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 From left to right: Marek Gootman, nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution; Michael Gregory, deputy chief economist and head of U.S. economics at BMO Capital Markets; Samir Mayekar, deputy mayor at the City of Chicago; Erin Aleman, executive director of CMAP. Photo credit: Executives' Club of Chicago
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Working together for a stronger regional economy
Northeastern Illinois is seeing success in working together as one region on economic growth. "There are so many positive developments and achievements that give us a reason to be hopeful in spite of the challenges that lie ahead,” said Erin Aleman, executive director of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), at a recent panel.
Aleman moderated a panel at the Executives' Club of Chicago that included Michael Gregory, deputy chief economist and head of U.S. economics at BMO Capital Markets; Marek Gootman, nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution; and Samir Mayekar, deputy mayor at the City of Chicago.
The panelists shared thoughts on current economic trends and stressed the need for the region’s municipalities and companies to collaborate rather than compete against each other.
They also discussed the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership, a first-of-its-kind effort to drive a regional economic strategy. The Partnership is a collaboration among the seven counties of northeastern Illinois and the City of Chicago to strengthen economic growth and advance equity across the region.
CMAP, supported by a grant from the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, partnered with the Brookings Institution to help the region develop this partnership.
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 From left to right: Erin Aleman, executive director of CMAP; Michael Buehler, McHenry County Board Chair; Carolyn Schofield, CMAP Board member representing McHenry County
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Local and regional collaboration takes center stage in McHenry County
How can we work better together? That question was posed to McHenry County mayors and elected officials many years ago. It led to an idea and prompted a CMAP study, which led to recommendations and implementation of new shared and consolidated services, plus a new county coordinator position, a local government purchasing collaborative, and a police social work program.
Those success stories took center stage at a recent McHenry County Council of Governments meeting. CMAP joined elected officials from all levels — legislators, county board, mayors, and trustees — along with transportation and business stakeholders to showcase the thriving partnerships and collaboration happening across the county and the region.
Executive Director Erin Aleman also shared details on the state of our region, including findings from a public sentiment survey (learn more below) and an update on CMAP’s work to advance the regional priorities that make northeastern Illinois a stronger, more resilient place to live.
Service sharing is a key recommendation in ON TO 2050. We thank McHenry County for being a model and leader in our region. Thanks to their efforts and those of many more partners across our region, northeastern Illinois is thriving together.
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2023 State of the Region: Thriving Together
CMAP's State of the Region program celebrates the organizations and individuals successfully working to improve northeastern Illinois, its communities, and its people, while bringing attention to public sentiment on key quality-of-life issues.
The State of the Region program includes a public opinion survey that reveals residents’ attitudes toward issues — including transportation, the economy, and climate — and identifies successes and challenges across the region.
Key findings include:
 The State of the Region program also includes the Regional Excellence Award winners, which demonstrate the important work being done to improve the quality of life of our region. Whether they’ve strengthened access to resources, redeveloped long vacant properties, or built on careers devoted to public service, the 2023 winners have shaped our region in outstanding ways.
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World Business Chicago recently sat down with McHenry County Board Chair Michael Buehler and County Administrator Peter Austin for a conversation about the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership and exciting new developments taking place in McHenry County and across northeastern Illinois.
They discussed the region's vibrant business community, workforce development initiatives, and upcoming economic opportunities. Watch the video to learn how McHenry County is playing a vital role in driving the region's economic growth.
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Save the date: Regional Economy Committee meets this month
Join the next Regional Economy Committee meeting on Thursday, April 27, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. An agenda and other meeting materials will be posted on Legistar.
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