Competitiveness Council Launched to Drive Strategy for California's Capital Region

SACRAMENTO, Calif., June 23, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Greater Sacramento Area Economic Council ("Greater Sacramento") is pleased to announce the launch of a new Competitiveness Council, which will engage state and regional leaders to drive a competitiveness agenda for the Sacramento Region. New Director of Research & Strategy Christopher Weare, Ph.D. has joined Greater Sacramento from the University of Southern California's Price School of Public Policy, and will take a lead role on the Council.

The Competitiveness Council is co-chaired by William Jessup University President Dr. John Jackson and Sierra College District President William H. Duncan, IV, and also includes Harvego Companies CEO Terry Harvego and Ernst & Young Managing Partner CJ Obmann. In partnership with public and private sector leaders, the group will develop a strategic set of goals for the Sacramento Region based on a robust data and analytics platform that will be employed to investigate industry trends and opportunities, as well as track the region's economic performance. With this knowledge base, the Council will proactively craft and implement initiatives designed to drive our region toward an improved competitive position.

"The Competitiveness Council will drive economic performance by closely tracking a broad array of metrics concerning all aspects of economic activity, educational outcomes, social amenities and all of the other factors that play a role in competitiveness. These metrics will be the building blocks of an in-depth assessment of the market, and I look forward to applying the techniques I have been researching and teaching about to help advance the Sacramento Region's economic performance," said Dr. Weare.

"Chris brings a wealth of knowledge to the table, and is going to be an amazing asset to the Sacramento Region in this capacity," said Greater Sacramento President and CEO Barry Broome. "Partnering his education and background with the experience of regional leaders on the Competitiveness Council will be a winning combination for our region."

Dr. Weare has over 25 years of experience in public policy as a researcher, professor, and practitioner. Most recently, he served as a research professor at the University of Southern California's Price School of Public Policy, where he led major, grant-funded research projects focused on program evaluation and the implementation of public sector performance management systems. Earlier in his career, Dr. Weare served as an economic advisor to Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and conducted research at the Public Policy Institute of California. His research, which has been published in numerous leading journals, has been used to inform decision-makers on key public policy issues.

Dr. Weare received a BA in Government from Harvard University and a master's degree and Ph.D. in Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley. He is currently pursuing a graduate certificate in data mining, statistics from Stanford University.

About the Greater Sacramento Area Economic Council

The Greater Sacramento Area Economic Council is the catalyst for innovative growth strategies in the Capital Region of California. The organization spearheads community-led direction to retain, attract, grow, and scale new businesses, develop advanced industries, and create jobs and investment throughout a six-county region. Greater Sacramento represents a collaboration between local and state governments, market leaders, influencers, and stakeholders, with the sole mission of driving economic growth. The Sacramento Region was founded on discovery, built on leadership, and fueled by innovation. Welcome to the New California Dream. For more information, visit selectsacramento.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Vanessa Young, Greater Sacramento
916.441.2144, [email protected]

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SOURCE Greater Sacramento Area Economic Council

Related Links

http://www.selectsacramento.com

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