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Greater St. Louis, Inc. brought together leaders from across the 15-county bi-state St. Louis metro for the second Inclusive Economic Growth Summit, where they discussed how bold and innovative forms of collaboration are necessary to drive inclusive economic growth.
Hosted by journalist Michelle Li, the Summit featured three panel discussions with regional leaders and a fireside chat with national expert on inclusive growth Dr. Xavier de Souza Briggs, Brookings Metro Senior Fellow.
“Our work is all about bringing the business community together, ending the fragmentation and internal competition that has plagued our region for far too long, and working as one metro with a unified voice committed to growth,” said Jason Hall, Greater St. Louis, Inc. CEO. “More critically, we work to drive inclusive growth so that everyone in our metro has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of race, zip code, or any other factor.”
Pathways to Careers in High-Growth Industries: New Collaborations in Advanced Manufacturing
l-r: Ola Ayeni, President & CEO, Claim Academy, Dena McCaffrey, President of Jefferson College, and moderator Trezette Dixon, Senior Director, The Fellows Experience, Greater St. Louis, Inc.
Panelists talked about the benefits of diverse educational pathways in meeting the needs of high-growth industries like advanced manufacturing, which employs over 57,000 metro residents and experienced 9% employment growth from 2012 to 2018. Olyeni emphasized the inevitable impact of technology on both the job market and required to skill workers, while McCaffrey discussed the necessity for agility and collaboration between employers and education providers.
Said McCaffrey: "[Companies] have to be ready to change. The workforce needs to be engaged. The way we always did it isn’t the way it always has to be. We're asking: how can we work with you to train in the needs that you have?”
Making Supplier Diversity Real: The Brass Tacks of Leveraging Anchor Purchasing Power to Create Opportunities for Diverse Business Growth
Panelists discuss supplier diversity with Lakesha Mathis, VP, Strategy (SupplySTL), Greater St. Louis, Inc.
When major companies and institutions buy local, that money stays in our community and supports diverse business growth, creates jobs, and helps local families thrive. During the second panel, moderator Lakesha Mathis, Vice President, Strategy (SupplySTL), Greater St. Louis, Inc., talked to Lusnail Haberberger, Founder & CEO, LUZCO Technologies, LLC, about the challenges faced by diverse business owners as they seek growth and success.
Byron Witherspoon, Supplier Diversity, and Supply Chain Sustainability, Ameren, and Kevin Wilson, Executive Director, St. Louis Small Business Empowerment Center offered insight gleaned from their work empowering and connecting small businesses to anchor institutions.
"Supplier diversity is a team sport," said Witherspoon, citing three pillars — access, development, and sustainability — as essential for small business growth.
Speaking with a Unified Voice: Collaborating to Make Diverse Business Growth a Public Policy Priority
Panelists talk about the broad benefits of making diverse business growth a policy priority.
Public policy plays a vital role in supporting the growth of diverse businesses. Adam Kazda, Vice President, Government Relations, Greater St. Louis, Inc. moderated a lively discussion about how policy can accelerate that growth without leaving. The Hon. Christopher Belt, Illinois State Senator for the 57th District, Aimee Wehmeier, President & CEO, Paraquad, and the Honorable Tracy McCreery, Missouri State Senator for the 24th District, joined the discussion.
Growing the economy is "a collaborative effort," said McCreery. "It’s going to take every single one of us. The impact of GSL covers 15 counties. When I look at counties to the west, I see partnership opportunities. ... We need to be working with each other and not against each other."
Said Weimeier about the power of collaboration: "There’s limited time, there’s limited resources, and so much noise. There’s so much power in numbers. When we have a unified voice, it just adds to the impact of making a change."
Fireside Chat: Building the Capacity for Civic Collaboration: Public-Private Partnerships to Solve Problems and Drive Inclusive Growth
Valerie Patton in conversation with Xavier de Souza Briggs.
Valerie Patton, Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, Greater St. Louis, Inc. and Dr. Xavier de Souza Briggs, Brookings Metro Senior Fellow, concluded the 2024 Inclusive Economic Growth Summit, focusing their conversation on building capacity for civic collaboration through public-private partnerships.
"Civic capacity is you and people like you," Briggs told Patton. "It’s building bridges across lines of community all across America. ... “St. Louis and the region are positioned as well or better to break the mold and show the way forward.”