Agenda 360, Greater Cincinnati’s planning initiative, came home with the top honor during the Alliance for Regional Stewardship, or ARS, Regional Strategies Forum in Raleigh, N.C.
The Alliance for Regional Stewardship, an affiliate of the American Chamber of Commerce Executives, supports regional public planners across the country.
Agenda 360 won the ARS 2009 Organizational Champion Award in July. It's the organization’s highest honor and recognizes efforts that show progress "in at least one of the four principals of regional stewardship: innovative economy, livable communities, social inclusion and a collaborative style of governance," according to ARS.
"Their application said 'Talent, Jobs, and Economic Opportunity for all who call our region home' has been the rallying cry of Agenda 360. That's the commitment it takes to drive regional success, and that is what Agenda 360 has accomplished in designing, developing and implementing their regional action plan," said F. Michael Langley, immediate past chair of the ARS Advisory Board and member of the 2009 ARS award committee. "It was clear in reviewing their submission and researching their progress that the Cincinnati region 'totally gets it' and through their current leadership and intergenerational focus on diversity and talent, will be a globally-competitive region for the foreseeable future."
Cincinnati's Agenda 360 was chosen best among four other planning efforts across the country. They were: Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce for the Live United this Winter program, Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce for the Climate Protection Partnership, Greater Santa Ana Business Alliance for High School Inc., and MyRegion.org, a regional leadership organization for Central Florida.
"This award means a great deal. It is a credit to all of those who have volunteered their time and talent for this effort, and it serves as further validation of the importance of the work being done through Agenda 360," said Myrita Craig, executive director of the Office of Agenda 360. "There is a lot of momentum in our region right now. And while there is still much work to be done, it is important that we celebrate key milestones of achievement along the way."
Agenda 360, unveiled early this year, seeks to facilitate by 2020:
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The addition of 150,000 20 to 34-year-olds in the region's workforce, a 50 percent increase over today
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A net addition of 200,000 new jobs
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A minimum income for all households of 250 percent above the poverty line, incorporating a United Way goal
Writer: Feoshia Henderson
Source: Chris Kemper, Public Relations Director Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber
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