In this message:
  • 2018 Annual Summit Highlights
  • Hotel Room Block (EXPIRES June 20th)
  • Columbia River Treaty Symposium
  • Innovation and Workforce Highlights Track highlights
2018 Annual Summit
The Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER) Annual Summit is a chance for regional leaders to examine opportunities and challenges to growth, trade, and environmental stewardship across 10 jurisdictions in the U.S. Pacific Northwest and Western Canada.

Click  HERE  to book into the PNWER Block
OR
Call 1-800-228-9290 and mention PNWER.

The PNWER negotiated rate is $139 USD/night
Columbia River Treaty Symposium
PNWER will hold a Symposium exploring the Columbia River system, the current Treaty and its impacts on the region. 

Both the U.S. and Canadian lead negotiators are speaking at PNWER
Foreign participants must register before June 20th for security clearance purposes
The full Symposium consists of: 
  • Columbia River Treaty Session on Morning, Wed July 25
  • Grand Coulee Dam Tour on Afternoon, Wed July 25
  • B.C. 2-day Study Tour on Thursday 26 to Friday 27
U.S. participants must submit their security clearance forms by July 6th.
How to Register:
Option 1:  Participants can choose to register for the full Summit (July 22-26) and add on the Grand Coulee Dam and the B.C. Tour as policy tours through the registration portal.

Option 2:  Participants can choose to register for ONLY the Symposium, which includes the session and options to add the policy tours.
Summit Sneak Peek
July 23 | Monday Sessions
Innovations in Health and the Role of Universities
Health Innovations
The PNWER Health Innovations session will focus on new technologies, collaborative research, workforce training, and healthcare access. Our region is leading the way in innovative health solutions, and this session will showcase what our region has to offer.
  • Telemedicine
  • Opioid research and role of legislators
  • Biomedical research
  • WWAMI program
University Presidents
The Roundtable is a forum for university presidents to showcase best practices at universities and colleges across the region. Attendees and panelists will explore how the region could move forward to address challenges and opportunities in talent development, as well as share strategic partnerships and innovations for emerging challenges in higher education. 
University and College Presidents set to attend this year: 
  • Allan Cahoon; President and Vice Chancellor, Royal Roads University
  • Ana Mari Cauce; President, University of Washington
  • Mary Cullinan; President, Eastern Washington University
  • Paul Dangerfield; President, Capilano University
  • Daryll DeWald; Chancellor, WSU Health Sciences Spokane
  • David Docherty; President, Mount Royal University
  • James Johnsen; President, University of Alaska
  • Christine Johnson; Chancellor, Community Colleges of Spokane
  • Thayne McCulloh; President, Gonzaga University
  • Kathleen Murray; President, Whitman College
  • Marc Pagano; Chancellor, University of Washington-Tacoma
  • Deborah Saucier; President, MacEwan University
  • Chuck Staben; President, University of Idaho
  • Beck Taylor; President, Whitworth University
July 24 | Tuesday Sessions
Emerging Technologies and Workforce Implications
Innovation
The competitive landscape of the global economy, coupled with worldwide environmental challenges, is creating unprecedented demand for scientific discovery and application.


  • Utilize technology for government efficiency and security: Will Blockchain change the way government does business
  • Startup and entrepreneurship ecosystem of the region
  • 2019 Alaska's Year of Innovation: How can other states and provinces prioritize and encourage citizens to innovate
Workforce Development
The Working Group examines the training needed for the skilled workforce of the future as well as the best practices in industry and government cooperation.
  • Manufacturing opportunities in the region
  • Workforce training
  • Washington state's apprenticeship initiative 
Energy Innovation
Federal agencies and state governments make significant investments in the research and development of energy technologies to address critical National mission needs. There remains at this time however, significant unrealized commercial potential from these investments due to the “valley of death” that exists between a research prototype and a commercialized product. New coordinated regional public-private partnerships are needed to bridge the valley of death and accelerate the development and deployment of these energy innovations. 

The Northwest Energy Innovation Alliance (NEIA) is a consortium that has been formed to address this challenge. The NEIA marshals the Northwest (NW) Region’s innovation capabilities, resources, markets and opportunities to accelerate the transition of energy technologies to increase U.S. prosperity, competitiveness and job creation. 
Autonomous, Connected, Electric and Shared (ACES)
An ACES world promises to catalyze a new transportation future that reduces congestion, limits traffic accidents, cleans up our air and water, and enhances social equity by reducing the costs of personal mobility. ACES will also revolutionize the supply chain logistics world of marine, surface and air transportation while electrification offers new business opportunities for our bi-national region’s utilities.
July 25 | Wednesday Sessions
Economic Development
  • Sharing best practices on rural economic development from around the region 
  • How can we make capital more accessible to new and growing businesses?
Event Highlight:
Share the Power of Innovation, Discovery, and Community Impact with WSU!
WSU Spokane is honored to welcome Summit attendees on Monday, July 23 from 6pm to 8pm for an evening reception to be held on its beautiful campus just 3 blocks from the Davenport Grand Hotel.

Guests will enjoy an array of seasonally fresh, locally sources, and sustainably produced appetizers and beverages that will feature the tastes and textures of Washington State's bounty.
To share the power of innovation, discovery, and community impact with WSU research, guests will have the opportunity to visit a research lab conducting amazing research and development activities in support of the local economy. Attendees will learn more about other applied research being conducted in partnership with, and in service to many sectors and residents in the greater Spokane area.
When: Monday, July 23
Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Where: Washington State University Campus
Who: All Summit attendees and invited guests
When:  July 22-26, 2018
Where:  Spokane, Washington

Who:  Join us, along with 550+ legislators, business leaders, non-profits, academics, and /federal local government representatives to Spokane, Washington, to develop collaborative solutions to key regional issues, covering a spectrum of 20+ working group fields including agriculture, transportation, tourism, (health) innovation, and energy.
Policy Tours
This half day tour will feature a special tour of the dam, with the chance to hear from local community members speaking on the importance of the Dam to Eastern Washington's economy and ecosystem.

