blue green alliance
What Business Wants: Growing Green Jobs in Minneapolis St. Paul
MAYORS' GREEN MANUFACTURING INITIATIVE, OCTOBER 23, 2009

On behalf of Minneapolis Mayor RT Rybak and St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, Civic Source undertook a major research study and assessment designed to identify the potential for generating and attracting green jobs. “What Business Wants: Growing Green Jobs in Minneapolis St. Paul” included interviews and focus groups with more than 75 business leaders. … <more>

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the partnership

After a successful pilot project developed by Civic Source in 2008, the Minneapolis Regional and Saint Paul Area Chambers of Commerce are pleased to produce two sessions of The Partnership in 2010. This community orientation is sponsored by the Minneapolis Foundation, the first program kicks off in February and the second in June. The Partnership is designed to help retain professionals of color in our companies and in our community! Participants in The Partnership meet other community and business leaders of color, learn about the region and develop a personal and professional network of peers. This network provides support and connections to help transplants become part of our community. Civic Source is once again serving as program coordinators.

See articles about The Partnership that were published in the Star Tribune and Pioneer Press. …<more>

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intercity leadership visit

For the eighth year, Civic Source developed the content and coordinated all the details for the annual InterCity Leadership Visit. This highly-regarded program invites business and community leaders from the Minneapolis-Saint Paul region to visit another city to learn how that city deals with such critical issues as transportation, economic development and education. Charlotte was selected because many economists expect that the Charlotte region will emerge from the recession even stronger than when the economic downturn began. In September 2009 a delegation of 80 community leaders took an opportunity to learn about some of Charlotte’s challenges and achievements as they relate to the Twin Cities.

See articles and postings about the 2009 ICLV here:

-Port Authority Article
-MRCC newsletter
-Steve Berg
-Blois Olson

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Civic Source Workforce Ready project wins award!

The Economic Development Association of Minnesota announced Workforce Ready! was recognized at the 2009 Summer Conference at Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge. Workforce Ready! received the "partnership award" for the unique and successful team work on this project. “Everyone is to be commended for their hard work this past year and this is a great way to celebrate our journey and collaboration on precision manufacturing workforce readiness.” Stated Judy Johnson, Director of Community Relations, TwinWest Chamber of Commerce.

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Ellen Watters
Featured Speaker

Civic Source principal, Ellen Watters, recently spoke to the Minnesota Women’s Economic Roundtable about green jobs, what are they and where are they. Her presentation was based on an assessment of the green economy in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul region that Civic Source completed for the Mayors’ Green Manufacturing Initiative. Following Watters’ presentation, a panel of speakers addressed how Federal stimulus funds and state policy would impact the green economy

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Helgeson joins community and leadership Blog

www.leadershipandcommunity.com is a community blog focused on providing awareness on leadership and community insights in the Twin Cities. This is a collaborative blog focused on creating AWARENESS on current issues facing our community; identifying DEVELOPMENT opportunities for individuals to improve their leadership skills and inspiring a community of people to take ACTION and make a difference. The blog encourages readers to participate in the discussion by sharing comments and introducing the website to others.

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News from Atlanta
A Chambers of Commerce–sponsored visit yields info on congestion,
gas shortages, and mergers.
MSP MagazinE - By Deborah Hopp, publisher

As markets closed on Monday, September 29, I stood in the studios of CNN Headline News watching anchor Susan Hendricks deliver word of the Dow’s spectacular 778-point plunge. Sixty of us were in Atlanta for the annual InterCity Leadership Visit, a joint program of the Minneapolis and St. Paul Chambers of Commerce, which takes community leaders to other metro areas for, in the words of Metropolitan Council chair Peter Bell, “the sharing and comparing of challenges and solutions” to issues such as education, transportation, and economic development. … <more - PDF>

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Philly, Minneapolis leaders share view of city
Atlanta Business Chronicle - by Maria Saporta

We can learn so much when we see how others see us.

This time, the people seeing us were two city delegations — one from Philadelphia and another from Minneapolis-St. Paul — that recently came to Atlanta to see how we tackle our problems and to compare and contrast their cities with ours.

The visits are similar to the annual trips that a group of about 110 metro Atlanta leaders take each year to different cities to gain better insights on how to address our challenges. … <more - Word Doc.>

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Civic Source manages The Partnership, a retention program for relocated professionals of color. Here’s what Minnesota Public Radio’s Toni Randolph reported on The Partnership:

Minnesota companies launch new push to
retain professionals of color
by Toni Randolph, Minnesota Public Radio, May 21, 2008

Minnesota is becoming increasingly diverse and many local companies are trying to reflect that diversity in their workplaces. While some companies have had success recruiting professionals of color to the Twin Cities, they've sometimes had difficulty retaining them. Several area companies have joined forces to try to change that.

St. Paul, Minn. — Charise Rhodes has a love-hate relationship with the Twin Cities. The Kansas City native has been here for 15 years. She likes the job opportunities, the low crime rate and cleanliness of the Twin Cities. … <more>

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Civic Source is part of the team developing Phase II of the Mayors’ Green Manufacturing Initiative.  This article talks about the effort.

Green Jobs Manufacturing creation
Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal

Twin Cities mayors R.T. Rybak and Chris Coleman announced Monday that they would partner on a new alliance to create more jobs in the "green' manufacturing segment. …
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