Illinois Economic Development Association

What a week! 🎉 Thank you to the more than 200 economic developers and stakeholders who joined us last week at the 2026 IEDA Summit, held at the UIC Dorin Forum in Chicago.

The Summit is the perfect way to kick off the summer—a chance to connect with peers in economic development from across the state to learn, network, and build new relationships that strengthen our profession.

This year's program featured an outstanding lineup of panels covering the issues shaping our communities:

• Transportation
• Nuclear energy
• Workforce development
• Tourism
• Affordable housing
• The current and future economic outlook

We were also grateful to hear from our partners at the Illinois EDC and the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity including DCEO Director Kristin Richards and Illinois EDC President & CEO Christy George.

A special thank you to all of our sponsors, whose generosity makes this event possible year after year and helps us keep registration affordable for attendees. We could not do it without you!

Looking ahead, we hope to see many of you at IEDA's annual Site Selector Forum and Consular Corps Reception on September 30 in Chicago. Additional details and registration will be available in the coming weeks—stay tuned!

#2026 Summit

The 2026 IEDA Summit is only two weeks away, and we’re excited to highlight this year’s outstanding speaker lineup.

REGISTER HERE: https://www.ileda.org/2026-ieda-summit (closing June 19 at 5:00PM CT)

Join us June 24–25 at the UIC Dorin Forum in Chicago for conversations with leaders from government, business, transportation, energy, workforce development, tourism, housing, and economic development organizations across Illinois.

The State of Transportation: How Trucking, Aviation, and Rail are Shaping Economic Development
Moderator: Kristin Richards, Director, DCEO
Tim Butler, President, Illinois Railroad Association
Matt Hart, Executive Director, Illinois Trucking Association
Clayton Stambaugh, Deputy Director of Aeronautics, IDOT

Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Presentation
Alyson Grady, Deputy Director, DCEO Office of Regional Economic Development (RED)
Manuel Lopez, Assistant Deputy Director, DCEO Office of RED
Andrea Runge, Assistant Deputy Director, DCEO Office of RED
Renee Wott, Northeast Senior Region Manager, DCEO Office of RED
Additional DCEO Team RED Members
Margo Markopoulos, Deputy Director, DCEO Office of Trade and Investment

Powering Illinois’ Future: Capacity, Resource Adequacy, and the Role of Nuclear Energy
Moderator: Sameer Ghaznavi, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright LLP
Dwayne Pickett, Vice President of Government Affairs and Regulatory Advocacy, Constellation Power
Brian Granahan, Director, Illinois Power Agency
Brad Tietz, Director of State Policy, Data Center Coalition

Aligning Workforce Strategy with Business Needs
Moderator: Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, President and CEO, Lincolnomic Growth Strategies
Dr. Justin Arnold, President, Illinois Workforce Association
Julio Rodriguez, Deputy Director, DCEO Office of Employment and Training
Laticia Holbert, Senior Manager of Workforce Development, ComEd
Jackie Gallo, Senior Director of Programs, Revolution Workshop

Small Places, Big Impact: How Tourism Sparks Economic Growth Across Illinois
Moderator: Katie Dudley, Community and Economic Development Specialist, Illinois Extension
Cory Jobe, President and CEO, Great Rivers & Routes
Cortney Strohacker, Executive Director, DeKalb County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Tom Daughhetee, Economic Development Director, City of Casey

Making Sense of the Economy: Federal Reserve Midyear Assessment
Thomas Walstrum, Principal Business Economist, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

Illinois EDC Presentation
Paulina San Millan, SVP, Business Development, Illinois EDC
Illinois EDC Leadership

Community Approaches to Address Housing Needs
Ron Clewer, Principal, Tipping Point Consultancy
Doug Pryor, President and CEO, Will County CED
Olivia Ortega, Director of Housing Solutions, Office of Governor JB Pritzker
Mike Doyle, Vice President, Holladay Properties
Drew Mitchell, Vice President, Holladay Properties

2026 IEDA Summit **Bussing provided between the Crowne Plaza West Loop and the UIC Dorin Forum on June 24 and 25, in accordance with event times.