Northeastern Illinois is stronger when it works together as one. In a first-of-its-kind partnership, the region has now united around an economic strategy to boost shared prosperity.
The Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership is a new collaboration among the seven counties of northeastern Illinois (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, Will) and the City of Chicago to drive economic growth and advance equity across the region and its diverse communities.
The Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership includes the City of Chicago and the seven counties across Chicagoland. Together, they are united around shared principles for regional cooperation and will pursue joint economic activities that benefit everyone.
The Partnership will focus on promoting the region’s many assets, including extensive freight infrastructure, diverse talent, strong exporting industries, and world-class institutions of innovation, research, and culture to develop a competitive global identity. The partners will coordinate international engagement, and they will share and optimize resources like market research and asset mapping to achieve greater efficiency and scale.
World Business Chicago (WBC) manages the Partnership and will expand its services region-wide, complementing existing municipal and county programs. Each of the partners have made a financial commitment totaling $1 million for the first in a three-year pilot.
Regional leaders gathered on January 4, 2023, to announce the launch of the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership. Left to right: Jim McConoughey, McHenry County Economic Development Corporation; Xochitl Flores, Cook County Bureau of Economic Development; Kyle Schulz, World Business Chicago; Andrea Sáenz, The Chicago Community Trust; Scott Gengler, Kendall County Board; Erin Aleman, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning; Peter Austin, McHenry County Administrator; Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Board President; Greg Bedalov, Choose DuPage; Deborah Conroy, DuPage County Board Chair; Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, Will County Executive; Lori E. Lightfoot, Mayor of Chicago; Doug Pryor, Will County Center for Economic Development; Irene Sherr, Cook County Bureau of Economic Development; Jim Reynolds, Loop Capital; Sandy Hart, Lake County Board Chair; Kevin Considine, Lake County Partners; Michael Fassnacht, World Business Chicago
Northeastern Illinois is a center for international business with extensive assets. But the region has faced persistent challenges like slow economic progress, racial inequities, and stagnant population growth. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated many of these challenges.
The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) set this work in motion in 2020 at the request of the county board chairs and the mayor of Chicago. This effort builds on key recommendations from the City of Chicago Recovery Task Force report supporting a regional, collaborative approach to economic development in the aftermath of COVID.
In July 2022, CMAP convened the county board chairs, City of Chicago, and economic development leaders across the counties to discuss next steps for regional economic collaboration.
Supported by a grant from the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, CMAP partnered with the Brookings Institution — a nonprofit public policy organization known for high-quality, independent research and innovative policy solutions across the nation and world.
Brookings experts and local leaders drew on best practices to develop a shared regional framework for equitable economic development. The Partnership also builds on progress achieved through local programs like the Chicago Metro Metal Consortium, the Southland Development Authority, and the efforts of municipal and county economic development officials.
Throughout 2022, CMAP gathered regional leaders at a series of convenings to develop the recommendations and achieve consensus on the Partnership’s principles and expectations.
Regional leaders gathered in September 2022 at Joliet Junior College to discuss the Brookings Institution’s recommended strategies and achieve consensus on the Partnership. Left to right: Dr. Clyne Namuo, President of Joliet Junior College; Jim McConoughey, President of the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation; Michael Fassnacht, President & CEO, World Business Chicago and Chief Marketing Officer for the City of Chicago (behind); Chair Scott Gryder, Kendall County Board; Greg Bedalov, President and CEO of Choose DuPage; President Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Board of Commissioners; Chair Corinne Pierog, Kane County Board; Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, Will County Executive; Xochitl Flores, Bureau Chief of Economic Development for Cook County; Samir Mayekar, Deputy Mayor of Economic and Neighborhood Development for the City of Chicago; Erin Aleman, Executive Director of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning; Chair Michael Buehler, McHenry County Board; Doug Pryor, President and CEO of the Will County Center for Economic Development
We acknowledge that our northeastern Illinois region — including Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties as well as the city of Chicago — is interconnected and interdependent. We believe that the region can achieve more to strengthen jobs and capital investment by working together than any one community can on its own. We know that the region’s extensive assets offer significant opportunities to provide shared prosperity across different and diverse communities. And we recognize that joint action can ensure robust, equitable economic growth by building a globally competitive ecosystem that works for everyone, with world-class transportation infrastructure, economic sectors, talent, and innovation.
