Greater Washington Partnership

Since 2022, our Shared Prosperity commitment has driven $3.2B in investments from leading employers toward inclusive economic growth. This milestone underscores their intentional efforts to enhance our competitive edge while expanding their presence in the Baltimore-Richmond corridor. “We are driving inclusive growth and nurturing the fabric of our local economy in the Greater Washington region by increasing market opportunities for small and diverse businesses. Through Clark’s ‘SDBE15’ initiative, we voluntarily commit to achieving at least 15% small and diverse business participation on projects that do not otherwise have mandated small business goals. Since 2022, we have awarded more than $600 million in additional contracts to small and diverse businesses in the Greater Washington region through this program."  - Robby Moser, CEO of Clark Construction Group and the Partnership’s Inclusive Economic Growth Advisory Committee Co-Chair. Learn how the region’s most influential companies are driving inclusive economic growth through Shared Prosperity: https://bit.ly/3Um608B #SupplierDiversity #InclusiveGrowth #SharedProsperity 

Mark your calendar and tune in LIVE! We will have an essential conversation with Atua Emu and Kimberly Sarro from the Greater Washington Partnership on the latest strategies to align academic learning with the rapidly evolving digital tech landscape with our next LIVE event, Bridging Education and Industry: Preparing Students for the Digital Tech Workforce on September 17 at 12 PM EST. Your future self will thank you! Register Below! #LinkedInLive #Bunifu #elearning

Coming back from a few highly impactful days in Silicon Valley at the 2024 Billion Dollar Roundtable, hosted by Meta and Google, I’m reflecting on the crucial discussions we had about the role of leading companies and employers to include some of our very own like Amazon, JPMorganChase, Bank of America, Comcast, Aztra Zeneca, Ampcus Inc, Thompson Hospitality and others in driving transformative, inclusive growth both regionally and globally. Three key takeaways stood out: 1. Inclusion is essential: Diversity isn’t just a value—it’s a strategic imperative that drives innovation and long-term success. 2. Supply chains and products must reflect organization values: As companies like Google and Meta evolve, it’s clear that their supply chains and products mirror inclusivity - diverse suppliers are supported and products are created to serve all consumers. 3. Technology serves as a catalyst for change. Emerging technologies are rapidly reshaping the business landscape. Companies that harness tech for positive, inclusive change aren’t just keeping up—they’re setting the future’s pace. One of the most valuable takeaways from the BDR was witnessing how companies impact communities nationally and globally. This perspective allows us to bring back what works, rethink what doesn’t, and introduce fresh ideas in our regions. A heartfelt thank you to Anjali "Ann" Ramakumaran for bringing me along on this wonderful journey. #Leadership #Inclusion #Technology #Innovation #BillionDollarRoundtable

Coming back from a few highly impactful days in Silicon Valley at the 2024 Billion Dollar Roundtable, hosted by Meta and Google, I’m reflecting on the crucial discussions we had about the role of leading companies and employers to include some of our very own like Amazon, JPMorganChase, Bank of America, Comcast, Aztra Zeneca, Ampcus Inc, Thompson Hospitality and others in driving transformative, inclusive growth both regionally and globally. Three key takeaways stood out: 1. Inclusion is essential: Diversity isn’t just a value—it’s a strategic imperative that drives innovation and long-term success. 2. Supply chains and products must reflect organization values: As companies like Google and Meta evolve, it’s clear that their supply chains and products mirror inclusivity - diverse suppliers are supported and products are created to serve all consumers. 3. Technology serves as a catalyst for change. Emerging technologies are rapidly reshaping the business landscape. Companies that harness tech for positive, inclusive change aren’t just keeping up—they’re setting the future’s pace. One of the most valuable takeaways from the BDR was witnessing how companies impact communities nationally and globally. This perspective allows us to bring back what works, rethink what doesn’t, and introduce fresh ideas in our regions. A heartfelt thank you to Anjali "Ann" Ramakumaran for bringing me along on this wonderful journey. #Leadership #Inclusion #Technology #Innovation #BillionDollarRoundtable

