A united St. Louis in 2012
St. Louis Business Journal
Guest Commentary By Denny Coleman
January 27, 2012
The start of the year is a perfect time to reflect on the past and embrace fresh ideas. One thought is quietly gaining momentum in St. Louis.
It's the idea that we can unite for the benefit of the St. Louis region. It's simple, and at the same time, it's the greatest challenge facing our community.
Yes, we're a city, a county, a two-state metropolitan region, whatever you would like to call us. The invisible borders that divide our region serve as mental and political roadblocks. These invisible lines are holding us back at the precise time communities around the world are seeking new ways to compete.
This past year, as the board chair of the International Economic Development Council, I travelled the world and throughout the United States talking about how we can climb out of this recession. It was my responsibility to help share the IEDC commitment to expand three major ideas: increasing global trade, expanding entrepreneurship and promoting sustainable development.
While on these travels, I saw how the world views us. Our economy is seen as one of the most resilient, creative and resourceful in the world. That's why other countries want to learn from us and why foreign direct investment continues to pour into the Unites States. We are also seen as the team to beat. International competition is fierce and is not solely from China. It's headed our way from every corner of the developing world. For St. Louis, our real competition is in places like Sao Paulo, Shanghai and Mumbai.
So, how do we stack up in the global marketplace?
We should appreciate our rich cultural, educational and economic assets. We are awash in them and should be proud of them, but they aren't enough. We must get serious about addressing our weaknesses and touting our strengths. Being complacent about our current quality of life does nothing to ensure a bright future for the next generation.
As a region, we need to be a net attractor of jobs and people. That means our kids and their friends will want to live and work in St. Louis when they graduate. We need immigrants to flow into St. Louis with their entrepreneurial spirit. We need to invest more time and assets into fostering our next set of entrepreneurs to create more homegrown companies.
To grow and enhance our position in the world marketplace, St. Louis must become the place to be. Are we willing to unite to help get us there?
