alliance Supports the NICTD West Lake Extension
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| The Alliance submitted a comment to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District's (NICTD) West Lake Extension. As a reminder, the West Lake Extension is on the list of priority projects on the Alliance's Transportation Team Agenda. An excerpt of the comment is below: "The Alliance adopts the principle that the region requires an interconnected, multi-modal transportation system to support its economic growth. We recently identified intercity passenger rail and commuter rail improvement as a critical need for the effective movement of people across state borders. Such improvements contribute to the balanced mobility of people throughout the mega-region. The West Lake Extension Project fits that need. Thus, the Alliance Board of Directors has specifically endorsed the project for full implementation and encourages that it moves forward to completion. In that regard, we will support efforts to identify the funding sources to make that happen." Following the submission deadline, the Trump Administration released its budget proposal. The proposal cuts the New Start program which provides funding for rail transit extensions and new rail systems, putting into jeopardy the West Lake Extension project as well as the double tracking of the South Shore Commuter Rail main line. The Alliance will continue to provide updates. Please see recent article, Steele, Andrew. (2017, March 29). "Region Leaders React to Trump Budget Plan: 'We All Stand to Lose Quite a Bit'." The TIMES.
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CMAP Hosts ON TO 2050 Alternative Futures Forum Series
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| In addition to the development of the comprehensive plan, ON TO 2050, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) is anticipating five 'Alternative Futures' for the region. For each of these alternative futures, CMAP is asking the public to consider the following five scenarios: - What if climate change impacts have intensified by 2050
- What if more people choose walkable, mixed-use communities by 2050?
- What if technological innovations enhance transportation by 2050?
- What if the economy has been transformed by 2050?
- What if public resources are further constrained by 2050?
From April through August, CMAP invites you to imagine the challenges and opportunities our region will face by 2050. For a list of the forums and more information on CMAP, please visit, www.cmap.illinois.gov
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| Quarterly Update is the newsletter of the Alliance for Regional Development. For more information or to inquire about submitting content, please contact Shalora Jasper at 312-602-5080, or sjasper@alliancerd.org. Please visit our website, www.alliancerd.org
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Indiana University Northwest Presents Chancellor's Commission for Community Engagement
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| (L:R) Jerome Ezell, Attorney & Associate Faculty Member, School of Public & Environmental Affairs (SPEA), IU Northwest; Dr. Ellen Szarleta, Associate Professor, School of Public & Environmental Affairs (SPEA); Director of the Center for Urban & Regional Excellence (CURE); Leslie Malerich, Officer Candidate, Griffith Police Department; Chancellor William Lowe, Indiana University Northwest; Greg Mance, Griffith Police Department; Carl Zurbriggen, Executive Director, Griffith YMCA; and Joe Ferrandino, Associate Professor, School of Public & Environmental Affairs (SPEA).
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| Alliance Board Member, Chancellor William Lowe, Indiana University Northwest hosted the Chancellor's Commission for Community Engagement on March 28th. The theme was, "Revisiting Policing: Improving Opportunity and Addressing Challenges." Law enforcement agencies, citizens, and others are asking important questions about the role of police in our communities during this time of social and economic change. Revisiting policing and the simultaneous responsibilities of service and protection, provides an opportunity to examine existing practices, to innovate and to promote the values of equity and diversity to enhance community safety. Recently, the Town of Griffith Police Department, after thoughtful reflection on the state of policing in Northwest Indiana, reached out to community agencies and IU Northwest to develop an authentic community-university partnership in the area of police recruitment. Town government, nonprofit, and university partners collaboratively designed and implemented training aimed at supporting individuals applying for a position with the department. Officer candidates received physical training, written test instruction, and mock-interview training that prepared them for the competitive selection process and ultimately led to improved candidate recruitment and diversification of the Griffith Police Department. Panelists Included: - Chief Greg Mance, (Griffith Police Department); program originator
- Carl Zurbriggen (Griffith YMCA); provided physical training to candidates
- Prof. Joe Ferrandino (IU Northwest); provided test-taking workshop to candidates
- Lecturer John Tsolakos (IU Northwest); provided interview workshop - along with SPEA and CURE (Not Pictured)
- Leslie Malerich (police officer hired by Griffith Police Department); participated in the training and was hired.
This program highlighted a best practice for consideration by communities in the mega-region.
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The Alliance Board of Directors
Chairman of the Board:
Paul W. Jones, Wisconsin
Chairman (Retired), A.O. Smith Corporation
Indiana
Thomas Keon
Chancellor, Purdue University Northwest
William J. Lowe
Chancellor, Indiana University Northwest
David Ryan
Executive Director, Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce
Tyson R. Warner
Executive Director, Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission
Illinois
Michael D. Amiridis
Chancellor, University of Illinois at Chicago
James Ford
President, TRES LLC
Greg Hummel
Partner, Bryan Cave LLP
Mark Rust
Managing Partner, Chicago Office, Barnes & Thornburg, LLP
Joseph C. Szabo
Executive Director, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning
Wisconsin
John T. Dickert
Mayor, City of Racine
Deborah L. Ford
Chancellor, University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Michael Hahn
Executive Director, Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
Kelly A. O’Brien
President & CEO, Alliance for Regional Development
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| To see other Sponsors logos, please visit our website, www.alliancerd.org
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