PROSPERITY COUNCIL UPDATE
Thank you for your continued interest in myTRI 2030. Beginning January 2021, the monthly subscriber report will focus on one of the six Opportunity Area Councils (Agriculture, Education, Energy, Life, Inclusion or Prosperity) to spotlight their progress. This month the Prosperity Council, co-chaired by Dave McCormack and Erik Ralston, shares how they are driving action and shaping the future of our region.
The myTRI 2030 Prosperity council came together last year about three impact statements, outlining our intention to fuel the Tri-Cities economy. These reflect a mindset of “starting with the end in mind” and understanding that the organization is much more about making connections that focus on a long-term culture change.

  • Lay the Foundation - MIT economist Peter Temin estimated that poverty takes 20 years of no emergencies to escape. Could we do better in Tri-Cities? Acknowledging that ability is distributed randomly, yet opportunity is not, that means Tri-Cities is missing just over 10% of the minds that should be helping us think our way into the next stage of 21st century growth.
  • Build the Staircase - Long-term growth is not about having “Know-It-Alls” in our workforce, it’s about fostering a community of “Learn-It-Alls” who reinvest their time, money, and spirit into helping others up one step at a time. If you want the economy to never stop growing, then its people must never stop growing, and there must be as many clear paths to success as we can make to reach our best future.
  • Raise the Roof - We can celebrate success and make sure the stories of achievement become role models for all. Every family, every business, and even every failure should be looked at with gratitude. This includes making community events not just about connecting, but about commemorating big steps in the careers and businesses in our cities.

To get started in 2021, we have started with these three projects:

  • Workforce Portal – Imagine an eager Tri-Citizen hoping to break into their career path. Perhaps they have some inclination in a field – perhaps even some education – but they do not yet have hands-on experience. What should they do? Perhaps look for an internship? Where? The Workforce Portal project seeks to make an online marketplace across Washington state that connects employers with internship opportunities in their areas. If you’re an employer who offers internships, please reach out to the myTRI 2030 Prosperity council and let’s see what we can do to find you some Tri-Citizens to hire.
  • Relocate Tri-Cities - Right now there is someone who was just hired for a job in Seattle – and they’ll practically never have to go to the office. Accelerated by 2020, the move to remote work means that many people are contemplating life beyond the urban center and even more are considering moving near their jobs, but not to the city in which it resides. According to the Seattle Times, Seattle saw the second biggest drop in urban inflow in the country over the last year. Where are they going to go? Perhaps to a place with 300 days of sunshine, lots of fun for families, and welcoming, inclusive culture that loves to build new connections and new ideas.
  • Fuse Launch – Over the last 12 months, there have been more new challenges and more time to think about them than perhaps any time in modern history. But what do you do if you have an idea, but you don’t know about business? What if you know about business, but don’t know where to start with finding opportunity and attacking product development? Since 2013, the Tri-Cities Startup Community – with leadership from Fuse SPC – has held events that pave the way for creators to become founders called “Fuse Launch”. This year, starting on April 15th, Fuse will hold their 5-week “Launch University” that covers Customer Validation, Business Model, and Founder 101 topics to turn wantrepreneurs into entrepreneurs. Register Now.
Based on the belief that our collective future is enhanced through collaboration, myTRI 2030 is a regional visioning initiative with the fundamental goal to engage the community, create a shared vision for the region, and drive collaborative action.

myTRI 2030 celebrates the Tri-Cities as the sum of multiple, distinct and independent parts, yet will provide a unified strategy for the future.

What makes myTRI 2030 unique, is the thoughtful and inclusive steps taken to build broad community support for both the process and the impending product.
Thank you for your continued interest in the progress of the myTRI 2030 Regional Vision Project. Your support is the key to success. For more information, or to get involved, go to www.mytri2030.com.  
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE MYTRI 2030 FOUNDERS