It’s January, which means that our staff is hard at work finalizing every detail of the 2025 Emerging Issues Forum. In addition to putting the final touches on the agenda, we’re also busy spreading the word about this year’s event.
Earlier this month, we launched season two of The Connector podcast in audio and–for the first time–video formats. Our first episode featured North Carolina State Demographer Michael Cline and Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina Research Director Alyssa Brown Moseley for an insightful discussion about the influence our state’s demographic trends have on our energy landscape. In the second episode, NC Sustainable Energy Association Director of Policy Cassie Gavin and BEST NC Vice President of Policy and Programs Maureen Stover provided a look into how energy policy works, where power comes from when we flip on a light switch, and how to get students engaged in energy careers. Be sure to follow us on social media for updates and future episodes of The Connector!
The Emerging Issues Forum is a time for us to come together across our differing points of view to focus attention on critical questions facing North Carolina. This isn’t your typical conference! Since 1986, the forum has established itself as the premiere venue for up-and-coming thought leaders, community advocates, workforce developers, tech innovators and more to respectfully consider the ideas shared and embark on collaborative action benefiting our state’s long-term economic prosperity.
People come to the forum expecting to hear a perspective different from their own. Sometimes this is a rural lens to one’s urban mindset, or it could be what one believes is the role of government versus the private market. It’s a place to examine potential paths forward and to consider trade-offs.
I love it when people come up to me after the forum and tell me things like, “I hadn’t considered that before…” or “Now I understand why that decision was made.” or “I still don’t agree, but I appreciate learning more about another group’s position.””…and so on.
This year is the first of our three year forum series examining North Carolina’s infrastructure. Our forums will be on three key, interrelated issues: energy, water, and housing, while also folding in other key infrastructure challenges and opportunities involving transportation and broadband.
So if you’re asking yourself if you should attend, let me be the first to tell you, Yes! We encourage anyone who cares about our state’s economic competitiveness to attend the forum.
I hope to see you on Feb. 19!
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