Wishing to enter a new era of regional cooperation, we join together to make the following commitments, with the goal of facilitating activities that better take advantage of our shared opportunities and complement our unique interests:
"I have long championed an equitable, regional approach to economic development, and it has been a top priority at the County ever since I took office. I am proud to reach this historic milestone, which helps advance our commitment to a more inclusive and equitable local economy." — Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Board President
"We know we will achieve better results working together. The ability to share information and pool our resources makes this partnership truly a win-win for DuPage, Cook, the collar counties, and the City of Chicago. If we want to truly thrive, a strong regional economic development effort is essential. The Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership will provide a critical component, showcasing the Chicagoland area’s many advantages for businesses considering a new location in our region." — Dan Cronin, former DuPage County Board Chair (2010-2022)
"The Greater Chicagoland Regional Economic Partnership represents an unprecedented opportunity for collaboration. Together, we can target and attract new business investment and educate national and international business leaders about the advantages of investing in the Chicagoland area. I look forward to working with my colleagues as we finally bring this vision to reality, welcoming new businesses and employees, who will quickly discover the many benefits our region has to offer." — Deborah Conroy, DuPage County Board Chair
"We look forward to our involvement in this unique partnership among the City of Chicago and its collar counties to create a regional, collaborative approach to economic development. There is strength in numbers and this partnership will help to quicken the pace of post-pandemic recovery for Kane County businesses and its residents." — Corinne Pierog, Kane County Board Chair
"The Chicagoland region is the heartbeat of the Midwest. We have the talent, training, and education to attract world class businesses and retain talent when we work in a collaborative nature." — Scott Gryder, former Kendall County Board Chair (2016-2022)
"We have formed a historic partnership that positions our region for economic growth and prosperity for years to come. I thank the numerous agencies that are collaboratively working to raise the bar of economic development in northeastern Illinois and throughout the State. By working together, we are providing the support and resources that businesses require to be successful. Their success is our success." — Sandy Hart, Lake County Board Chair
"McHenry County takes great pride in its world-class manufacturers and businesses, and the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership offers us a unique opportunity to further elevate their global profile by marketing them alongside the unique assets of our region. It has been a privilege to work alongside CMAP, the Brookings Institute, the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation, and, of course, my fellow county and municipal leaders to cement this partnership, and I look forward to the economic prosperity it will bring to our communities." — Michael Buehler, McHenry County Board Chair
"As our local economy continues to grow and adapt to a changing environment, the importance of a regional partnership has never been clearer. We will be able to achieve more by working together. I look forward to working with my county colleagues throughout the Chicagoland region to develop a comprehensive economic development strategy." — Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, Will County Executive
"I’m pleased to announce the creation of a regional economic development partnership, recommended by our City's COVID-19 recovery task force. The Chicagoland region is a driving force of business in the nation. From its central location to industry strengths, this region is positioned for significant growth and continued emerging business driven by tech and innovation. I am grateful to World Business Chicago, the ideal partner to coordinate the varying interests of regional partners and the private sector, who will drive regional economic development into the future.” — Lori E. Lightfoot, Mayor of Chicago
"Chicago's economy is bouncing back from the pandemic thanks to our comprehensive recovery task force report, which includes developing a strategy to drive regional economic development. The investment of time and energy to build this partnership by the six regional partners, and the city of Chicago, has been exceptional. The Chicagoland region is a force to be reckoned — from its robust talent pipeline to its industry strengths, infrastructure, and emerging ecosystems. This united regional effort will be a game-changer." — Samir Mayekar, Deputy Mayor for Economic and Neighborhood Development, City of Chicago
