SEATTLE – The Association of Washington Business and Washington Roundtable today unveiled a long-term economic vision for the state to help build strong, prosperous communities throughout Washington.
Washington in the Making 2040 is a comprehensive 15-year vision for Washington’s economic future focused on developing a world-class workforce, building a business environment that fosters growth, creating infrastructure and connectivity that supports all Washingtonians, and enhancing and preserving the state’s exceptional quality of life.
The vision is based on input from thousands of Washingtonians collected from a large-scale public opinion survey as well as 22 town hall meetings held throughout the state. More than 4,200 people provided input for the vision, including business and civic leaders, chamber of commerce officials and Washington residents.
“Now more than ever it’s important that we have a long-range plan for our state economy,” said AWB President Kris Johnson. “We know that we face a host of challenges, from a housing shortage and workforce gaps to a high cost and regulatory environment for entrepreneurs. How will we address those challenges? What do we want our state and the communities we call home to look like in 15 years?”
AWB and the Washington Roundtable will use the vision outlined in Washington in the Making 2040 to drive conversations about the state’s most pressing issues in a series of Solution Summits that align with the plan’s goals. Progress will be measured by tracking the Vitals, a data dashboard that tracks 36 economic indicators down to the county level. In addition, community leaders will be encouraged to use the vision to spark conversation and initiatives at the local level.
“We are pleased to be the stewards of this vision for Washington’s future, and ready to get to work strengthening our economy and quality of life,” said Steve Mullin, president of the Washington Roundtable. “Washington has a proud history of building and innovating, and we look forward to the progress we can achieve by 2040.”
For details about Washington in the Making 2040, including the research behind the vision, go to www.WA2040.org.
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About the Association of Washington Business
Formed in 1904, the Association of Washington Business is Washington’s oldest and largest statewide business association representing all sectors of business. AWB serves as both the state’s chamber of commerce and the manufacturers association. While its membership includes major employers like Boeing and Microsoft, 90% of AWB members employ fewer than 100 people. More than half of AWB’s members employ fewer than 10. For more about AWB, visit www.awb.org.
About the Washington Roundtable
Washington Roundtable is a nonprofit organization comprised of senior executives of major private sector employers in Washington state. Roundtable members work together to effect positive change on public policy issues that they believe are most important to supporting state economic vitality and fostering opportunity for all Washingtonians. For more information, visit waroundtable.com.