Home » Springfield (Mo.) Chamber leadership visit coming to Lexington to learn best practices

Springfield (Mo.) Chamber leadership visit coming to Lexington to learn best practices

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A delegation of more than 80 leaders from Springfield’s business, education, nonprofit and public sectors will be in Lexington, Ky, Thursday to Saturday, Sept. 19-21, to examine best practices in targeted areas of vital importance to the Springfield region’s future economic prosperity.

This is the second Community Leadership Visit of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce to Lexington. Leaders visited Kentucky’s second largest city previously in 2003.

“Each year we select a community that is doing well in targeted areas and has ideas and best practices to share with Springfield,” said Springfield Chamber President Matt Morrow. “During this visit we plan to focus on significant projects that will impact Lexington’s downtown as well as educational and workforce efforts ranging from their investments in K-12, to the major role higher education plays in the community.”

The agenda for the 2019 trip will also cover Lexington’s success in becoming a place that attracts both experienced and young professionals. The delegation will also learn more about how the Lexington community is working collaboratively to improve the community including addressing challenges such as land use and a lack of affordable housing.

“We are always excited to welcome delegations from other cities to Lexington,” said Commerce Lexington Inc. President & CEO, Bob Quick, CCE. “Not only is it very flattering, but it confirms that Lexington is doing great things. Commerce Lexington Inc. has been leading intercity visits to other communities across the country for 80 years, and the trips provide us with valuable dialogue with other leaders, as we learn about their successes, challenges and setbacks. We are so pleased to interact with our friends from Springfield, Missouri, this week and can’t wait to show them everything that Lexington has to offer.”

Within the city limits Lexington’s population has grown 9.1% since 2010. Springfield’s population has grown 5.4% in that timeframe. The seat of Greene County in southwest Missouri is known as the Queen City of the Ozarks and the Birthplace of Route 66. As of 2018, the Census Bureau estimated its population at 168,122.

“Lexington has a growing workforce because it is a vibrant and desirable place to live with strong educational assets,” Morrow said. “We’ll be talking to peers about the community’s emphasis on the importance of identity and how they have managed to capitalize on their existing assets to build the city’s character and brand.”