Illinois Economic Development Association

08/18/2026

🌍 Excited to announce that the 2026 IEDA Consular Corps Reception is on track to draw our largest-ever turnout of foreign officials!

Join us in Downtown Chicago on September 30 for the Site Selector Forum, a panel discussion with leading site selection experts, followed by the Consular Corps Reception — a networking event with members of the Chicago Consular Corps and international trade officials. Both events are ticketed together.

We've already confirmed representatives from the following countries and are expecting more:

Argentina, Belgium (Wallonia), Bosnia, Cabo Verde, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Grenada, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Malaysia, Moldova, Netherlands, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Quebec, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Turkey, Ukraine, and the US Department of State

📅 September 30 | 77 W Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 🔗 Register here: https://ileda.org/event/2026-site-selector-forum-consular-corps-reception/
💰 $125 for IEDA members | $175 for non-members

Join us for a panel discussion...

08/04/2026

Registration is now open for the 2026 IEDA Site Selector Forum and Consular Corps Reception — and this event wouldn't be possible without the support of our generous sponsors!

Platinum Sponsors
Ameren Illinois | ComEd | Greater St. Louis Inc. | Kane County Economic Development Corporation | Illinois EDC | Wabash Valley Power Alliance

Gold Sponsors
Boldt | Choose Woodstock | HuntleyFirst

Silver Sponsors
Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad | Southern Illinois Now | Union Pacific Railroad

Sponsorship opportunities are still available! If you'd like to put your organization in front of top site selectors, consultants, and international trade officials, reach out to [email protected] for the sponsorship prospectus.

Event details:🗓️ September 30, 2026 📍 77 W. Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL

1:30–3:30 PM: Site Selector Forum — hear from top site selection experts, including Moderator: Paulina San Millan (Illinois EDC), Courtney Dunbar (Burns & McDonnell), Ford Graham (McGuireWoods Consulting), Meredith O'Connor (JLL), and Scott Watkins (Clayco).

3:30–5:30 PM: Consular Corps Reception — network with the Chicago Consular Corps, international trade officials, and Illinois economic development leaders.

$125 IEDA members | $175 non-members

Register here:

Join us for a panel discussion...

07/30/2026

📢 Registration is now open! 📢

Join IEDA for the 2026 Site Selector Forum and Consular Corps Reception on September 30 in downtown Chicago!

🗓️ September 30, 2026 📍77 W. Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL

1:30–3:30 PM: Site Selector Forum — hear from top site selection experts:
• Moderator: Paulina San Millan, Illinois EDC
• Courtney Dunbar, Burns & McDonnell
• Ford Graham, McGuireWoods Consulting
• Meredith O'Connor, JLL
• Scott Watkins, Clayco

3:30–5:30 PM: Consular Corps Reception — network with the Chicago Consular Corps, international trade officials, and Illinois economic development leaders.

$125 members | $175 non-members

Sponsorship opportunities are available — contact [email protected] to learn more.

👉 Register now on the *NEW* IEDA website! https://ileda.org/event/2026-site-selector-forum-consular-corps-reception/

Join us for a panel discussion...

06/29/2026

What a week! 🎉 Thank you to the more than 200 economic developers and stakeholders who joined us last week at the 2026 IEDA Summit, held at the UIC Dorin Forum in Chicago.

The Summit is the perfect way to kick off the summer—a chance to connect with peers in economic development from across the state to learn, network, and build new relationships that strengthen our profession.

This year's program featured an outstanding lineup of panels covering the issues shaping our communities:

• Transportation
• Nuclear energy
• Workforce development
• Tourism
• Affordable housing
• The current and future economic outlook

We were also grateful to hear from our partners at the Illinois EDC and the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity including DCEO Director Kristin Richards and Illinois EDC President & CEO Christy George.

A special thank you to all of our sponsors, whose generosity makes this event possible year after year and helps us keep registration affordable for attendees. We could not do it without you!

Looking ahead, we hope to see many of you at IEDA's annual Site Selector Forum and Consular Corps Reception on September 30 in Chicago. Additional details and registration will be available in the coming weeks—stay tuned!

#2026 Summit

06/17/2026

Last call to register for the 2026 Illinois Economic Development Association (IEDA) Summit!

Join IEDA June 24–25 at the UIC Dorin Forum in Chicago for two days of programming focused on the issues shaping economic development across Illinois, including transportation, energy, workforce development, tourism, housing, and more.