"Today’s announcement of the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership will not only move the Chicagoland region forward but become its distinctive competitive advantage, helping existing firms expand in the region and attract new corporations. The region’s future is bright." — Michael Fassnacht, President and CEO, World Business Chicago, Chief Marketing Officer, City of Chicago
"On behalf of the entire region, thank you to our committed leaders and partners for championing this initiative. It reflects our deep collaboration over the past two years — to assess and implement economic development functions that are best undertaken together, at a regional scale. And I am confident that this new partnership will advance our goals of achieving an inclusive and thriving region. CMAP appreciates the opportunity to help shepherd this new era of regional economic cooperation for northeastern Illinois." — Erin Aleman, Executive Director, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning
"The Chicago region's infamous segregation and fragmentation prevent us from reaching our full potential, both in growing an innovative, competitive economy and in addressing the opportunity gaps that limit the economic success and contribution of too many residents and communities. Our regional economy is indelibly linked to local outcomes. By collaborating at the scale our regional economy needs, the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership will improve the availability of quality jobs for our residents to achieve self-sufficiency and economic mobility." — Michael Davidson, Senior Director of Community Impact, The Chicago Community Trust
"This partnership is the result of diverse public and private stakeholders setting aside historic differences to identify specific activities where a regional approach produces better, measurable outcomes for all. Through these activities, the cities and counties of Chicagoland will match how global peers now collaborate to compete — taking full advantage of their shared talent, industry, and innovation assets to achieve more inclusive economic growth across the region." — Marek Gootman, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Brookings Metro
"On behalf of the region’s business community, we applaud the work that went into convening and cementing this united, regional effort. This is a distinct competitive advantage for businesses operating and located in the Chicagoland region." – Ryan Smith, Executive Vice President, Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America
Northeastern Illinois is stronger when it works together as one. In a first-of-its-kind partnership, the region has now united around an economic strategy to boost shared prosperity.
The Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership is a new collaboration among the seven counties of northeastern Illinois (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, Will) and the City of Chicago to drive economic growth and advance equity across the region and its diverse communities.
The Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership includes the City of Chicago and the seven counties across Chicagoland. Together, they are united around shared principles for regional cooperation and will pursue joint economic activities that benefit everyone.
The Partnership will focus on promoting the region’s many assets, including extensive freight infrastructure, diverse talent, strong exporting industries, and world-class institutions of innovation, research, and culture to develop a competitive global identity. The partners will coordinate international engagement, and they will share and optimize resources like market research and asset mapping to achieve greater efficiency and scale.
World Business Chicago (WBC) manages the Partnership and will expand its services region-wide, complementing existing municipal and county programs. Each of the partners have made a financial commitment totaling $1 million for the first in a three-year pilot.
Regional leaders gathered on January 4, 2023, to announce the launch of the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership. Left to right: Jim McConoughey, McHenry County Economic Development Corporation; Xochitl Flores, Cook County Bureau of Economic Development; Kyle Schulz, World Business Chicago; Andrea Sáenz, The Chicago Community Trust; Scott Gengler, Kendall County Board; Erin Aleman, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning; Peter Austin, McHenry County Administrator; Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Board President; Greg Bedalov, Choose DuPage; Deborah Conroy, DuPage County Board Chair; Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, Will County Executive; Lori E. Lightfoot, Mayor of Chicago; Doug Pryor, Will County Center for Economic Development; Irene Sherr, Cook County Bureau of Economic Development; Jim Reynolds, Loop Capital; Sandy Hart, Lake County Board Chair; Kevin Considine, Lake County Partners; Michael Fassnacht, World Business Chicago
Northeastern Illinois is a center for international business with extensive assets. But the region has faced persistent challenges like slow economic progress, racial inequities, and stagnant population growth. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated many of these challenges.
