As the last few months of 2020 begin to unfold with pumpkin spice, brilliant sunsets, and the comforting colors of fall, Tri-Citians are looking forward to 2021. This year has made us stronger and more determined than ever to look forward to the future with a brightness of hope, anticipation, and vision.
Despite the global pandemic, the councils have been meeting virtually throughout the summer – pouring over the Top Ten Report to prioritize and select projects using criteria that answers these questions:
- Will this prepare our region for the future?
- Does this leverage the strengths and assets of our region?
- Will this drive sustainable growth in our region?
- Will this strengthen our region?
- Will this improve the quality of life in our region?
- Does this foster regional collaboration?
All six Opportunity Area Councils plan to kick off the first wave of myTRI projects in 2021!
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The Agriculture Council will produce a commercial aimed at attracting a talented ag workforce and changing the perception of the ag industry. This initial effort will lead to larger projects such as expanding ag-business programs, creating a full-scale ag marketing plan, and developing a Regional Agriculture Partner’s Council towards building a cross-institutional global ag innovation center. |
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The Education Council will implement a Workforce Portal. The Portal connects young people across the state to real-world, work-based learning opportunities to better prepare students to choose high-growth careers and 21st century jobs through a virtual one-stop-shop, user-friendly portal for college and career exploration. The Portal will consolidate existing online career exploration in one place that consistently maintains relevant resources for students, families, educators and the community. |
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The Energy Council has identified three top outcomes: 1) Establish the Tri-Cities as a national leader for energy storage research and development, manufacturing, and deployment; 2) Establish the Tri-Cities as a hub for advanced reactor research and development, manufacturing, and deployment; 3) Establish the Tri-Cities as an advanced nuclear fuel research and development and manufacturing center. Specific projects and tasks have been identified to achieve these desired outcomes. |
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With the over-arching goal of becoming “America’s most welcoming community,” the Inclusion Council will create a centralized, strategic DEI community partner with a mission to ensure access, equity, and inclusivity throughout the community; align organizations; cultivate and connect resources to needs; and promote best practices. |
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The Life Council will improve communication within the Tri-Cities region. Project leaders have been identified, and promising steps have been made toward creating cohesive, underlying, sustainable, event-data-gathering infrastructure for the region's existing calendars. Work is underway in identifying the community's existing calendars and facilitating their consumption of the new data source along with assisting in their continued efforts to update and progress individually. |
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The Prosperity Council pivoted due to COVID by first aligning the vision, defining the goals, and putting energy into action with real projects to grow prosperity in the Tri-Cities. The first wave of top priorities will 1) Start & Grow - Foster and support entrepreneurs and small businesses from ambition to achievement; 2) Research & Develop - Leverage strengths of the scientific research community with large-scale business/entrepreneurial sector collaboration; 3) Attract & Recruit - Collaborative business recruitment to import jobs and businesses into the region. |
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Now that initial projects have been determined, myTRI Councils will take steps to build and facilitate Project Teams that drive action and bring the projects to fruition. |
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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.
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A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE MYTRI 2030 FOUNDERS |
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