minding their civic business

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minding their civic business
The New Ways Regional Business Civic
Organizations are Making a Difference in Metro
North America
November 11, 2004
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The Questions

• What are the regional priorities of chambers and
  CEO-led groups?
• Does a regional focus impact its structure and
  operations?
• How do they interact with other organizations and
  partners in the region?

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Which regions did we select?

• Atlanta
• Austin
• Boston
• Chicago
• Cleveland
• Columbus
• Dallas
• Denver
• Detroit
• Grand Rapids
• Houston
• Indianapolis
• Kansas City
• Louisville
• Miami-Ft. Lauderdale

• Minneapolis-Saint Paul
• New Orleans
• Norfolk
• Ottawa
• Philadelphia
• Phoenix
• Pittsburgh
• Raleigh-Durham
• San Diego
• San Francisco
• Seattle
• St. Louis
• Toronto
• Washington, D.C.

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Which business-civic organizations did we study?
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Four Crosscutting Themes

• Pancakes and Parades to Regional Stewards
• Stepping Out Addressing Regional Socio-Economic
  Disparities
• New Focus, New Challenges for Membership the
  Bottom-line
• Written Rules, Good Will, The Wild West

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pancakes parades to regional stewards
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Business Climate gtgtgt Boosting Competitiveness
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Making the Link to Region

• One-half (53) take regional cooperation and
  regionalism seriously
• Two examples
• Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce
• Regional Business Alliance (South Florida)

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Sector-Based Development OftenFocuses on
Technology
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stepping out

• Addressing Regional Socio-Economic Disparities

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A Business-Led Organization Perspective on
Socio-Economic Disparity

• 40 make the link between regional
  competitiveness and socio-economic disparity
• Yet, almost all rated their effectiveness as poor
  on this issue

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A Business-Led Organization Perspective on
Socio-Economic Disparity

• Most comfortable with downtown revitalization
• Prevalent in hot markets

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new focus, new challenges for membership
and the bottom-line
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Small Business v. Large Business

• Some shedding small business
• Greater New Orleans Inc.
• Others finding new vehicles
• Greater Cleveland Growth Partnership

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Expanding the Base

• New members on board
• Research Universities
• Community Foundations
• Labor, Superintendents, Public Officials

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Struggle with Hi-Tech
If we do not figure out how to get this segment
of the community to the table, then we will
fail, Pam Wall, Greater Triangle Regional Council

• Clash of culture
• Sidestepping the field
• Austin Idea Network
• Internet Coast

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The Good News Revenues Have Risen or Stayed the
Same

• Why?
• Revamped mission
• Major initiative development

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written rules, good will, and the
wild west
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Written Rules
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Written Rules Louisville

• Merger of Greater Louisville Economic
  Development Partnership and Louisville Chamber
• City-County merger 16th Largest city in the US
  
• Greater Louisville Inc
• Assumed City and County Economic Dev, Minority
  Biz Development, Inc.Tank, and traditional
  Chamber activities.

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Good Will
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Good Will Norfolk Virginia

• Regional geographic and economic differences
• Disjointed chambers of commerce and CEO-led
  groups
• Hampton Roads Partnership
• multi-sector group, inclusive, focused on
  encouraging regional leaders to work together
  around 15-year regional plan

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The Wild West
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Wild West New Orleans

• One business civic organization trying to emerge
  as the leading voice
• Competition for business membership, little
  cooperation around regional challenges and city
  and outside region
• Greater New Orleans Inc. hopes to become
  unifying voice for region

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How to Learn More

• Profiles of 29 Regions
• Profiles of 45 Business Civic Organizations
• Summary Report
• Next MetroBusinessNet Meeting Miami, Feb 17-18

Minding Their Civic Business A Look at the New
Ways Regional Business-Civic Organizations are
Making a Difference in Metropolitan North
America September 2004
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Thank You

• Stephen Michon, Senior Associate(781)
  574-6607www.futureworks-web.com
• Next Meeting of www.metrobusinessnet.netFebruary
  17-18, 2005Miami