Eighty Springfield delegates are in Durham, North Carolina. They’re taking part in the Springfield Chamber of Commerce’s 30th annual Community Leadership Visit, which goes through Thursday. The goal of these visits is to learn from other communities around the country that are similar in size to Springfield.
Those going on the trip represent the Springfield region’s private and public sectors. A few of those serving as delegates are Leslie Forester, executive director of the Springfield Regional Arts Council; CoxHealth President and CEO Max Buetow; Presiding Greene County Commissioner Bob Dixon; Brad Bodenhausen, vice president for Community and Global Partnerships at Missouri State University; several Springfield City Council members; Springfield Mayor Ken McClure and Republic City Administrator David Cameron.
Chamber President Matt Morrow said he hopes the trip to Durham will result in ideas that can be implemented in the Springfield area.
“They stand out really for their achievements and talent attraction, entrepreneurial innovation, the way they utilize their higher education strengths to help advance research and private sector growth," he said. "They’ve done some really tremendous work in downtown redevelopment, which is where we are right now, looking at what our redevelopment opportunities are going to look like in our downtown areas, too."
Trip participants are hearing from several representatives of the City of Durham, and they're visiting Durham area attractions. Program sessions are focusing on how Durham’s leaders balance preserving the community’s history with embracing new opportunities for growth and progress, according to the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce in a news release.
Chamber officials said they hope the trip "will empower public and private leaders to adopt best practices and spearhead initiatives that will enhance the region’s competitiveness and quality of life."