World Class Greater Philadelphia An Economy League Initiative

In the Guest Notebook of today's Philadelphia Business Journal, Economy League Executive Director Steve Wray discusses World Class.  The column is part of a Business Journal series sponsored by the Global Philadelphia Association titled “Philadelphia: The Once – and Future – International City." 

Scroll down to read the full op-ed, or find it on the Business Journal's website here.

Establishing a World Class region

by Steven T. Wray

Philadelphia Business Journal
Friday, May 11, 2012, 6:00am EDT

There’s a question about our region that I find myself getting asked more and more frequently. The question is simple, but powerful: What will it take for Greater Philadelphia to reach its highest potential and be recognized as a truly world-class region?

There are as many possible answers to this question as there are barstools from which to debate them. However, a growing number of leaders believe that two stand out above all others. They believe that the secret to achieving Greater Philadelphia’s higher aspirations starts with greater focus and collaboration. If we can find a way to focus the passion and talent of our region’s business, civic, and public-sector leaders around a limited number of shared goals and strategies, the future and Greater Philadelphia’s role in it takes on a whole new outlook.

That’s the spirit behind World Class Greater Philadelphia — an initiative led by the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia    to establish a set of long-term priorities and focused strategies. Over the past two years, the Economy League has brought together more than 1,000 business, nonprofit, government, labor and community leaders at a series of roundtables, workshops and focus groups to discuss what’s most important for our shared future. Across these interactive sessions, three clear priorities for strategy and action emerged: education and talent development, business growth, and infrastructure.

These three regional priorities along with a set of related goals are outlined in a new report, Focus 2026: Priorities and Goals for a World Class Greater Philadelphia (available along with more detail about the World Class initiative at www.WorldClassGreaterPhila.org). Over the next several months, the Economy League will be joining forces with the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, the CEO Council for Growth, and Urban Land Institute-Philadelphia    to convene thought leaders and practitioners to identify the most promising short- and long-run strategies to achieve these World Class goals. This effort will result in the creation of Global Positioning Strategies — or GPSes — by the end of 2012 that will help guide ongoing collaboration to improve regional education and talent development outcomes, boost business growth, and make our infrastructure more effective and reliable. These open-source strategy documents will set the stage for immediate initiatives and campaigns to be taken on by World Class partners.

Why do World Class supporters believe that this effort will succeed? First, it is built upon two years of extensive engagement that helped establish critical buy-in among key regional stakeholders. Second, it is powered by partnerships among the region’s top business and civic leadership organizations – groups that have a bias toward action and are using the results of current strategy development efforts to inform their own business plans and investments. Third, in taking on this ambitious effort, the Economy League has made an ongoing commitment to monitor progress toward measurable goals and to continue to convene regional leaders around World Class strategy adjustment.

But what really stands out is that even amid economic uncertainty and challenges, optimism among Greater Philadelphia’s leaders about our region and what it can become remains at a high. Coming together around shared goals and strategies is the path to realizing the potential that this region’s ardent leaders know is currently just beyond our reach.

Steven T. Wray is executive director of the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia. This column is part of a series sponsored by the Global Philadelphia Association (www.globalphiladelphia.org) that periodically appears in the Philadelphia Business Journal titled “Philadelphia: The Once – and Future — International City.

By L. THOMAS HAERTSCH | Posted: Thursday, April 5, 2012 6:00 am

Early last month, nearly 300 men and women gathered in Philadelphia for an update on an initiative that could result in a better future for all of us. It’s called “World Class Greater Philadelphia.” Two years in the making so far, it is encouraging forward thinking and bringing together people in new ways.

What happens with this initiative matters in communities such as Doylestown, Newtown, Churchville, New Hope, Lambertville, Bristol and Burlington. We’re asked to embrace the notion that we should think bigger and broader, and ponder what we’re doing collectively to be world class in a global economy.

Regionalism no longer is the equivalent of a four-letter word. The world is a village and the ties that bind us throughout southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and northern Delaware are stronger than ever, or at least they should be.

