President's Message
Einar K. Forsman
Regional Strategy for Prosperity
Working together with our neighbors to guide our infrastructure priorities
You may have heard recently about two major, regional transportation infrastructure events that the Rockford Chamber has co-sponsored in our region.
The first was a visit on April 11 by Chairman John Mitola of the Illinois Toll Highway Authority Board of Directors. The event was co-hosted by the Winnebago-Rockford Better Roads Coalition and the Rockford Chamber.
The second was the Tri-State Alliance "Driving Development and Infrastructure" Summit on April 21, a broader regional event co-sponsored by the Rockford Chamber, the Rockford Area Economic Council, the Rockford Area Transportation Study, and several other economic development organizations in northern Illinois, northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin.
Both events were intended to reinforce our regional transportation infrastructure priorities, including road, rail, and technology. These priorities extend far beyond our region getting its fair share of a capital bill from Springfield. It also includes our priorities for the upcoming 2010 Federal transportation bill. No program is more critical to Illinois' economy than federal funding for our transportation needs.
From Illinois' origins as the railroad capital of the nation , to its development as the hub for major east-west interstate highways, to housing the world's busiest airport, to its vital link for our nation's water traffic, our state has served as the central conduit for U.S. commerce. The economies of Illinois, our neighbors Iowa and Wisconsin, and the entire nation are inextricably related.
Focusing on the broader region is a proven means for bringing greater prosperity to our area, and it gives our U.S. senators and congressmen a focused pathway of priorities to serve our region's principal infrastructure development needs. Mark Drabenstott, an expert in regional competitiveness, demonstrated at the Tri-State Summit from his research that our region is losing ground in the race for jobs and income; that new economic development engines are needed; that more innovation and new investments are needed; that a new regional strategy is needed to succeed.
To follow this path and attain success, we must craft a regional strategy, create a robust regional partnership, deliberately pursue innovation, and grow a lot of entrepreneurs. What makes for a strong regional strategy? According to the experts, we must identify our competitive advantage, one founded on our economic strengths. Then we must identify the public infrastructure to support it.
Having a regional roundtable is crucial to crafting a sound regional strategy. The region must take direct ownership for this strategy and seize it.
It's imperative that we chart our course for prosperity and demand that our legislators act upon the priorities set forth for this region -- leading us to greater prosperity.
Einar K. Forsman is President & CEO of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce. He can be reached at eforsman@rockfordchamber.com.