Last month, over 80 regional workforce leaders convened at JPMorganChase’s DC office for the “Future of Talent: Regional Approaches to Workforce Development.” This gathering brought together key stakeholders from DC, Maryland and Virginia to discuss how cross-sector and cross-jurisdiction collaboration can strengthen our talent pipelines and drive economic growth.    Our new blog dives into critical workforce development insights from panelists Nicole Overley, Rachael Stephens Parker, Drew Hubbard, Matthew Muench and Lisa Hamilton: 🔹 Collaborative strategies: Cross-sector and cross-jurisdiction partnerships are essential to building inclusive talent pipelines. 🔹 Employer feedback: Engaging new and established employers is crucial for workforce development. 🔹 Early career exploration: Introducing career coaching earlier in students’ journeys is vital to preparing them for the future. As we continue to shape the future of our region’s workforce, these conversations are vital to ensuring that our talent pipelines are robust, inclusive and capable of meeting the demands of tomorrow. Read more about the insights shared by our panelists and the actionable strategies that emerged: https://bit.ly/3YRKyuV #WorkforceDevelopment #RegionalCollaboration #TalentPipeline 

From finding her voice to elevating the voices of others, Rosie Allen-Herring, MBA's career has been shaped by the support and guidance of remarkable mentors. Now, as the President and CEO of United Way of the National Capital Area, Rosie shares lessons on leadership, resilience, and the importance of community impact. Her journey reflects the powerful responsibility to give back. Read the full Q&A to learn more about Rosie’s career, her challenges, and the legacy she carries forward. https://lnkd.in/dRDrAyCv

This month VRE and MARC (Maryland Department of Transportation) announced an agreement to allow passengers of one service to connect to the other without paying an additional fare. This agreement marks a key step toward developing an integrated regional rail system in which customers have a more seamless rider experience.     The Partnership has championed the creation of a seamless commuter rail network across our region by expanding and integrating MARC and VRE service as part of our Capital Region Rail Vision.     Read Washington Business Journal (via Nate Doughty) to learn more about the changes coming to the region’s transportation system: https://bit.ly/3SOI2lj 

Collaboration has been key in the design of our new Innovation Campus in the D.C. area, and a one #VirginiaTech alumnus is playing a part in bringing it together. 🤝

Through the Shared Prosperity commitment, our table of leading employers collectively invested $3.2B toward inclusive economic growth efforts throughout the Baltimore-Richmond corridor since 2022. As these leading employers expand their presence here, they collectively reinforce the Partnership’s founding mission to spur inclusive growth and intentional investments in our regional economy.    "I am encouraged by the dedication of our collective leading employers. Recognizing the economic imperative, we understand that excluding communities from our economy means missing out on significant opportunities for growth. Our combined progress of $3.2 billion underscores the unwavering resolve of the regional business community to foster a more competitive and inclusive economic region.” — Anthony Pierce, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP DC Partner in Charge; Partnership Co-founder and Inclusive Economic Growth Advisory Committee Co-chair.    Learn more about Shared Prosperity: https://bit.ly/3Um608B 

Howard University College of Medicine and three other historically Black colleges and universities will benefit from a groundbreaking $600 million donation by Bloomberg Philanthropies. Among the largest private donations ever to HBCUs, this investment will double Howard College of Medicine’s endowment.    Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science will also receive the gift to its endowment. The university hospital is named after Dr. Charles Drew, famous for his pioneering work in hematology and father of Dr. Charlene Drew Jarvis, whose family remains a pillar in our region and has made significant medical, political and business contributions.       Research shows that when Black patients are treated by Black doctors, they receive more frequent and preventative care, resulting in better health outcomes. This is incredible news for our region, as College of Medicine students serve patients in neighborhoods across the region where there may be limited resources and social support.        “This is a transformational gift, not only for its impact on cultivating the next generation of health professionals, but for its visionary investment in the intergenerational wealth and health of our medical students and the communities they will serve.” — President Ben Vinson III, Howard University.       Learn more about Howard’s College of Medicine and this gift’s impact on strengthening our region’s healthcare workforce: https://bit.ly/4dv0JD7      #HowardUniversity #HBCU #DiversityInMedicine Ernie Drew Jarvis Kathy Etemad Hollinger