E-REP – The Voice of Business
It’s an honor to serve as the CEO for the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (E-REP). I work with a talented team of professionals who are building a resilient regional economy year over year. As E-REP wrapped up its first year as the region’s voice of business with our Annual Meeting & Dinner September 21, we took the opportunity to share some of the region’s and our accomplishments over the past year. And we asked our members, our partners, and all our constituents to come on board with us. Whether you were with 600 of your fellow community leaders at the Annual Meeting & Dinner or are taking a minute to catch up as you read this, let me share a few highlights and opportunities for you to be part of advancing our region’s success.
Talent EVV Summit
Between the life-long locals and our newest residents, we are rich: We’ve an abundance of compelling people, talents and perspectives. We are a community looking to the future, and that is where Talent EVV comes in. It is a set of shared objectives: growing our population faster and aligning our employers’ needs for a highly trained workforce that is globally competitive with the aspirations of our residents. It is living a healthier and satisfying life and driving down the number of households in poverty. It is about investing in upward mobility and equitable prosperity for all.
These are “stretch” goals. We’re not getting there unless we do so together. We want to build a Nationally Recognized Place to Call Home, and we can’t do that without the community’s aligned support.
This fall, November 2, I invite you to bring your expertise to the table. E-REP in partnership with United Way of Southwestern Indiana, Junior Achievement, the Welborn Baptist Foundation, and others invite you to co-own our future. The Talent EVV Summit is an opportunity for regional stakeholders to impact and engage in a Quality-of-Life strategic plan (Talent EVV) and we want individuals who can navigate and impact this work in an intentional way.
Where are you on your DEI Journey?
Business leaders taking collective action on diversity, equity and inclusion matters more than ever. Early career talent is demanding inclusive workplaces. We’re here to help you communicate your welcoming work environment and to demonstrate that you are part of this long overdue journey.
No DEI journey is the same. And that is why E-REP is committed to enabling your path by providing resources and best practices.
Over the past two years, many leaders in our community have shared their organizations’ initiatives. We’ve built a DEI Toolkit of useful programs, content, experts, consultants and more. If your organization or business is already intentional about DEI work, let us know by signing the DEI Action Statement on our website.
Let’s put our region on the map – Together
Talent is the most important competitive issue in economic development. We must clearly and consistently share our strengths with those who are choosing where to live and work. The foundational work to build a regional “brand” started years ago. E is for everyone, has come to represent the Evansville Region. It is an invite to rally together to celebrate the vibe that is our collection of communities. It is an invite to contribute by getting involved in whatever capacity we can – by taking ownership, pitching in, and doing our part to make the region thrive.
Please visit our refreshed website, use the updated photo library, look for new stories, images and tools for your use. We are executing a targeted digital marketing campaign aimed directly at the talent you need now and into the future.
I’m asking you to sell our region – your region. Use these tools and resources to embed the e brand in your own organizations, share your best stories on social media, and be a champion of this region. And share your stories with us using the hashtag, #eisforeveryone.
A region rich in talent, in opportunity for all, in the resources our businesses need to thrive, in the amenities and vibe that make us a Nationally Recognized Place to Call Home – it’s where we are headed. Talent EVV is the plan, and we invite you to be a co-owner of this work for the region that we all call home.