Focus on Manatee: When leaders come together, challenges are met

Monday marks the kickoff of the Knight Cities Challenge, which encourages individuals, businesses and organizations to consider how they could make their communities more vibrant places to live and work.

Ideas should focus on talent, opportunity and engagement. We’re hopeful that inspiring ideas from our community will catch the attention of the Knight Foundation, garner funding and ignite even greater progress. Learn more at knightcities.org.

I don’t think we’re being too optimistic to think that a great idea from our own backyard could again rise to the top in a national call for “best ideas.”

A few weeks ago, the Manatee Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual leadership conference, which asks business, community and government leaders to give their time and talent to work on issues that impact business success and quality of life in Manatee County. It was an idea-generating conference that harnessed the energy of more than 100 local leaders who are committed to the success of our community.

The topics we covered hit on challenges and opportunities – issues like workforce and career development, capitalizing on generational diversity, health care excellence, education and infrastructure. During those two days, these leaders looked outward beyond their own businesses and organizations to come up with ways the Manatee Chamber and our community could move the needle on these topics.

Their ideas will now have the benefit of a larger circle of leaders within the Chamber discussing them and collaborating on solutions. It’s an exciting process to be involved with and reaffirms my long-held belief that in Manatee County, we have something special where leaders so readily come together.

A few highlights of the topics that garnered the most discussion were the expansion of local multi-modal transportation options, greater publicity of career tracks within technical trades, talent development that capitalizes on multi-generational strengths, law enforcement and the sharing of best practices across business sectors.

Leaders also focused on the advocacy role the Manatee Chamber has in educating our more than 2,100 businesses and their 74,000-plus employees on issues that impact the business environment and our quality of life. We’ve kicked that focus into high gear this month as we work to inform our members about the two local half-cent sales tax referendums and the critical need to pass these two ballot items in November. Passage of No. 6 and No. 7 will have a direct impact on the top challenges discussed among Chamber leaders – roads, schools, and public safety. Learn more at forwardmanatee.com.

When leaders are willing to come together, to talk and collaborate, there are few challenges we can’t meet. I am proud to say the Manatee Chamber provides the table around which leaders gather, year after year, to create solutions.

In thinking about the aspirations that the Knight Cities Challenge encourages in the 26 communities it targets, I am excited by what will bubble to the top.

This story was originally published October 9, 2016 at 10:00 AM with the headline "Focus on Manatee: When leaders come together, challenges are met."