Last week in Washington D.C., the promise of "Leadership at Every Level" materialized as economic developers from communities of all sizes gathered at the Capitol Hilton for three days of substantive dialogue and action-focused collaboration.
Creating Space for Real Solutions
Breaking from traditional conference formats, this year's Leadership Summit created environments where C-suite executives, mid-level professionals, emerging leaders, minority leaders, and women leaders could engage in meaningful dialogue. The emphasis wasn't on presentation but participation—collaborative think tanks, hands-on workshops, and impact labs where practitioners actively shaped solutions together.
"America, in all her flaws, is the most durable experiment of all."
Quentin Messer, President and CEO of Michigan Economic Development, reflecting during the opening plenary. His words captured the underlying spirit of resilience that defined our gatherings—acknowledging challenges while focusing on the path forward.
A Comprehensive Approach to Today's Challenges
The Summit's agenda tackled economic development's most pressing issues through specialized tracks and focused sessions. Participants engaged with topics spanning policy advancement, global competitiveness, housing solutions, leadership and disaster recovery, public-private partnerships, and workforce evolution. The C-Suite Executive track featured sessions on board governance, legacy planning, and strategic decision-making, while emerging leaders explored mentorship opportunities and career acceleration. Specialized programming for minority leaders addressed inclusive growth strategies, and women leaders connected through executive presence workshops and leadership pathway discussions. The Summit's strategic location in Washington D.C. enabled unique sessions with federal agencies, Congressional representatives, and policy experts that bridged local economic development practice with national policy frameworks.
Research That Responds to Reality
The Economic Development Research Partners (EDRP) Working Meeting brought forward-thinking practitioners together to explore pressing topics facing economic developers. This program generates research specifically designed to help practitioners navigate today's complex economic landscape, with members shaping the agenda based on real-world challenges their communities face.
Recognition That Matters
The Industry Leaders Awards reception recognized outstanding economic development leadership across nine prestigious categories. Lawrence McKinney, who received the Economic Developer of the Year Award, shared a reflection that resonated with many:
"IEDC has been my backbone in this profession for three decades—the education, the training, the job opportunities, the friendships, the mentors who have come and gone, have made all the difference."
Join our priority notification list to be alerted when the 2025 Excellence in Economic Development Awards program launches in March.
Policy Engagement With Purpose
The Washington D.C. location allowed for meaningful policy engagement:
Board members participated in a focused meeting with Senate Agriculture Committee Majority and Minority Staff |
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Senator Capito and Congressman Larsen received Congressional Awards for their support of economic development initiatives
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The Federal Fair connected attendees with agency representatives to discuss funding opportunities and strategic partnerships.
The association coalition panel drove home the critical importance of advocacy in today's policy landscape. Matt Chase shared a powerful perspective when he noted that that "25% of the nation's money goes to economic development," yet securing these resources requires constant vigilance.
His insight that "whatever you care about, you better advocate because nothing is sacred" resonated throughout the room, reinforcing why our presence in Washington D.C. wasn't just symbolic—it was strategic. Economic developers left with a renewed understanding that advocacy isn't an optional add-on but an essential component of effective leadership.
Conversations That Moved the Needle
The housing crisis session brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and community experts who mapped concrete pathways forward. Bruce Katz challenged attendees with the reminder that "it's on us to reinvent the system."
A particularly powerful moment came when Ron Frierson from Amazon shared lessons from the Los Angeles fires recovery efforts, noting that both public and private sectors must collaborate on rebuilding:
"I hope everyone realizes how noble an industry this is...our purpose is to improve people's lives. You're creating opportunities for people to feed their families, to grow their community. Whether a small project or a big Amazon project, there's going to be a person with a job that may not have had that before."
The Women in Economic Development taskforce interest session demonstrated the generosity of spirit that defines effective economic developers—participants readily shared both needs and offerings, laying groundwork for what promises to be not just another initiative, but a genuine community.
Looking Ahead
The collaborative spirit witnessed in Washington D.C. didn't end when we departed. The connections formed and insights gathered will continue informing economic development practice in communities across the country.
The Summit concluded with celebrating newly accredited AEDOs, followed by thought-provoking IGNITE Talks from Nick Zabriskie (Uber) and Mike Allen (Axios). Senator Bill Hagerty provided legislative updates that will shape economic development work in the coming year.
What made this gathering distinctive wasn't just the content but the context—economic developers at every career stage actively engaging with the complex challenges our communities face, and together, crafting pathways toward more resilient, equitable economies.
Huge thanks to Uber, our presenting sponsor!
The journey continues this June at the first-ever Rural Retreat in Great Falls, Montana.
