Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
2013 National Meeting Summary
Grand Rapids, MI | Sept. 29 – Oct. 1, 2013
CEOs for Cities’ 2013 National Meeting in Grand Rapids, Michigan gathered over 320 cross-sector civic CEOs and changemakers from over 80 cities to explore the theme, “The Art of the Collaborative City.” It was the largest National Meeting in CEOs for Cities history, exceeding the record attendance of over 250 in Boston in 2012.
This year’s conference explored the intersection of the private, public, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors and the intersection of art, design, talent, and place to catalyze city success. We used ArtPrize, the internationally acclaimed art competition that Time Magazine listed in its "Five Festive Events You Won't Want to Miss in 2013," as our canvas, to help our business, community, foundation, and government leaders explore the smart practices that are helping American cities grow in investments, talent, and quality of life.
Program Overview
Sunday, September 29
We kicked off the conference on September 29, 2013 with a reception at the Reserve Wine & Food. During the reception, attendees heard remarks from Lee Fisher, President and CEO, SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher, CEOs for Cities Board Chair, and Kathleen McIntyre, Ford Motor Company Fund.
Monday, September 30
Monday, September 30, began with welcoming remarks from Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell and Jerry Tubergen, CEO of RDV Corporation and unveiling of a compelling new video about Grand Rapids.
Bruce Katz
Bruce Katz followed with a keynote presentation on the Metropolitan Revolution. Katz detailed how the country’s 388 metropolitan regions account for 91% of the GDP, with the largest share coming from the top 100 metropolitan areas, and explained that metropolitan areas are leading the country in getting back to the basics of economics as well as leading in transportation, manufacturing, applied sciences, immigration, and innovation. According to Katz, cities and metro regions can start their revolution by establishing networks, setting a vision, and finding their game-changer.
The Medical Mile
Brian Harris, CEO of H&H Metal Source in Grand Rapids, moderated a panel on the nationally acclaimed Grand Rapids Medical Mile, which includes Michigan State University Medical School, the Van Andel Institute, the Spectrum Health System, and a number of other noted health care and higher education institutions. The impressive panel of Grand Rapids CEOs discussed how it was important to bring together competitors and to foster an environment of “co-opetition” (competition + cooperation). The game changer for the medical mile was the unique collaboration of competing organizations.
Tony Hsieh
For our midday keynote, we traveled to the JW Marriott hotel to hear Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, speak at a luncheon held in conjunction with the Grand Rapids Economic Club. Hsieh explained that company culture is Zappos’ number one priority and discussed ways that Zappos is working to integrate their new corporate headquarters – located in the old Las Vegas City Hall building – with the downtown Las Vegas community. Hsieh’s Downtown Project, a $350 million privately funded investment in downtown Las Vegas, focuses on a “Return on Community”, rather than the typical real estate investment goal of Return on Investment. Tony was joined by his colleagues Fred Mossler and Zach Ware, and together they noted that they are forfeiting short-term profits, and are instead focused on Collisions, Community, and Co-Learning. The Downtown Project’s ingredients for success include a density of 100 residents per acre, street-level activity, and culture of creativity, openness, and optimism.
Walking Tours; Governor Snyder; The Role of Art in Public Places
After lunch, we split into separate groups for walking tours of GRid70, Grand Valley State University’s Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy, Haworth | Interphase @ MoDiv, and Start Garden.
To close day one, we gathered at the Grand Rapids Public Museum for a reception, special remarks from Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, and a panel on the Role of Art in Public Places. Welcoming the meeting attendees to the state of Michigan, Governor Snyder stated, “You're here at a fascinating moment in our history", before describing the progress Michigan has made since the hit of the national recession and noting the rejuvenating power ArtPrize has had on the Grand Rapids economy and downtown culture.
