DCEO Director Warren Ribley And Former Illinois Governor Jim Thompson Head Tri-State Chicago Metropolitan Region Study Delegation To OECD Headquarters

CHICAGO, Dec. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Foundation announced that the response to the draft of the Tri-State Chicago Metropolitan Region economic study will be delivered this morning in the Paris headquarters of the OECD by former Governor Jim Thompson and Illinois DCEO director Warren Ribley.  Mssrs. Thompson and Ribley head a tri-state delegation of government and business leaders who represent dozens of organizations and hundreds of professionals, contributing to the study since work started approximately one year ago.

"Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois have been heavily involved in providing economic intelligence to the OECD team conducting this study," stated Lance Pressl, president of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Foundation and lead of the Chicago tri-state team. "We are very pleased that director Ribley and former Governor Thompson agreed to take a lead role in this Paris meeting. Their input along with that of the team will shape the final report that is scheduled to be completed in March 2012."

The Chicagoland Chamber Foundation initiated the study by securing funding through public and private organizations including the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration, State of Illinois, Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, Commonwealth Edison, Motorola, CN, and Boeing. Work on the actual study began in the first quarter of 2011.  

"This study will benchmark our region against dozens of world metropolitan areas and provide our economic planners with access to an unmatched reservoir of economic data," commented Warren Ribley.  "The state of Illinois is very appreciative of the constructive working relationship developed across the three states."

Acknowledging that cross border collaboration can be challenging, Governor James R. Thompson said: "I believe this report will help set the course for a new vision that is shared by the three governors and by the political and civic leadership of northern Illinois, northwest Indiana and southeast Wisconsin. While competition between states is healthy, and can stimulate innovation and creativity while bringing new jobs to a region, a 'beggar thy neighbor' policy of economic development is destructive and unsustainable."

Participants in the December 6 OECD meeting include:

    Kevin Aiston
    Partner
    Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy

    Dean Amhaus
    Executive Director
    Milwaukee Water Council

    Sam Cordes
    Associate Vice Provost and Professor
    Purdue University

    Peter Creticos
    President
    Institute for Work and the Economy

    John Dickert
    Mayor
    City of Racine

    Carol Donovan
    President
    Smith & Donovan Confections

    John Edelman
    Global Director, Corporate Citizenship & Responsibility.
    Edelman

    Geoffrey Hewings
    Director , Regional Economics Applications
    University of Illinois

    Gregory Hummel
    Partner
    Bryan Cave, LLP

    Michael McMurray
    COO
    Globetrotters Engineering

    Leigh Morris
    Director, Business Recruitment
    Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC)

    Lance Pressl
    President
    Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Foundation

    Warren Ribley
    Director
    Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity

    Carmel Ruffolo
    Director, J. U. M. P Economic Development Program University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee University of Wisconsin-Parkside

    James Thompson
    Former Governor
    State of Illinois

    Howard Tullman
    CEO
    Tribeca Flashpoint Academy

    Dennis Vicchiarelli
    Managing Director
    World Business Chicago

    Jerry Weber
    President
    College of Lake County

For more information about The OECD and previous Territorial Reviews, please visit www.oecd.org.

SOURCE Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Foundation

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