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Business Editor: Rally aims to boost region’s positives

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By Arundi Venkayya Cox, Staff Writer 8:57 PM Saturday, October 24, 2009

Tom Brokaw, the reporter, television anchor and author, once said, “It’s easy to make a buck. It’s a lot tougher to make a difference.”

As the economic climate has changed, Brokaw revised his comment to, “It’s a lot tougher to make a make a buck these days, but making a difference has its own rich reward.”

Locally, we know that the region has faced its share of struggles. We can’t forget being labeled “dying,” the departure of NCR, or the shuttering of our GM plant.

But there are many bright spots. Look at the region’s emerging technologies, the research institutes at the University of Dayton and Wright State University, and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

All around us, there are groups of people who are working to improve our region. They are focused on building business, recruiting talent to the region and growing jobs.

You will have the opportunity to hear what many of those groups are doing to improve the region during the Dayton Region Rally at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at UD Arena. Doors will open at 2:30 p.m.

The rally, is being sponsored by the Dayton Development Coalition, in partnership with the Dayton Daily News and WHIO radio and television.

The purpose of the event is to share why the Dayton region is a great place to “Live, work and play,” said Jim Leftwich, president and CEO of the Dayton Development Coalition.

Too often, we have a tendency to focus on our work and we don’t share what we are doing. We assume that everyone knows what we are doing.

They don’t.

So now, it’s time to talk about what is being done to improve our region. The rally is a platform to share those stories, Leftwich said.

Speakers at the event will focus on the three areas of “Live, work and play” and will include representatives from Dayton CREATE, the Springfield Chamber of Commerce, local businesses, Wright-Patterson, and the arts community.

The work piece will focus on “our regional strategy for growing jobs and prosperity,” Leftwich said. “We want people to realize that there are folks getting out there every day and thinking about growing jobs and prosperity for the region,” he said.

The event also will give participants a chance to make connections and get engaged with many of the projects.

So, the real challenge is what will you do after learning about the great things happening in our community? How will you make a difference?

For more information about the Dayton Region Rally, visit www.daytonregion.com/rally.

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