Here’s the good news. There’s huge opportunity.

The Economy League of Greater Philadelphia has spent considerable time and energy looking ahead to figure out what it means to be world class in the years leading up to 2026, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

We score well when it comes to quality of life. We’re in a great location. We have many great communities. We’re relatively affordable. And there’s a wide range of cultural and entertainment options.

On economic measures, however, the prevailing wisdom is we don’t fare as well. We’re not as dynamic. We don’t create as many new businesses. We have confusing and complex government structures with complicated tax systems. Our workforce quality is OK but could be better. We’re not as connected to the global economy as we should be.

So overall we’re in the mix, but we’re not consistently ranking at the top of regions people say are great places.

That’s why the next steps are to consider our future and advance those key success factors and priorities that will effect change in our favor.

More than 1,000 business, nonprofit, government, labor and community leaders have participated in Economy League roundtables, workshops, focus groups and special events to discuss what’s most important to our shared future.

Three areas emerged as priorities for development and collaboration — education and talent development, business growth, and infrastructure. These priorities may not surprise you, yet the resources dedicated to taking each of them to the next level may surprise you.

The Urban Land Institute Philadelphia, with 800 members throughout Eastern and Central Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, and Delaware is taking a lead role in creating the infrastructure strategy.

The CEO Council for Growth, a group of business executives committed to growth and prosperity throughout nearly a dozen counties across northern Delaware, southern New Jersey and Southeastern Pennsylvania, is taking a lead role in developing the business growth strategy.

The United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania is bringing the business community, organized labor, public and nonprofit sectors together to create the education and talent development strategy.

Still wondering why you should care about yet another public policy study with implications many years from now? Consider these six guiding principles advanced by the Economy League for this initiative. They’re for all of us.

First, build from strength. Our unique assets, leaders and culture equip us to do certain things well, so let’s recognize and draw on these strengths to achieve challenging world class goals.

Second, think and act globally. Our world is more interconnected and interdependent every day. Let’s anticipate and respond to challenges and opportunities that develop abroad and bring our knowledge and assets to bear on the global stage.

Third, build our image. If we expect to compete globally, let’s do a better job domestically and overseas of building a coherent and compelling image and conveying our success stories.

Fourth, be true to ourselves. Our unique communities, institutions, and culture merit strategies and solutions that recognize what makes us different and special.

Fifth, create opportunity for all. Let’s address the stark differences in achievement, access and earnings across our communities.

Sixth, work together and across boundaries. Or, put another way, ignore all boundaries. This can be done. There’s strength in numbers.

Bottom line? Pay attention to initiatives like this that make good sense. To learn more, visit www.worldclassgreaterphila.org.

Looking forward, what infrastructure projects will be game changers for the Greater Philadelphia region?  On March 1, this question was the topic of discussion at ULI Philadelphia’s annual Regional Forum, “Transformative Regional Game Changers – Let’s Dare to Dream (and Evaluate).”  A panel discussion featuring World Class Co-Chair and Brandywine Realty Trust CEO Jerry Sweeney along with Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, Bucks County Commissioner Robert Loughery, William Penn Foundation President Jeremy Nowak, and keynote speaker Stephen Friedman of ULI Chicago focused on future real estate and infrastructure projects that have the potential to yield far-reaching and transformative benefits for the Philadelphia area.  Discussion was informed by the World Class infrastructure focus areas of global and national connections, regional mobility, signature destinations, and sustainable systems, which, in the coming months, will serve as the basis for the World Class infrastructure strategy partnership between the Economy League and ULI Philadelphia.

To learn more about ULI Chicago's framework for identifying Infrastructure Game Changers (highlighted in the World Class Focus 2026 report), watch Stephen Friedman's short overview video and visit the ULI Chicago website. 