Registration closes at 5:00 PM on Friday, June 19.

REGISTER HERE while tickets are still available: https://www.ileda.org/2026-ieda-summit

We look forward to seeing you in Chicago!

**Bussing provided between the Crowne Plaza West Loop and the UIC Dorin Forum on June 24 and 25, in accordance with event times.

06/10/2026

The 2026 IEDA Summit is only two weeks away, and we’re excited to highlight this year’s outstanding speaker lineup.

REGISTER HERE: https://www.ileda.org/2026-ieda-summit (closing June 19 at 5:00PM CT)

Join us June 24–25 at the UIC Dorin Forum in Chicago for conversations with leaders from government, business, transportation, energy, workforce development, tourism, housing, and economic development organizations across Illinois.

The State of Transportation: How Trucking, Aviation, and Rail are Shaping Economic Development
Moderator: Kristin Richards, Director, DCEO
Tim Butler, President, Illinois Railroad Association
Matt Hart, Executive Director, Illinois Trucking Association
Clayton Stambaugh, Deputy Director of Aeronautics, IDOT

Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Presentation
Alyson Grady, Deputy Director, DCEO Office of Regional Economic Development (RED)
Manuel Lopez, Assistant Deputy Director, DCEO Office of RED
Andrea Runge, Assistant Deputy Director, DCEO Office of RED
Renee Wott, Northeast Senior Region Manager, DCEO Office of RED
Additional DCEO Team RED Members
Margo Markopoulos, Deputy Director, DCEO Office of Trade and Investment

Powering Illinois’ Future: Capacity, Resource Adequacy, and the Role of Nuclear Energy
Moderator: Sameer Ghaznavi, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright LLP
Dwayne Pickett, Vice President of Government Affairs and Regulatory Advocacy, Constellation Power
Brian Granahan, Director, Illinois Power Agency
Brad Tietz, Director of State Policy, Data Center Coalition

Aligning Workforce Strategy with Business Needs
Moderator: Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, President and CEO, Lincolnomic Growth Strategies
Dr. Justin Arnold, President, Illinois Workforce Association
Julio Rodriguez, Deputy Director, DCEO Office of Employment and Training
Laticia Holbert, Senior Manager of Workforce Development, ComEd
Jackie Gallo, Senior Director of Programs, Revolution Workshop

Small Places, Big Impact: How Tourism Sparks Economic Growth Across Illinois
Moderator: Katie Dudley, Community and Economic Development Specialist, Illinois Extension
Cory Jobe, President and CEO, Great Rivers & Routes
Cortney Strohacker, Executive Director, DeKalb County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Tom Daughhetee, Economic Development Director, City of Casey

Making Sense of the Economy: Federal Reserve Midyear Assessment
Thomas Walstrum, Principal Business Economist, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

Illinois EDC Presentation
Paulina San Millan, SVP, Business Development, Illinois EDC
Illinois EDC Leadership

Community Approaches to Address Housing Needs
Ron Clewer, Principal, Tipping Point Consultancy
Doug Pryor, President and CEO, Will County CED
Olivia Ortega, Director of Housing Solutions, Office of Governor JB Pritzker
Mike Doyle, Vice President, Holladay Properties
Drew Mitchell, Vice President, Holladay Properties

**Bussing provided between the Crowne Plaza West Loop and the UIC Dorin Forum on June 24 and 25, in accordance with event times.

06/04/2026

What's the best way to kick off summer in economic development?

The 2026 IEDA Summit is just three weeks away — June 24–25 at the UIC Dorin Forum in Chicago — and our members say it best:

"The IEDA Summit keeps me up to speed on the latest issues facing economic development and I always return with new ideas, new tactics and renewed motivation to make my community stronger."

- Ken Springer, IEDA Board Chair, President, Knox County Area Partnership for Economic Development

Despite a nearly six-hour drive or train ride from southernmost Illinois—or now a convenient one-hour jet flight—we make the IEDA Summit a priority each year. It’s an invaluable opportunity to connect with colleagues from throughout the state, learn from one another, and engage directly with key state, federal, and economic development professionals to ensure the communities we serve benefit. Whether you’re nearby or traveling from a distance, this annual convening consistently delivers a strong return on both time and investment."

- Deb Barnett, Executive Director, Southern Illinois Now

“The Illinois Economic Development Association’s annual summit is a fantastic opportunity to connect with economic development professionals across Illinois, providing excellent opportunities for networking and education. Please join us for our annual summit later this month.”

