REMINDER: The Renton and Seattle Southside Chambers of Commerce announced that tickets are still available for their first-ever PNW Economic Equity Summit, being held on Friday, Feb. 28, 2020.
This event will be held from 7 – 11 a.m. at the Hyatt Regency Lake Washington in Renton.
Event organizers are thrilled to bring this collaborative event to our community and for the opportunity to gather regional business leaders, policymakers, and the community together to find real solutions to the challenges our community faces—specifically the economic inequity prevalent in King County.
As our local economy continues to soar and be the envy of many, too many are also left out of the ride in prosperity. Gentrification has forced small businesses out of locations they’ve held for years and families are priced out of communities they’ve called home for generations. Many public agencies and private companies include equity initiatives as a goal or standard, but are we taking decisive enough action to encourage and promote meaningful change? This event will challenge, inspire, and educate business leaders and policymakers on best practices and current trends as well as celebrate successes and encourage dialogue previously not part of the current conversation.
WHAT: 2020 PNW Economic Equity Summit
WHEN: Friday, Feb. 28, 2020, from 7 a.m. – 11 a.m.
WHERE: Hyatt Regency Lake Washington, 1053 Lake Washington Blvd N, Renton, WA 98056
Attendees will hear from both industry leaders and subject matter experts, such as Bookda Gheisar, the Senior Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion from the Port of Seattle; Dr. John Mosby, President of Highline College; Sam Kaplan, Director of the Center of Excellence Global Trade & Supply Chain Management at Highline College; and King County Council Member Dave Upthegrove. They will share the stage with Storyteller Sharon Nyree Williams and Emcee and Pacific Northwest icon Tony Ventrella.
In addition, nine members of our community will present their solutions to creating more economic equity in King County. Those proposals will be presented “pitch-style” at the first-ever Economic Equity Summit. This will be an interactive and purposefully collaborative and curated event to ensure equity is encouraged and promoted throughout. Attendees will also be entered to win our new door prize: 2 Alaska Airline Vouchers. A $2,500 value, these vouchers will allow our lucky winner and a guest to fly anywhere Alaska Airlines flies!
We extend our gratitude to our judges that will join our industry and subject matter experts in analyzing the nine community pitch solutions. They are Kate Becker, Creative Economy Strategist for the Office of King County Executive Dow Constantine; Matthew Bennett, CEO and Founder at Write Print Sell; Hugo Garcia, Economic Development Program Manager for King County Department of Local Services; Zenovia Harris, CEO of Kent Chamber of Commerce; Meagan McGuire, Vice President, Sales & Services at Seattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority; Kathy Pederson, AVP Senior Loan Officer at First Financial Northwest Bank; and Susan Perreault, Director of the Washington Women’s Business Center at Business Impact NW.
Special thanks to all our sponsors, including our Tier 1 Sponsors: Port of Seattle, Kaiser Permanente, and City of Renton. Sponsorship and engagement opportunities are still available.
For more information, please contact Ben Andrews at [email protected] or feel free to call the Renton Chamber at (425) 226-4560 or the Seattle Southside Chamber at (206) 575-1633.
This event will only be possible and it’s most successful if we are able to gather and encourage both financial and strategic support from businesses, individuals, and public agencies that share our passion and desire to create more economic equity in King County. We hope you will join us.
About the Renton Chamber of Commerce
The Renton Chamber’s mission is to improve business and economic conditions and the general welfare of the community. To that end, the Chamber is in the business of serving business, as it has for decades. The Chamber offers its members leadership development, networking opportunities, advocacy, and resources to promote business prosperity.
About the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce
The Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit business organization that has served the communities of Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, SeaTac, and Tukwila since 1988. The Chamber focuses on business advancement in the region by helping to build and maintain a strong economic environment.
