It’s officially forum season at IEI, and I’m thrilled to announce that tickets for our 2026 Emerging Issues Forum: Future Forward Water will go on sale in early November!

Water and infrastructure needs are inherently regional, so we’re taking the forum on the road in 2026. We look forward to seeing you on Feb. 25, in Asheville, Winston-Salem and Morehead City to connect locally on this critical topic for the future success of our state. We will also take this opportunity to mark the 40th year of the Emerging Issues Forum and kick off a year dedicated to honoring the work that has emerged from the forum over the last four decades.

Space is limited, and we expect tickets to sell out quickly. Keep an eye out for our special early-bird discount rate ending just before Thanksgiving! As we open registration in the coming days, please spread the word to your colleagues and others who you think would benefit from attending. The forum is not limited to infrastructure experts and decision-makers. We need business owners, industry leaders, community members and more to share their perspectives to make this a successful event. Keep an eye on go.ncsu.edu/2026forum for more information.

Holding three forums simultaneously is certainly ambitious. I want to thank Team IEI for their flexibility and dedication to this model, as well as our key partners, including the NC Rural Center, who are committed to helping us make this a success.

Since our last newsletter, IEI’s Community Initiatives teams have launched registration for the 2025 Faith & Community Initiative Conference: Rooted and Rising, taking place Nov. 18 at Guilford Tech Community College, and the December 2025 NC Digital Opportunity Gathering in partnership with the N.C. Department of Information Technology on Dec. 4 at Edgecombe Community College.

In our planning for both events, we’ve seen community members’ desire to come together to share ideas about these important topics. Both events have exceeded registration expectations already and are sure to fill up quickly. Reserve your spot for each event using the links above.

As you are reading this message, the third cohort of the Strategic Workforce Leadership Initiative is underway. The number of applicants for this cohort exceeded expectations and we are thrilled to have convened a group of talented individuals representing community colleges, councils of government, local government, nonprofits, workforce development boards and more. We look forward to seeing the great work that they are able to accomplish!

Finally, we were excited to honor former IEI National Advisory Board Chair Jack Cecil earlier this month by naming a prominent gathering space in our office suite as the John F.A.V. Cecil Library and Community Room. For nearly four decades, Jack has served on local and statewide boards addressing issues of education, healthcare, economic development, the environment, quality of life, and arts and culture. During his tenure at IEI, Jack helped shape the agendas of more than 20 Emerging Issues Forums focused on the issues directly aligned with his areas of interest: education, healthcare, economic development and the environment. This work has resulted in enduring policies and programs that have supported the state’s economic growth. Thank you, Jack!