The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) set this work in motion in 2020 at the request of the county board chairs and the mayor of Chicago. This effort builds on key recommendations from the City of Chicago Recovery Task Force report supporting a regional, collaborative approach to economic development in the aftermath of COVID.
In July 2022, CMAP convened the county board chairs, City of Chicago, and economic development leaders across the counties to discuss next steps for regional economic collaboration.
Supported by a grant from the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, CMAP partnered with the Brookings Institution — a nonprofit public policy organization known for high-quality, independent research and innovative policy solutions across the nation and world.
Brookings experts and local leaders drew on best practices to develop a shared regional framework for equitable economic development. The Partnership also builds on progress achieved through local programs like the Chicago Metro Metal Consortium, the Southland Development Authority, and the efforts of municipal and county economic development officials.
Throughout 2022, CMAP gathered regional leaders at a series of convenings to develop the recommendations and achieve consensus on the Partnership’s principles and expectations.
Regional leaders gathered in September 2022 at Joliet Junior College to discuss the Brookings Institution’s recommended strategies and achieve consensus on the Partnership. Left to right: Dr. Clyne Namuo, President of Joliet Junior College; Jim McConoughey, President of the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation; Michael Fassnacht, President & CEO, World Business Chicago and Chief Marketing Officer for the City of Chicago (behind); Chair Scott Gryder, Kendall County Board; Greg Bedalov, President and CEO of Choose DuPage; President Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Board of Commissioners; Chair Corinne Pierog, Kane County Board; Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, Will County Executive; Xochitl Flores, Bureau Chief of Economic Development for Cook County; Samir Mayekar, Deputy Mayor of Economic and Neighborhood Development for the City of Chicago; Erin Aleman, Executive Director of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning; Chair Michael Buehler, McHenry County Board; Doug Pryor, President and CEO of the Will County Center for Economic Development
We acknowledge that our northeastern Illinois region — including Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties as well as the city of Chicago — is interconnected and interdependent. We believe that the region can achieve more to strengthen jobs and capital investment by working together than any one community can on its own. We know that the region’s extensive assets offer significant opportunities to provide shared prosperity across different and diverse communities. And we recognize that joint action can ensure robust, equitable economic growth by building a globally competitive ecosystem that works for everyone, with world-class transportation infrastructure, economic sectors, talent, and innovation.
Wishing to enter a new era of regional cooperation, we join together to make the following commitments, with the goal of facilitating activities that better take advantage of our shared opportunities and complement our unique interests:
"I have long championed an equitable, regional approach to economic development, and it has been a top priority at the County ever since I took office. I am proud to reach this historic milestone, which helps advance our commitment to a more inclusive and equitable local economy." — Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Board President
"We know we will achieve better results working together. The ability to share information and pool our resources makes this partnership truly a win-win for DuPage, Cook, the collar counties, and the City of Chicago. If we want to truly thrive, a strong regional economic development effort is essential. The Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership will provide a critical component, showcasing the Chicagoland area’s many advantages for businesses considering a new location in our region." — Dan Cronin, former DuPage County Board Chair (2010-2022)
"The Greater Chicagoland Regional Economic Partnership represents an unprecedented opportunity for collaboration. Together, we can target and attract new business investment and educate national and international business leaders about the advantages of investing in the Chicagoland area. I look forward to working with my colleagues as we finally bring this vision to reality, welcoming new businesses and employees, who will quickly discover the many benefits our region has to offer." — Deborah Conroy, DuPage County Board Chair
"We look forward to our involvement in this unique partnership among the City of Chicago and its collar counties to create a regional, collaborative approach to economic development. There is strength in numbers and this partnership will help to quicken the pace of post-pandemic recovery for Kane County businesses and its residents." — Corinne Pierog, Kane County Board Chair
"The Chicagoland region is the heartbeat of the Midwest. We have the talent, training, and education to attract world class businesses and retain talent when we work in a collaborative nature." — Scott Gryder, former Kendall County Board Chair (2016-2022)
