When the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce brought business leaders together earlier this summer to coalesce around an effective economic development strategy and more importantly, how the private sector can play a key role in growing business and creating jobs at all levels of the spectrum – we promised to take action.
In fact, at that #whatsnextri forum we set out a 90 day timeframe to develop ideas for new private sector leadership .
Fulfilling that promise, Chamber members are invited to participate in the next phase of this important discussion – Make it Happen RI.
The Chamber is pleased to work collaboratively with the Rhode Island Foundation on this project, which will bring together private sector leaders Friday, September 7 and Saturday, September 8 to focus on ideas, actions in results.
Our goal is to continue the conversation we began earlier this summer and create a multi-faceted set of short and long-term private sector actions aimed at rekindling the Rhode Island economy, and to articulate a story or set of themes around Rhode Island’s economic development strategy.
The dialogue will be structured around nine working sessions:
Attacking Unemployment
Marketing Rhode Island
Support + Growth for Existing Businesses
Business Environment
Closing Skills Gaps
Startups: Helping Entrepreneurs Thrive
Quality of Place
Leveraging/Maximizing Sites
High Potential/High Impact Sectors
The Chamber, its leadership and many of its members will be in attendance over the course of two days and I encourage each of you to continue participating in this conversation.
It is critical that as a community we remain plugged into this crucial effort. All of the stakeholders, planning strategically and leveraging their resources, must work together to successfully grow Rhode Island’s economy.
