October 7, 2026
On September 22, regional leaders gathered at Avenue Portland for the 2026 Greater Portland Economic Summit, Anatomy of a Healthy Economy: A Care Plan for Economic Growth. Host and moderator Amy Lewin guided a morning built on the idea that a healthy economy takes the collective work of a community.
A diagnosis that is free and immediate
Interim President & CEO Alisa Pyszka made her first public appearance in her new role, opening with a reminder that good health requires care, attention, gratitude, and a positive perspective. She shared how the region's "get to yes" spirit took shape in her own career. As Vancouver's economic development director in 2009, she helped secure a $3 million federal grant for critical waterfront infrastructure. The whole city stayed determined to see it built, and 15 years later that effort has become a transformative public-private collaboration.
That is the mindset she sees at GPI today. "As a region, we must get to yes in all that we do," Pyszka said. We say yes to building critical infrastructure, to improving K-12 education outcomes, and to expanding and attracting traded-sector companies, with a heartfelt thank you for what they provide. Companies like Studson, Gerber, and Lam Research are investing and growing in Washington County, and she called them the food and nutrients of our economy.
Investing in our communities
We were honored to have Aphriekah Duhaney-West, Regional Chief Operating Officer for Kaiser Permanente, represent our 2026 Economic Summit Presenting Sponsor. She reminded the room that community health and economic health are deeply connected, and she celebrated two investments: a new hospital tower at Sunnyside Medical Center, and the new Kaiser Permanente Performance Center for the Portland Thorns and Portland Fire, opened with RAJ Sports. Together, they put Portland at the forefront of women's sports, health, and performance.
Lessons from Cincinnati
Keynote speaker Kimm Lauterbach, President & CEO of REDI Cincinnati, opened with beer, pork, and baseball. Three things that helped build her city and teach it a lasting lesson: a community's greatest competitive advantage is its ability to build trust and work together. In a conversation about the anatomy of a healthy economy, she called trust the connective tissue.
Her region spans three states, 15 counties, and more than 300 jurisdictions, and it faces a similar challenge to ours with a state line running through the economy. Her three lessons:
1. Trust and collaboration must be built before you need them. Collaboration is not a meeting or a row of logos on a press release. It is built through behavior: socializing an idea before asking for support, following through, and sharing the credit.
2. Regional competition requires regional thinking. Companies see one labor market, not county lines. A win anywhere in the region creates opportunity throughout it, and our real competition is other regions around the world.
3. Every one of us has a role in economic development. Business leaders, universities, hospitals, arts organizations, and restaurants are all part of the region's economic infrastructure, even without "economic development" in their title.
Her prescription for Greater Portland: build the relationships before you need them, and ask what can we accomplish together that none of us can accomplish alone?
A regional conversation
Kimm stayed on stage to join Angela Wilhelms (Oregon Business & Industry), Justin Douglas (City of Gresham), and Cornell Wesley (Prosper Portland) for a panel on applying those lessons here. A few themes stood out:
- Vision needs action. Wilhelms emphasized following through on what we say we will do, and distinguishing healthy competition from internal competition.
- Know who we are. Wesley encouraged the region to stay focused on its strengths, think globally, and keep educating the public on what underwrites the things we all care about.
- Think 20 years ahead. Lauterbach urged decisions that the next generation will thank us for, adding that we already have the tools and just need to get started.
Celebrating a champion
Each year, the Greater Portland Champion Award honors an individual or organization that embodies the true spirit of regional collaboration. This year, the selection committee named Renée James, Founder & CEO of Rule42, the 2026 Greater Portland Champion.
Nominated by Kimberly Branam of the Port of Portland, James founded Ampere Computing, a semiconductor company rooted in our region that strengthened Greater Portland's standing as a leading center for semiconductor innovation and talent. After Ampere's sale, she chose to keep building here, founding Rule42 in Greater Portland. She also co-chaired Governor Kotek's Prosperity Council, helping lead business, labor, and civic leaders toward recommendations on economic development, permitting, site readiness, and talent.
James was traveling during the Summit, but she sent a message of thanks. "At Rule42, we take great pride in supporting Greater Portland's mission to foster upward economic mobility and business prosperity," she said.
Congratulations, Renée!
Thank you
The Summit exists because of our partners. Thank you to Kaiser Permanente, our Presenting Sponsor; Alaska Airlines, our Award Sponsor; and our Table Sponsors: JE Dunn Construction, Mackenzie, Metro, Mortenson, NW Natural, Port of Portland, Portland Metro Chamber, and Prosper Portland. And to everyone who joined us and committed to the work ahead, we're grateful.
A care plan only works when it moves from the page to action. Greater Portland, let's get to yes.