- Karen Halstead, Senior Economic Development Specialist, ComEd

“The IEDA Summit is valuable because it creates a unique opportunity to connect with economic development professionals from every corner of Illinois. As a past attendee and planning committee member, I've seen firsthand how the conversations, partnerships, and ideas that emerge from the Summit translate into real-world projects and stronger communities. It's one of the few events where you can learn from peers, engage with thought leaders, and leave energized with new strategies to support economic growth across our state.”

- Renee Wott, Senior Northeast Regional Manager, Office of Regional Economic Development, Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity

Two days of insights, connections, and strategies to strengthen your community — don't miss it.

If you haven't registered yet, now is the time. 🗓️
REGISTER HERE: https://www.ileda.org/2026-ieda-summit

**Bussing provided between the Crowne Plaza West Loop and the UIC Dorin Forum on June 24 and 25, in accordance with event times.

05/27/2026

Panel Spotlight: Small Places, Big Impact: How Tourism Sparks Economic Growth Across Illinois

We're excited to spotlight this panel at the 2026 IEDA Summit on the afternoon of June 24 at the UIC Dorin Forum in Chicago.

Hear from Katie Dudley (Illinois Extension), Thomas Daughhetee (Casey, IL), Cortney Strohacker (DeKalb County CVB), and Cory Jobe (Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau) on how communities across Illinois are turning tourism, placemaking, and local assets into real economic growth.

🔗 Register: https://www.ileda.org/2026-ieda-summit

⚠️ Our hotel block at the Crowne Plaza West Loop closes June 5—that's only one week away. Book now before it's gone! https://www.ihg.com/crowneplaza/hotels/us/en/find-hotels/select-roomrate?fromRedirect=true&qSrt=sBR&qIta=99801505&icdv=99801505&qSlH=CHISH&qCiD=23&qCiMy=052026&qCoD=25&qCoMy=052026&qGrpCd=ILE&qAAR=6CBARC&qRtP=6CBARC&setPMCookies=true&qSHBrC=CP&qDest=25%20South%20Halsted%20Street,%20Chicago,%20IL,%20US&showApp=true&adjustMonth=false&srb_u=1&qRmFltr=

05/20/2026

🔋 Panel Spotlight: Powering Illinois' Future: Capacity, Resource Adequacy, and the Role of Nuclear Energy

Join us at the 2026 IEDA Summit on June 25 for a timely conversation on Resource Adequacy & the Future of Nuclear Energy in Illinois—as demand surges and the grid faces new challenges. With rapid load growth from data centers and electrification, alongside ambitious decarbonization goals, the question is no longer if change is coming…it's how we manage it.

Hear from leaders across the energy ecosystem on grid reliability, nuclear's role, and what's next for Illinois energy policy.

Featuring:
Sameer Ghaznavi, Partner-In-Charge, Norton Rose Fulbright (Moderator)
Brian Granahan, Director, Illinois Power Agency
Dwayne Pickett, Vice President of Regulatory Advocacy and State Government Affairs, Constellation
Brad Tietz, Director of State Policy, Data Center Coalition

📍 UIC Dorin Forum | Chicago, IL 📅 June 24–25, 2026

🔗 Register now: https://www.ileda.org/2026-ieda-summit

05/13/2026

The 2026 IEDA Summit is just weeks away, and we want to give a huge THANK YOU to our amazing sponsors who make this event possible! 🙌

🏆 Platinum: Ameren Illinois, ComEd, Illinois DCEO, Illinois Economic Development Corporation, Wabash Valley Power Alliance
🏆 Gold: CivicServe, Clayco, Conway Data, Inc., Kane County EDC, Norfolk Southern, Ready Nation, REsimplifi, Tallgrass
🏆 Silver: Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Innovation Network, Illinois Manufacturers' Association, McGuireWoods Consulting, Norton Rose Fulbright, Nicor Gas, SI Now, Union Pacific, World Business Chicago
🏆 Bronze: BNSF, Champaign County EDC, Grundy EDC, Village of Hoffman Estates

Their generosity keeps registration affordable and allows us to deliver top-notch content and networking opportunities for economic development professionals across Illinois.

📅 June 24–25 | UIC Dorin Forum, Chicago
🔗 Register now: https://www.ileda.org/2026-ieda-summit