Quad Cities Chamber recently issued the following announcement.
Since becoming Q2030 Director in June, Greg Aguilar has hit the ground running. Recently we caught up with Greg to find out the latest happenings with Q2030.
Start off by telling us what is Q2030?
Q2030 is a movement that changes the way we as a region think, speak, and behave. We want our community to think regionally and to work collaboratively for success that will lift the entire region.
The goal of Q2030 is to be globally recognized by the year 2030 for attracting and retaining talent and business. We do this through
We are better together and we can advance further if we work collectively and share resources to hit our goals. The Quad Cities Chamber is supporting the Q2030 regional action plan by providing the backbone staff to facilitate the movement. This is designed as a volunteer-led and ground-up effort, so we’re making room for more community champions to step up to the plate.
You have been on the job as Q2030 director for about 3 months now. What have you learned?
Community development is economic development. By bringing people together to meet and share ideas, it is easier for the community to create a vision and achieve measurable goals through collective impact. If we as a region want to succeed, we must be inclusive
We have a community of leaders and everyday Quad Citizens who truly believe in making sure that our community is the best that it can be. We have a special energy here because of our rich history of rolling up our sleeves and making things happen.
Are there certain areas with the plan that are rising up as making progress?
I am very impressed with the progress in the workforce conversation of our region and the start of the Eastern Iowa/Western Illinois Workforce Consortium, which will create an environment for workforce development partners to meet and collaborate to advance our region’s workforce.
The welcoming and inclusive portion of Q2030 has grown and is helping advance a movement of raising the profile of leaders who are showing diversity in action. Momentum from the Big Table has continued, especially in the neighborhoods of our community and with leaders from underrepresented
The Make It Here regional brand also has taken off! There is a great website that helps locals and visitors see what our region has to offer. Seven of our higher education institutions came together to remind our community that we have incredible opportunities here too with the QCColleges.com campaign. And a new video has been developed to show potential businesses, workforce, and students just what the region is all about.
What's on the horizon for Q2030?
Storytelling! There has been a lot of action happening at the grass roots level of our community, and we want to share the stories of how everyday people are helping our region advance Q2030. We also will be sharing stories to raise awareness of cool local amenities and activities that may not be top of mind for most Quad Citizens but are worth checking out.
How can people be a part of creating a stronger Quad Cities?
If you want to join the movement, please contact me, Greg Aguilar, or project manager Jack Cullen so we can share where we are headed with our workgroups and identify potential interests. We have started using toolkits with all of our workgroups to help them find their goals and set their tactics. Regardless of whether you are part of an already established group or have new ideas, we want to help teach Quad Citizen leaders how to use the toolkit. This way we can provide support to community members advancing Q2030 goals of being a more cool, creative, connected, and prosperous region.
Original source can be found here.
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