"We have formed a historic partnership that positions our region for economic growth and prosperity for years to come. I thank the numerous agencies that are collaboratively working to raise the bar of economic development in northeastern Illinois and throughout the State. By working together, we are providing the support and resources that businesses require to be successful. Their success is our success." — Sandy Hart, Lake County Board Chair
"McHenry County takes great pride in its world-class manufacturers and businesses, and the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership offers us a unique opportunity to further elevate their global profile by marketing them alongside the unique assets of our region. It has been a privilege to work alongside CMAP, the Brookings Institute, the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation, and, of course, my fellow county and municipal leaders to cement this partnership, and I look forward to the economic prosperity it will bring to our communities." — Michael Buehler, McHenry County Board Chair
"As our local economy continues to grow and adapt to a changing environment, the importance of a regional partnership has never been clearer. We will be able to achieve more by working together. I look forward to working with my county colleagues throughout the Chicagoland region to develop a comprehensive economic development strategy." — Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, Will County Executive
"I’m pleased to announce the creation of a regional economic development partnership, recommended by our City's COVID-19 recovery task force. The Chicagoland region is a driving force of business in the nation. From its central location to industry strengths, this region is positioned for significant growth and continued emerging business driven by tech and innovation. I am grateful to World Business Chicago, the ideal partner to coordinate the varying interests of regional partners and the private sector, who will drive regional economic development into the future.” — Lori E. Lightfoot, Mayor of Chicago
"Chicago's economy is bouncing back from the pandemic thanks to our comprehensive recovery task force report, which includes developing a strategy to drive regional economic development. The investment of time and energy to build this partnership by the six regional partners, and the city of Chicago, has been exceptional. The Chicagoland region is a force to be reckoned — from its robust talent pipeline to its industry strengths, infrastructure, and emerging ecosystems. This united regional effort will be a game-changer." — Samir Mayekar, Deputy Mayor for Economic and Neighborhood Development, City of Chicago
"Today’s announcement of the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership will not only move the Chicagoland region forward but become its distinctive competitive advantage, helping existing firms expand in the region and attract new corporations. The region’s future is bright." — Michael Fassnacht, President and CEO, World Business Chicago, Chief Marketing Officer, City of Chicago
"On behalf of the entire region, thank you to our committed leaders and partners for championing this initiative. It reflects our deep collaboration over the past two years — to assess and implement economic development functions that are best undertaken together, at a regional scale. And I am confident that this new partnership will advance our goals of achieving an inclusive and thriving region. CMAP appreciates the opportunity to help shepherd this new era of regional economic cooperation for northeastern Illinois." — Erin Aleman, Executive Director, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning
"The Chicago region's infamous segregation and fragmentation prevent us from reaching our full potential, both in growing an innovative, competitive economy and in addressing the opportunity gaps that limit the economic success and contribution of too many residents and communities. Our regional economy is indelibly linked to local outcomes. By collaborating at the scale our regional economy needs, the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership will improve the availability of quality jobs for our residents to achieve self-sufficiency and economic mobility." — Michael Davidson, Senior Director of Community Impact, The Chicago Community Trust
"This partnership is the result of diverse public and private stakeholders setting aside historic differences to identify specific activities where a regional approach produces better, measurable outcomes for all. Through these activities, the cities and counties of Chicagoland will match how global peers now collaborate to compete — taking full advantage of their shared talent, industry, and innovation assets to achieve more inclusive economic growth across the region." — Marek Gootman, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Brookings Metro
"On behalf of the region’s business community, we applaud the work that went into convening and cementing this united, regional effort. This is a distinct competitive advantage for businesses operating and located in the Chicagoland region." – Ryan Smith, Executive Vice President, Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America