Following Governor Snyder’s remarks was a panel composed of national leaders in the arts: Michael Kaiser, President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Kemi Ilesanmi, Executive Director of New York City’s The Laundromat Project, and Rick DeVos, the Founder of Grand Rapid’s ArtPrize. The panel, moderated by Jim Hackett, CEO of Steelcase Corporation, explored how art can catalyze community engagement, empower individuals, and serve as an important educational tool. The panelists noted that it is in cities’ best interests to incorporate art in public places because communities with prevalent arts cultures are often the most thriving and competitive.
Tuesday, October 1
On Tuesday, October 1, day two of the conference began with welcoming remarks by Bob Milbourne and Chancellor Nancy Zimpher, CEOs for Cities Board members, and special remarks by Doug DeVos, President of Amway Corporation.
Joe Cortright- the Green Dividend
Joe Cortright unveiled The Green Dividend™, the latest research report from CEOs for Cities. The Green Dividend Report quantifies a net economic impact of $31-billion for the US economy for reducing vehicle miles travelled by only one mile per day. Additionally, Cortright explained how market forces are already encouraging people to drive fewer miles due to increased gas prices and an increased appeal to living in cities.
Anil Menon
Anil Menon, President of Cisco’s Smart+Connected Communities, shared a global perspective on cities during his Tuesday morning’s keynote presentation. Menon noted that by 2050 there will be big changes in the world: China will be the largest economy, the U.S. will be down 30%, and many European countries will drop out of the top ten globally. Furthermore, there will be a proliferation of mega-cities (cities with a population greater than 10 million). Menon explained that the U.S. will have to establish new different business models in order to remain competitive and adapt to the changing times. He indicated that we must utilize technology and implement key digital infrastructure changes to the way people work, live, and play. Menon’s concluding message was that that innovation happens when you bring multiple disciplines together and challenge them to solve a problem.
The Lightning Round
Brian Boyle, Issue Media Group, moderated a lightning round panel of presentations highlighting innovative work in seven different American cities. Meg Fitz, Greater Des Moines Partnership, discussed the Capital Crossroads’ plan to make Des Moines the healthiest city/region in the nation by focusing on sustainability and wellness. Phillip Cooley, founder of Ponyride in Detroit, discussed his work in hiring the homeless. Erin Flynn, Portland State University, described Electric Avenue, a public-private partnership in downtown Portland that examined charging patterns and the behavior of electric car drivers. Karen Gahl-Mills, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, described how the arts and culture community of Cleveland is using imagination as a community development tool. Tim Maloney, Haile/US Bank Foundation, and Dan Reynolds, Landor Associates, shared how they are using public art to illuminate community needs in Cincinnati. Chris Muller, M Retail Solutions, shared efforts of bringing the rapids back to Grand Rapids. And Jessica Zenk, Silicon Valley Leadership Group, discussed how they are harnessing the arts to make transportation systems more appealing for pedestrians.
The Power of Place
Brian Payne, CEO of the Indianapolis Foundation and Central Indiana Community Foundation and CEOs for Cities Board member, moderated a panel about the power of place, which focused on how to redesign, rebuild, and revitalize cities. Jessica Goldman Srebnick, CEO of Goldman Properties, discussed how their developments have used artistic sidewalks to combat under lit streets, foliage to hide parking structures, and public art walls to create a vibrant sense of place, and Dick DeVos, CEO of The Windquest Group, discussed how the Grand Vision nonprofit organization he helped found has worked to attract and retain talent in Grand Rapids.
City Changemaker Awards
Six dynamic city leaders were honored as the first ever group of "City Changemakers." This year's awardees included Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, Memphis Mayor A.C. Wharton, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, Mark Rosenberg, President of Florida International University, Olga Stella of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, and Jim Walker, founder of Big Car. Each individual was nominated based on their innovative leadership in making their cities more vibrant, sustainable, and economically competitive. In a panel discussion moderated by SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher, each of the panelists highlighted the positive change occurring in his/her city.
Mayor Michael Nutter
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter gave the meeting’s closing keynote presentation, and spoke eloquently about Philadelphia’s efforts to balance the city budget and provide low-cost access to services through public-private partnerships. Mayor Nutter also discussed his efforts in developing a skilled and talented workforce.