Long-term economic success for the Central Iowa region will require input, troubleshooting and relationship building from leaders of all industries. The Greater Des Moines Partnership’s Regional Summit aims to be a conduit for that, bringing business, community, economic development and government leaders together on Sept. 17 at the Iowa Events Center.

The keynote speaker will be James Chung, an economist and economic development expert, and president of Reach Advisors, a Boston-based strategy and predictive analytics firm. Chung spoke in Des Moines in 2018 at a Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs event titled, “Next Frontiers for a Standout City.”

“He’ll bring a national perspective on regional competitive, competitiveness and what makes Des Moines stand out, and what things we can continue to lead on and work on,” said Alex Lynch, director of regional community integration at the Partnership.

The Partnership represents 12 counties in Central Iowa and that regional focus will help the region succeed in the long term on economic growth, employee recruitment and retention and similar issues, Lynch said.

“Those communities want more opportunities to connect and have conversations and work on solutions together,” he said. “The whole purpose of this is to bring urban, suburban and rural communities together to have conversations that they might not have otherwise. Folks really value that time to identify common areas of interest and work on issues together and continue those relationships after the summit.”

The day-long program will include sessions on issues like site selection, supply chain disruptions, water quality, regional transportation and housing, as well as the opportunity to hear from site selectors.