 World Class Co-Chair Jerry Sweeney of Brandywine Realty Trust (second from left) participated on the Infrastructure Game Changers panel with ULI Chicago's Stephen Friedman (far left), Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter (center), Bucks County Commissioner Robert Loughery (second from right), and William Penn Foundation President Jeremy Nowak (far right).

A world class thank you is due to Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter for incorporating the World Class Greater Philadelphia initiative into his address to the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce at their annual Mayoral Luncheon and President's Circle Reception yesterday afternoon.

The World Class and Economy League reference came near the start of his remarks:

"And so this afternoon, I want to talk about Philadelphia—an international city. Our dynamic companies are driving Philadelphia’s increasingly global reputation as a city of ideas, a place where ingenuity is celebrated. This vision of Philadelphia as a world-class city has been championed by the Economy League, which is developing a strategy for keeping us moving in that direction."

We will continue to champion a world class future for Greater Philadelphia and are glad to know that the Mayor recognizes the importance of developing strategies to ensure we get there.  

Thank you, Mayor Nutter!

Read the full transcript of the Mayor's address >>

Stay connected with World Class by downloading the iWorldClass app for tablets and mobile devices in the Android Marketplace or at www.worldclassgreaterphila.org/app. The iWorldClass app will also soon be available in the Apple app store.

Check out our new World Class video, which presents a brief overview of the World Class Greater Philadelphia initiative through the perspectives of 14 regional leaders who are committed to working together for a world class future for our region.  

Thank you to NBC10 and Shire Pharmaceuticals for their support in producing this video.  

A World Class thank you goes out to everyone interviewed for the video:

Richard I. Altman
Executive VP & Chief Risk Officer, Radian Group, Inc
Board Chair, Economy League of Greater Philadelphia

Patricia A. Coulter
President & CEO, Urban League of Philadelphia

Bernard Dagenais
President & CEO, Main Line Chamber of Commerce

Farah Jimenez
President & CEO, People’s Emergency Center

Sara Lomax-Reese
President, WURD Radio, LLC

Jill M. Michal
President & CEO, United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania

Jane G. Pepper
World Class Co-Chair

Anthony J. Perno III, Esq.
CEO, Cooper’s Ferry Partnership

Michael  A. Rashid
President & CEO, AmeriHealth Mercy Family of Companies

David M. Ricci
Partner, The Flynn Group
District Chairman, ULI Philadelphia

Gerard H. Sweeney
President & CEO, Brandywine Realty Trust
World Class Co-Chair

Stephen S. Tang, PhD
President & CEO, University City Science Center

Robert C. Wonderling
Chairman, CEO Council for Growth

Special thanks also go to the following members of the Philadelphia Young Playwrights Youth Council:

Gina Dukes

Joshua Lynch

Manna-Symone Middlebrooks 

Thien To

photo credit: Ron Tarver / Philadelphia Inquirer

Over the past two years, more than 1,000 cross-sector leaders have brought their energy and passion for Greater Philadelphia to World Class conversations about what's most important for our shared future. Since the release of last spring's acclaimed 2026: Future Histories of Greater Philadelphia report, the Economy League has been hard at work, drawing upon the expertise of regional leaders and conducting extensive research to develop a clear framework to help focus and guide strategic collaboration to better the region.

What would you do today if you knew how our world will be 15 years from now, in 2026?

Last month, the Economy League unveiled four “future histories” of Greater Philadelphia and their implications. These 2026 scenarios were based on more than a year’s interviews, roundtables, and research into the forces and trends at work regionally, nationally, and worldwide. It’s not about choosing the best future and aligning efforts to it but rather about preparing for those situations common to all of them. Just like if you read four weather predictions and three call for rain, you’ll take an umbrella. Likewise, if most of the futures concern attracting and retaining talent, then as a region we’d better make strengthening the education pipeline a priority.

Come to this event to learn how you can help prepare this region, its institutions, and your business or organization ready for the future.

Monday, June 13, 2011 from 5:30-8:00PM

WHYY, 150 N. 6th Street, Philadelphia 19106

Register