Strong Regions

Smart Business

Vital Communities

2005Annual

Convening

February 17-18 Miami, Florida

MetroBusinessNet

• Action learning network of business-led civic

organizations formed in 2001

• Forum for exchanging information and

learning from expert practitioners

• Develop and implement public policies and

business practices that support sustainable

growth and development at a metropolitan

scale

• Document lessons and promising

practices

Organizing Business Leadership

Promoting Competitive Regions

Seeking sustainable development

MetroBusinessNet

• Focus on traded sector, knowledge intensive industries

• Nurture and support emerging and established industry clusters

• Offer rich network of qualified suppliers

• Foster innovation and accelerate diffusion through university-industry partnerships

• Produce, attract and retain highly skilled, creative people

• Offer high quality of life for residents

Promoting Competitive Regions

• Business draws on regional resources that cross municipal boundaries

• Labor market, housing market, land use and transportation policies directly impact business performance

• No single business can drive system change

• Collective action required at regional level

• Business-led civic organizations galvanize business leadership on critical regional issues

Organizing Business Leadership

• Concentrate development

• Coordinate development with transportation and housing

• Promote municipal cooperation and coordination

• Better connect city and suburbs

• Invest in urban core

Seeking Sustainable Development

Convening Outcomes

• Deeper understanding of issues

• Innovative ideas and approaches

• Prioritize strategies/agenda setting

• Contacts with leaders in other regions

• Renewed commitment

Convening Outcomes

• What do business-led civic organizations need to advance their work in these areas?

• Is there demand for a national peer learning network?