Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce unveils new roadmap for economic growth
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — The Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday released a new regional strategy designed to align the community on shared goals for economic growth and investment.
The new Economic Development Roadmap is focused on six priorities where the chamber and its partners can have the biggest effect over the next few years.
The strategy was developed by Eight Fifteen Impact, a local economic development and community planing consulting team, along with the chamber’s Economic Development Committee and public partners across the region.
“In today’s economy, things are changing so fast, it’s really hard to have a five, seven-year plan that stays relevant. We wanted to build something that was flexible, but also very targeted,” Terrance Hall, partner at Eight Fifteen Impact, said at a news conference at the chamber’s downtown offices.
“Regions that work together, win together,” he said. “This plan is really a building block to us continuing to do that in the Rockford region.”
The six priorities are:
- Organizational development and leadership
- Business retention and expansion
- Business attraction and marketing of the region
- Site development readiness
- Workforce development and talent attraction
- Innovation
“A lot of economic development strategies look at a collective of everything you could do. This isn’t everything you could do. It’s not even everything you maybe should do,” Hall said. “We really wanted to look at the most impactful things we could do to drive economic development in the next 18-24 months.”
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The announcement was made during National Manufacturing Month to underscore the importance of the sector on the region’s economy. The industry accounts for 23% of the region’s gross domestic product and employs more than 25,000 people, which is twice the national average, according to the chamber.
“Manufacturing has been and continues to be the engine of our local economy,” said David Anspaugh, chairman of the chamber’s Economic Development Committee. “The chamber’s (business retention and expansion) work is strengthening direct relationships with employers, uncovering opportunities for growth, and supporting our companies in meeting current and future demand.”
Lesley Couper, the chamber’ board chairwoman, said the roadmap builds on existing initiatives such as its quarterly business sentiment survey, BRE Program, and regional data dashboard that’s done in partnership with R1 and Growth Dimensions.
Couper shared data points from a 2024 Harris Poll to highlight the importance of the chamber’s work. That poll showed 88% of adults feel their local chamber has made a positive impact on the community; 76% view chambers as stewards of strong local economies; and 74% say chambers create jobs and support community development.
“These data points affirm that GRCC’s mission to drive coordinated, data-informed economic growth is both relevant and essential,” she said.
Angela Kay Larson, president and CEO of the chamber, said the roadmap demonstrates how the chamber is turning strategy into action. She said the chamber will continue to drive collaboration among partners and business leaders to drive economic progress.
“We’re not waiting for opportunity; we’re creating it,” Larson said. “The Economic Development Roadmap aligns with our region’s strengths in manufacturing, health care and other key industries.
“Our direction is clear: data-driven collaboration, business leadership, and accountability for results. We’re building on our history and positioning the Rockford region as the home of future manufacturing and economic opportunity.”
Read the roadmap
You can go HERE to see the Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development Roadmap.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas
