{"id":385907,"date":"2026-08-31T08:21:30","date_gmt":"2026-08-31T08:21:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/385907\/"},"modified":"2026-08-31T08:21:30","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T08:21:30","slug":"orlando-regions-progress-and-bold-vision-featured-at-2026-regional-leadership-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/385907\/","title":{"rendered":"Orlando Region’s Progress and Bold Vision Featured at 2026 Regional Leadership Conference\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hosted at Universal Orlando\u2019s Loews Royal Pacific Resort and\u00a0convening\u00a0500 regional leaders, the annual conference underscored how public\u2011private collaboration, strategic investment, and civic leadership are shaping Central Florida\u2019s future and advancing the Orlando 2045 vision.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"2026\"2026<\/p>\n

The Orlando Economic Partnership<\/a> (OEP)\u00a0celebrated the region\u2019s economic performance and progress toward\u00a0becoming a global creative capital during the 2026 Regional Leadership Conference.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hosted at Universal Orlando\u2019s Loews Royal Pacific Resort and\u00a0convening\u00a0500 regional leaders, the annual conference underscored how public\u2011private collaboration, strategic investment, and civic leadership are shaping Central Florida\u2019s future and advancing the Orlando 2045 vision<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Major milestones\u00a0highlighted\u00a0include:\u00a0<\/p>\n

A\u00a0$233 billion\u00a0regional economy, now one of the 25 largest in the nation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Four consecutive years<\/a> of regional GDP growth outpacing the nation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Record-setting tourism, diversified industry expansion, and surges in high-wage sectors.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Breakthroughs in innovation, including UCF\u2019s rise to preeminent university status.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Universal Orlando President and COO\u00a0Karen Irwin\u00a0underscored\u00a0the company\u2019s longstanding commitment to the region. Irwin detailed Universal\u2019s investments in Central Florida\u00a0including major workforce initiatives, affordable housing through\u00a0Catchlight Crossings, and support for regional mobility solutions like the\u00a0Sunshine Corridor,\u00a0noting that great destinations and strong communities are built through partnership, respect, and intentional leadership.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cOrlando must continue converting economic momentum into broad-based, long-term prosperity by confronting regional challenges such as housing affordability, mobility, and talent retention.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tim Giuliani, OEP President & CEO<\/p>\n

OEP Board Chair and Executive Vice President and CFO of Universal Orlando Tracey Stockwell opened the program by drawing parallels between the creation of Epic Universe and the collaborative spirit behind the Orlando 2045 Vision.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cEpic Universe shows what can happen when talent, imagination, and perseverance come together,\u201d Stockwell said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cOrlando 2045 shows what can happen when an entire region channels that same spirit.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tracey Stockwell, OEP Board Chair and Executive Vice President and CFO of Universal Orlando<\/p>\n

The conference\u2019s keynote address was delivered by\u00a0Bret Perkins, Senior Vice President of Community Growth and Economic Development at Comcast Corporation. Perkins\u2019 message,\u00a0\u201cKeeping the Republic: Civic Leadership and the Architecture of Prosperity,\u201d\u00a0called on business leaders to invest deeply in civic infrastructure, collaborate across industries, and embrace long-term regional stewardship as Central Florida navigates rapid growth.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Attendees\u00a0participated\u00a0in three strategy sessions aligned with the Orlando 2045 Vision\u2019s core pillars:\u00a0<\/p>\n

Orlando\u2019s Global Edge: Innovation, Investment & What\u2019s Next\u00a0<\/p>\n

The 15-Minute Future: Reimagining Orlando\u2019s Mobility\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Path to Progress Is a Two-Way Street, emphasizing the importance of walkable urban districts.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Each shown a spotlight on recent\u00a0achievements\u00a0of\u00a0OEP\u2019s economic development, talent,\u00a0leadership,\u00a0and advocacy teams\u00a0including:\u00a0<\/p>\n

Travel + Leisure Co.\u2019s\u00a0relocation of its global headquarters to downtown Orlando.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Novartis\u2019\u00a0investment in a radioligand therapy manufacturing facility, expanding the region\u2019s life sciences cluster.\u00a0<\/p>\n

OEP\u2019s\u00a0selection\u00a0as one of only 12 organizations nationwide to join Jobs for the Future\u2019s\u00a0Skills\u2011First Ecosystem\u00a0initiative.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The National Science Foundation advancing the\u00a0Florida Semiconductor Engine\u00a0into Phase 2, unlocking up to\u00a0$45 million\u00a0for innovation and workforce development.\u00a0<\/p>\n

New international air service connecting Orlando to\u00a0Tokyo, Madrid, Paris, and\u00a0Munich.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Significant mobility progress through the\u00a0Sunshine Corridor,\u00a0SunRail\u00a0expansion, and the Sanford Airport Connector.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThese wins are not just\u00a0headlines.\u00a0They are building blocks,\u201d OEP President & CEO Tim Giuliani said. \u201cTogether, they move us closer to a future where innovation drives our economy, mobility\u00a0connects people to opportunity, and Orlando becomes the No. 1 place to live in the nation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe question now is how we shape the next 20 years\u00a0and how each of us contributes to building a region defined not just by growth, but by purpose, creativity, and shared prosperity.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tim Giuliani, OEP President & CEO<\/p>\n

The conference concluded with the presentation of the\u00a02026 James B. Greene Award<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0Allan E. Keen, honoring his decades of civic leadership, philanthropy, and impact across cultural, economic, and community development initiatives.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

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