Important guests from across the state are visiting Covington this week, and the city has a lot to show off.
More than 200 statewide economic developers, job creators, and policy makers from across the Commonwealth are gathered in Covington for the Kentucky Association of Economic Development’s annual Kentucky Forum.
The event brings together KAED’s membership and esteemed panel speakers to celebrate Kentucky’s economic momentum and discuss strategies to accelerate job creation and amplify growth. BE NKY is the presenting sponsor and BE NKY Growth Partnership’s Kimberly Rossetti is the secretary-treasurer of KAED.
This week KAED’s membership and speakers will get an up-close look at Covington’s dynamic momentum, including capital investments, thousands of new jobs, robust talent and business attraction, and 23 acres of a once-in-a-generation development opportunity in the heart of the city.
(Photo by Sam Greenhill)
“They will see the impact of the more than $200 million in private capital investment and nearly 5,000 new jobs in just three years,” said Covington Economic Development Director Tom West.
But West said the learning will go both ways.
“While economic development professionals from around the Commonwealth will get a first-hand look at the many ways Covington has invested in its future, our staff, more importantly, will have the opportunity to learn from others as we continuously improve to ensure that Covington remains the region’s destination for talent and business location,” he said.
The conference happens at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center at Madison Avenue and Rivercenter Boulevard. In addition to a walking tour, it will include a pre-conference reception at Second Story cocktail bar and a grand reception at Hotel Covington.
“KAED is thrilled to bring economic developers and site location professionals to Northern Kentucky for the Kentucky Economic Forum this week,” said Haley McCoy, President & CEO of the Kentucky Association for Economic Development. “There is tremendous collaboration and economic momentum in Northern Kentucky and Covington and we can share many best practices with our colleagues from throughout the Commonwealth. We thank BE NKY Growth Partnership, our presenting sponsor, and all our sponsors for supporting the forum and this educational opportunity to see first-hand how collaboration leads to success.”
Haley McCoy, President & CEO of the Kentucky Association for Economic Development, and Kimberly Rossetti, Secretary/Treasurer of KAED and VP of Economic Development, BE NKY Growth Partnership, at the Kentucky Economic Forum welcome reception at Second Story in Covington (Photo provided/BE NKY)
The forum’s panel boasts a dynamic lineup of speakers that includes Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman, CVG CEO Candace McGraw, and top officials from the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, including Sec. Jeff Noel and Commissioner Kristina Slattery. Other speakers represent the Kentucky League of Cities, the state General Assembly, state universities, economic think tanks, and more.
Local voices include West, Covington Mayor Joe Meyer, meetNKY’s Julie Kirkpatrick, BE NKY’s Lee Crume, and others who will share insights into Covington’s – and the region’s – upward trajectory.
Session topics include workforce development, housing, entrepreneurship & innovation, local incentives, site selection, local tax reform, economic impact studies, technology, state strategic action plan, a project managers roundtable, and more.
“BE NKY Growth Partnership is proud to be the presenting sponsor of the KAED Kentucky Economic Forum and to showcase all Northern Kentucky has to offer,” said Kimberly Rossetti, Secretary/Treasurer of KAED and VP of Economic Development, BE NKY Growth Partnership. “Bringing more than 200 economic development professionals to Covington is a tremendous opportunity to share much of the positive momentum in our region through walking tours, speeches and panel discussions with our community’s leaders and speakers from the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development.”
City of Covington and BE NKY
