Community

Chamber Launches New Vision: Q2030: A Regional Action Plan

WVIK, Quad Cities NPR | By Michelle O'Neill

Published December 4, 2015 at 1:59 PM CST

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Joe Slavens, Northwest Bank and Trust, introduced the name and logo.

Michelle O'Neill / WVIK News

Over the shoulder of a gray-haired man, we see a paper with a red "Q" and other text.

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A participant reads over a handout asking him which of the four goals he's most interested in.

Michelle O'Neill / WVIK News

A woman discusses her ideas with others at her table

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Executives discussed goals and ideas with each other for 5-10 min.

Michelle O'Neill / WVIK News

Doug House in white shirt and dark tie talking at his table

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Doug House (r) tells those at his table the QCs can capitalize on its central location and transportation resources.

Michelle O'Neill / WVIK News

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Steve Bahls (r) listens to part of the presentation which included two videos.

Michelle O'Neill / WVIK News

wide shot of the large banquet room from the back showing platform

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The summit was held in Banquet room A at the iWireless Center in Moline, IL

Michelle O'Neill / WVIK News

"Q2030" is a phrase you may hear a lot in the coming weeks. Thursday morning in Moline, the Quad City Chamber of Commerce announced its new vision for the future, Q2030: A Regional Action Plan. Fifty-six local leaders served on the chamber's Regional Opportunities Council, and spent a year developing the plan.

head shot of Sam Allen speaking at the summit — Chairman and CEO of Deere & Co., Sam Allen, gave the keynote speech.

Sam Allen, Chair and CEO of Deere and Company, called on residents, businesses, governments, schools, and others to work together implementing it.

Several years ago, Steve Bahls, the President of Augustana College, played a key role during the consolidation of the Bettendorf, Davenport, and Illinois Quad Cities chambers. He says Q2030 is the first, truly regional plan for the whole community.

Bahls1.mp3

This was the dream actually that many of us had when the chambers merged. That after a period of getting to know each other and building confidence that we could come up with a dynamic regional plan. Now, only 10% of the work has been done, right? Ninety percent is to implement it. And I'm confident with the enthusiasm I see in this room today that we'll all get behind it.

Dee Bruemmer stands holding a microhone making a comment — Dee Bruemmer, Scott County Administrator, comments on reducing poverty by working in neighborhoods.

Scott County Administrator, Dee Bruemmer, says one goal is to create a prosperous economy. But it must include everyone.

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I think if there's anything that we should really think about here is how to make a living wage, a middle class income. I mean, those people are shrinking in our region like across the United States.

Other goals of Q2030: A Regional Action Plan are to: Create good jobs to attract and retain young people. Provide cool places to work and play. Connect people and organizations to save money and time, plus improve attitudes and perceptions.