NIPC To Work With World Business Chicago
on Chicago Area's Economic Growth

Chicago, September 27, 2000:  The Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC) will play a key role in expanded efforts to advance the Chicago region's position in the global economy as part of a new working relationship with World Business Chicago (WBC) and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus. The NIPC Commission endorsed the effort at its quarterly meeting in Chicago on Wednesday.

This week's action enhances last June's agreement between NIPC and the Mayors Caucus to develop a regional economic development information system. The involvement of World Business Chicago will provide for an even larger and more visible economic development effort to maintain the region's competitive position in an ever-changing global marketplace.

At Wednesday's meeting, NIPC commissioners received a briefing from Jodie Winnett, Deputy Director of World Business Chicago, which has recently merged with the Chicago Partnership. World Business Chicago was created by the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago to attract international investment to a nine-county region. The Chicago Partnership was initiated by Mayor Richard M. Daley of Chicago to coordinate various economic development ventures in the city. Mayor Daley is chairman of the new WBC.

The merged organization will provide specific data and assistance to businesses within Chicago while coordinating economic development activities and marketing efforts in the larger metropolitan area.

The focus on the metropolitan area, Winnett said, is essential, since competition in the global economy is between regions rather than localities. "Northeastern Illinois is a single integrated economy," she said, "in which the central city and the suburbs are interdependent and benefit from each other's strengths." She added that business operates without reference to political boundaries.

Northeastern Illinois, Winnett said, has a diversified and growing economy which would rank 19th in gross product among the nations and metropolitan areas of the world. With a gross regional product of $303 billion, the area economy is equivalent to that of Switzerland, and trade within the region is equal to that between the United States and Canada. Technology-based manufacturing accounts for 17 percent of jobs, and white-collar employment continues to expand. World Business Chicago believes that the region's best strategy is to maintain its economic diversification. While many other regions are seeking to specialize, she said, they run the risk of severe setbacks if their strategic sector of the economy declines.

According to Rita Athas, a NIPC commissioner appointed by Mayor Daley, a task force of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus has been working to expand the regional economic development role of local governments, and the mayors are excited about a coordinated effort. The Caucus and NIPC are developing a comprehensive database of business location information that will be available to all companies seeking to locate or expand in northeastern Illinois.

The Caucus was created in December 1997 when Mayor Daley invited the 268 suburban mayors to work together on issues of mutual concern. In addition to economic development, the Caucus is addressing clean air, deregulation of electric utilities, and sustainable growth.

The Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission is the comprehensive planning agency for the six-county metropolitan area. In addition to planning, the agency provides technical and research assistance and reviews state and federal grant requests for local governments.

northeastern illinois planning commission

222 South Riverside Plaza * Suite 1800 * Chicago IL 60606 * (312) 454-0400 * FAX (312) 454-0411