Bringing Down the Barriers 2007

Sign up now for the 2nd Annual MBO to MBO Trade Conference. Bringing Down the Barriers will offer real solutions to problems Minority Business Owners face - such as how to overcome historical barriers to fair and significant engagement, setting up an effective communications strategy, and successful networking. The Partnership's Minority Economic Development Working Group will be one of the panel discussions. The Prosperity Partnership is co-sponsoring this event, which is happening May 18th at Meydenbaur Center in Bellevue from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Seattle CityClub Presents:
Port of Seattle: New Hands at the Helm

With a new President and CEO, the Port of Seattle is in a leadership transition. Both new leaders face many challenges as the Port seeks to fulfill its mission of creating economic vitality in our region. The Port estimates that its facilities support nearly 200,000 jobs, create $12 billion in business revenue annually, and generate over $600 million a year in state and local taxes.

Is competition from other West Coast ports a concern? Is the Port secure? How does the Port maintain and improve the environment in the course of business? What are the most difficult problems facing Port management and staff? Will there be a change in course with the new leadership?

Come learn about the state of the Port and those leading it forward! As always, bring your own questions and be prepared for a lively conversation.

Thursday, April 26, 2007
The Sheraton Hotel, 1400 Sixth Avenue, Seattle
Registration: 11:30 a.m. Luncheon: 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
$35/CityClub Members,
$40/Guests and Members of Co-presenting Organizations and $45/General Public
Moderator: Jim Vesely, Editorial Page Editor, Seattle Times
Panelists:
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer, Port of Seattle,
John Creighton, Commission President, Port of Seattle

Click here to see more of our Partner’s Events

Prosperity Partnership E-Newsletter
April 24, 2007

  • Central Washington Tour Gearing Up
  • Prosperity Partnership's Regional Housing Strategy Working Group Debuts with Fanfare
  • Life Sciences Discovery Fund Grant Proposals Shaping Up

    Central Washington Tour Gearing Up

    Connect with more than sixty colleagues in a brief tour of central Washington's brightest economic achievements this June. Building on the success of the Prosperity Partnership's 2006 Eastern Washington Tour, this year's trip will help us learn about some of the innovation occurring in central Washington and provide opportunities to explore concrete ways in which eastern, central and western Washington communities can collaborate more closely in the coming year.

    Central Washington leaders and businesses are working to strengthen our state in a number of industries and foundation areas important to Puget Sound. Clean Technology, Life Sciences, Aerospace, Transportation and the Wine Industry all play important roles in the economies of Central Washington, as do Arts & Culture and Higher Education. Attendees will learn what is being done in these clusters and explore ways to work together.

    The Prosperity Partnership is leading this tour jointly with a delegation from Spokane. The tour will take place Monday, June 25 through Wednesday, June 27 and will feature stops in Yakima, Wenatchee, Ellensburg and Moses Lake.

    Stops on the tour will include visits to the Wenatchee Confluence Technology Center, Wild Horse Wind Facility, Heritage University, a winery, Capitol Theater and Yakima Convention Center. Two tracks will be offered on the first day - Clean Technology with a visit to REC Solar Grade Silicon or Aerospace with a visit to the aviation department at Big Bend Community College.

    Space is limited and a sold-out tour is anticipated. Please register as soon as possible! Download the registration form at prosperitypartnership.org. Online registration will be available soon.

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    Prosperity Partnership's Regional Housing Strategy Working Group Debuts with Fanfare

    At U.S. Senator Patty Murray's April 6 Roundtable on Housing Affordability, the Senator praised and pledged support for the Prosperity Partnership's efforts to address housing affordability for workers at all income levels.

    Helmed by Rita Ryder, President for Strategic Initiatives, YWCA of Seattle-King County-Snohomish County, and Bill Longbrake, Vice Chairman of Washington Mutual, the housing working group's mission is to identify existing areas of broad consensus in regional housing policies and to develop strategies and actions that will help to improve access to housing close to jobs for workers of all wage levels from throughout the four-county region. The working group is comprised of a diverse, cross sector of representatives from each of the four counties.

    The two specific deliverables will be:

  • A jointly written public comment on the housing element of the Puget Sound Regional Council's draft VISION 2020 update; and
  • 1-2 tangible strategies to include in the Prosperity Partnership's 2008 Action Items.

    For more information, please contact Eric Schinfeld at (206) 587-5063 or eschinfeld@psrc.org.

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    Life Sciences Discovery Fund Grant Proposals Shaping Up

    Interest in the first $3 million in grants to be awarded through the Life Sciences Discovery Fund has been very high. Over 26 organizations, representing over 100 Washington researchers, sent letters of intent by the late March deadline. The LSDF was pleased with the attention the program received from public private partnerships.

    "We are very encouraged by this response," said Lee Huntsman, executive director of LSDF and co-chair of Prosperity Partnership's Life Sciences Cluster Working Group. "The evidence is in: scientists, health-care providers, entrepreneurs, and inventors are seeking to capitalize on this public investment in life sciences. The state's mandate is clear. By strengthening life sciences competitiveness, we can improve health and help Washington's economy grow."

    The Life Sciences is one of the Prosperity Partnership's five pilot clusters identified by the Regional Economic Strategy to add an additional 100,000 jobs in the Puget Sound by 2010. Ensuring that the Life Sciences Discovery Fund shows strong short term results was one of the Prosperity Partnership's successful First Year Action Items.

    The grant program is focused on beneficial applications of technology to increase the quality and cost effectiveness of health care. The applicants include universities, private research institutions, public health organizations, hospitals, clinics, and medical systems. The applicant projects cover a wide range of technologies, such as health informatics, to address a variety of issues like managing chronic disease.

    Full proposals are due to the LSDF by May 23, 2007, with award decisions expected in September 2007. Another grant cycle will begin in May 2007.

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