More than 225 participants attended the 2005 East and Southeast Fort Worth Economic Development Summit which aimed to highlight areas where the community could spur economic growth.

The East and Southeast Fort Worth Economic Development Summit, organized by the Public Forum Institute and hosted by Honorary Chairman U.S. Congressman Michael C. Burgess, was held to define a vision for the economic future of the region, and to develop a set of recommendations to address a number of challenges facing local communities.

When asked what the first step should be in attracting investment to the region, 36 percent of the delegates responded using wireless keypads with ‘skilled workforce,’ followed by ‘safe neighborhoods’ and ‘excellent schools.’

Delegates stressed the importance of their proximity to major economic engines including the medical district, Carter Industrial Park, Interstate-20 Development Corridor and Interstate-35.

Congressman Michael Burgess called for a unified vision for East and Southeast Fort Worth that addressed economic development from the inside out.

“Growth and economic prosperity flourish all around this section of Fort Worth, and we must find a way to end the cycle of neglect,” stated Congressman Burgess. “As we look at our urban communities, we must work cooperatively together to turn our words into actions. It will require putting community interest ahead of self interest.”

The program had break-out sessions which included Building Communities & Changing Perceptions, Encouraging Entrepreneurship, Preparing the Workforce of the Future and Attracting Investment.

Many recommendations were submitted and enjoy broad-based support from summit delegates including:
1. Convene top executives in Tarrant County regarding the development of East and Southeast Fort Worth with investors, developers and others to discuss economic opportunities.
2. Bring Fort Worth business leaders together to develop action plans to overcome barriers to creating internships, mentorships and jobs for youth and young adults in East and Southeast Fort Worth.
3. To receive help from the city development department with permits for renovations.
4. To stringently enforce building standards and existing codes while working with communities to apply and enforce design standards unique to the respective communities.

David Sampson, the U.S. Acting Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development in the Bush Administration, called for development around innovative entrepreneurial clusters.

“Building regional competitive advantage means reshaping our strategies for economic growth and focusing more on supplying entrepreneurs with the right education, tax policy and capital," said U.S. Commerce Acting Deputy Secretary David Sampson. “Improving the federal economic and community development system will help Texas create jobs and drive the American economy to new levels in a new century.”

Overall, the format of the summit was a combination of presentations by experts, workshops, panel sessions, and an interactive technology – eFORUM – designed to collect instant feedback from summit participants and identify consensus on action steps and plans. Immediately following the summit, a report will be published online to encourage and facilitate future action on the priorities agreed upon at the summit. On a regular basis, the working groups will meet, using the report to benchmark progress made on the four focus areas. The report will be available at the organization’s website – www.publicforuminstitute.org - at the end of the week.

"East and Southeast Fort Worth boasts a tremendous community spirit. It was as if everyone in the room was ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work on some innovative ideas," stated Jonathan Ortmans, president of the Public Forum Institute. "Now, with the momentum generated through the leadership of Congressman Burgess, it is clear to us that the time is right to take action."