*Please note: participants will need to bring passport/photo ID to attend this tour ( download the security form here )
Columbia River Treaty Study Tour: Grand Coulee Dam
Date: Wednesday, July 25
Time: 2 pm- 10pm
Fee: $25 USD

** There is a REQUIRED security clearance form for the Grand Coulee Dam Tour. Please see below, the deadline for foreign participants is June 20th , for U.S. participants is July 6th.
Columbia River Treaty Study Tour: British Columbia
Date: July 26- July 27
Fee: $100 USD
This two day tour will take participants to a number of significant sites along the Columbia River, making major stops in British Columbia, and featuring insights from leading experts on recommendations for modernizing the Treaty.

Further details will be announced later but the tour will be from July 26-27: Thursday, departing Spokane at 7 a.m. and arriving back on Friday at around 5 p.m.

*Please note: participants will need to bring passports to attend this tour ( more details here )
NAFTA and Tariff Updates
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory – Uniting Innovation Around the Region
Unity is strength... when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.” This quote from Mattie Stepanek, a young poet who died before he turned 14, sums up the importance of working together, sharing ideas and pursuing common goals. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, managed and operated by Battelle for the U.S. Department of Energy, embraces this philosophy as it advances scientific discovery and solves some of the nation’s toughest challenges in energy resiliency and national security.

Every day, our researchers work to invent efficient catalysts, develop sustainable biofuels, synthesize new materials for energy storage, strengthen cybersecurity and deter illicit nuclear trafficking. At PNNL, we recognize that partnerships and collaborations, like those explored, enhanced and embraced at the annual Pacific NorthWest Economic Region Annual Summit, are a key ingredient to success. If we leverage the strengths and capabilities of our partners, we accomplish more together than our 4,500 scientists, engineers and support professionals could ever do alone.

We also work to advance science, technology, engineering and mathematics—or STEM—education and the public’s access to it. As one of the world’s premier laboratories for scientific discovery and technology solutions, PNNL is uniquely suited to engage and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. Each year, hundreds of students visit PNNL to explore and take part in career-focused and hands-on learning experiences. These efforts provide a strong foundation for tomorrow’s scientists and engineers and help fill the need for the skilled, diverse workforce of the future.

As a taxpayer-funded institution, part of PNNL’s mission is to make our broad array of intellectual property and expertise available to businesses. PNNL provides opportunities for collaborative research and commercializing available technologies. Our partner businesses gain a competitive advantage through valuable insights into new and emerging technological developments.

Looking ahead, PNNL will continue to grow and develop partnerships with universities, industry and national labs across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. We share a vision to create a powerful Northwest innovation ecosystem focused on increasing regional prosperity, competitiveness and job creation. This collaboration will help bridge federally funded research and development with state and regional industrial development to accelerate the region’s energy innovation pipeline. With this sense of unity, we can create a sustainable future and establish this region as a leader.
A Special Word from:
*Views expressed are those of outside partners and do not reflect the PNWER Secretariat or PNWER Executive Committee
Thank You to Our Early Sponsors
Sponsorship Opportunities Available!

The Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER) is the premier nonpartisan organization bringing together policy makers, non-profits, and business leaders to support the development of our regional economy. PNWER is recognized by both the United States and Canada as a model for regional and bi-national cooperation because of its proven success. 

ABOUT PNWER

The Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER) was created in 1991 by the states of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Washington, and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and the Yukon and Northwest Territories. 

It is a statutory public/private non-profit dedicated to increasing the economic well-being and quality of life for all citizens of the region, while maintaining and enhancing our natural environment.

Our overarching goals are to:
  • Coordinate provincial and state policies throughout the region
  • Identify and promote "models of success"
  • Serve as a conduit to exchange information.
  • Promote greater regional collaboration
  • Enhance the competitiveness of the region in both domestic and international markets
  • Leverage regional influence in Ottawa and Washington D.C.
  • Achieve continued economic growth while maintaining the region's natural environment
Connect with PNWER on Social Media
Keep up to date on the latest PNWER activities and news around the Region.
Partner Events
WHEN: June 25, 2018
WHERE: Seattle, Washington

CleanTech Innovation Showcase is the region’s premier one-day conference focused on technology and business innovation. The event attracts 400+ international industry leaders, investors, policymakers and media to experience what lies ahead in clean technology, renewable energy and environmental sustainability.
In addition to presentations from 24 companies and organizations, the event includes keynote addresses and panels. Among this year’s speakers is Dr. Sunita Satyapal, director of the DOE Fuel Cell Technology Office.
When: September 26-28, 2018
Where: Vancouver, British Columbia

High level talks on:
  • North American Trade Agreements
  • Border Management & Transportation
  • Automation & Productivity in Business
  • Mexico: Post 2018 Presidential Election

The NASCO Continental Reunion brings together North American industry and government leaders in a unique way and features ideas and solutions regarding our continent’s borders, trade and transportation network.
The common thread at each year's reunion is how to strengthen North American cooperation at the grassroots level. A strong agenda focused on supply chain networks, transportation efficiency, border management, and workforce development make for a busy two days.