The Regional Summit Returns: Building on Last Year’s Momentum

​On Wednesday, November 12th, business, community, education, and government leaders from across the Greater Lexington region will gather for the 2025 Regional Summit presented by Community Trust Bank. Hosted by Commerce Lexington, the Regional Summit has become the Bluegrass region’s opportunity to reflect on progress, exchange ideas, and collaborate on strategies that strengthen competitiveness across our nine-county footprint. 

​Ted Abernathy, Chris Johnson, Steve Byars - Profile on Regionalism with Greater Raleigh Leaders. (Photo by Mahan Multimedia)

A Track Record of Impact
Over the years, the Regional Summit has proven to be more than a one-day event. It has provided a platform for aligning stakeholders around the Regional Competitiveness Plan, uniting leaders from Bourbon, Clark, Fayette, Franklin, Jessamine, Madison, Montgomery, Scott, and Woodford counties around a shared vision for the future.
The Regional Competitiveness Plan outlines seven key action items across economic development, talent attraction, and policy advocacy, with the overarching goals of: creating jobs and raising median wages and GDP in the region to meet or exceed the national average. Other goals include increasing the regional labor force, attracting state and federal funding, and improving coordinated advocacy for policy improvements that support the plan. Watch the video below for an overview of the Regional Competitiveness Plan: 

Learn More

The 2024 Regional Summit brought together nearly 300 business, community, education, and government leaders from across the Greater Lexington region to exchange ideas and drive action on shared priorities.

State and industry leaders shared insights on collaboration, innovation, and investment shaping the region's future. Governor Andy Beshear underscored the value of the regional partnerships and provided an update on the state's economic development wins. Ted Abernathy with Economic Leadership shared the annual State of the Region update, providing important data on workforce and job growth and benchmarking with other cities across several key competitiveness indicators -- setting a baseline for the progress he'll unpack at this year's Summit. Nationally recognized site selector, Didi Caldwell and Jeff Bischoff with Gray, Inc. added perspectives on national trends in economic development and how the Bluegrass Region can better position itself to attract new job investment. Chris Johnson from the Raleigh, NC region headlined a conversation on best practices in regionalism, sharing how regionalism efforts have evolved in the Research Triangle over the last decade. 

(Photos by Mahan Multimedia)

Breakout sessions explored housing, workforce, higher education, and innovation. A highlight of the 2024 Regional Summit was the session featuring Kismet Marketing and the launch of the Greater LEX talent attraction marketing campaign to alumni of the region's 10 colleges and universities and visitors. The session gave stakeholders an inside look at digital marketing assets, outlined the campaign's strategic goals and ROI, and promoted tools to strengthen talent attraction and retention available on lookatlex.com/. 

​By blending data, dialogue, and practical action, the 2024 Regional Summit reinforced the power of collaboration—and laid the groundwork for the conversations to come in 2025.

Why the Regional Summit Matters
The challenges and opportunities facing the Greater Lexington region are inherently regional – they don’t stop at county lines. Workforce growth, housing affordability, innovation, and infrastructure all require collaboration across sectors and jurisdictions. By bringing together leaders, the summit provides a space to align strategies, share best practices, and identify actionable solutions, while also offering the opportunity to learn from national experts who bring fresh perspectives on these critical topics.

What’s Ahead in 2025
This year’s Summit will continue the tradition of insights and collaboration. Attendees can look forward to a fresh State of the Region update from Ted Abernathy and engaging breakout sessions on workforce, policy, and economic development. U.S. Congressman Andy Barr will provide a federal policy update, offering insights into the Trump Administration and Congressional priorities as well as actionable guidance on how regional leaders can become more effective advocates. Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman will also take the stage to discuss the Beshear Administration’s economic development priorities.  The Lt. Governor will share her insights into the state's economic momentum, strategies for growing and retaining talent, and the importance of regional collaboration in shaping Kentucky’s future. 

Additional keynote and session speakers will be announced in the coming weeks, offering new perspectives and opportunities for learning and collaboration across sectors. Participants will leave with a broader understanding of where the Greater LEX region stands, along with practical strategies and solutions for driving progress. 

Join the Conversation
The Regional Summit is more than just an event – it’s an annual commitment to building a stronger, more competitive region. On November 12th, hundreds of leaders will come together to reflect on progress, exchange ideas, and collaborate on solutions that move the region forward. 

The 2025 Regional Summit is officially sold out. Please email Angela Carlos at [email protected] with any event-related inquiries.