Business and community leaders gathered to reaffirm and strengthen their belief that Charlotte is, and will remain, one of the most resilient and innovative markets for the long-term future at the official, in-person launch conference for the third edition of Invest: Charlotte.
In her opening remarks at the event, Capital Analytics’ CEO Abby Melone provided an overview of Charlotte’s current economic climate. While the region is booming, it is not immune to national headwinds.
“A balanced strategy and adaptability will also be necessary in the shorter term as we face numerous challenges emerging from the pandemic,” Melone said. “Top of the list, no doubt, is the rampant inflation that is very much in place across the country and reflected across all industries. Rising interest rates and whether the Federal Reserve can manufacture a soft landing for the economy are key factors for everyone. Overall, however, when we look at the picture of the Charlotte Region, what we see is a great deal of optimism.”
Health care, education, infrastructure, and planning and development were focal points of the event. The in-person leadership summit, held within Belk Theater at Blumenthal Performing Arts, was kicked off with an opening keynote address from city of Charlotte Assistant City Manager and Economic Development Director Tracy Dodson, who spoke to the importance of partnerships to maintain and build upon the growth of the city.
“Many organizations compete fiercely in the boardroom, but come together to move our community forward,” Dodson said.
Dodson also discussed the Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative, the economic slowdown, and pride in the community.
The first panel of the conference, “Ingenuity and Preparation: The key to staying ahead is anticipating change,” explored the relationship between Charlotte’s health care sector and local educational institutions, as well as the role they play in ingenuity and pushing the community forward.
The second panel, “Real Estate & Construction: How are infrastructure priorities aligned with development needs and what challenges lie ahead,” examined the infrastructure challenges currently facing the Queen City. Walter Fisher, Charlotte office managing partner at Troutman Pepper moderated the discussion, with panelists including Keith Poettker, chairman and CEO at Poettker Construction; Timothy O’Brien, studio manager at LaBella Architecture; and Brendan Pierce, president of commercial at Crescent Communities.
The final panel, “Best Laid Plans: Striking the balance between long-term strategies and adaptability” examined the future of Charlotte as it relates to planning and development.
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