History of Hampton Roads Partnership Though the Hampton Roads Partnership’s first organizational meeting was held on May 15, 1996, the organization’s antecedents date to 1992, when the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce initiated a strategic planning process based on successful models undertaken in Charlotte, Jacksonville, Richmond, and other cities. Alarmed by unfavorable economic trends, including low per capita income, an anemic growth rate, great income disparity between rich and poor, high unemployment, and other factors, regional leaders were determined to develop a comprehensive plan for building a more vibrant Hampton Roads. The Chamber was joined by the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce, Old Dominion University, Christopher Newport University, Forward Hampton Roads, Peninsula Economic Development Council, Future of Hampton Roads, and the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, demonstrating the effort’s breadth. In the summer of 1993, some 430 business, university, and public leaders from across Hampton Roads came together for a series of brainstorming sessions that culminated in Plan 2007, a vision statement focused on six building blocks: Education, Infrastructure, Quality of Life, Government, Private Sector Leadership, and Economic Development. Plan 2007 recommended action plans for creating jobs in principal growth industry clusters, including Manufacturing; Technology; Tourism, Recreation, and Entertainment; Shipbuilding; Transportation; and Health/Biomedical. Plan 2007 was visionary – and overdue. To be successful, however, it was clear that coordination and collaboration between the public and private sectors would be necessary. In 1994, the region’s local governments became more directly involved, with several meetings attended by Mayors and managers from all communities. As a result of these discussions a steering committee was formed and asked to do three things: • Validate Plan 2007 – focus on any parts that could be a problem for the public sector. • Choose several action issues from Plan 2007. • Recommend an organizational model in order to carry out specific initiatives. The report of the steering committee was presented on February 15, 1996 and included a recommendation that the organizational model be what is now the Hampton Roads Partnership. All of the Hampton Roads communities endorsed the report and the organizational meeting of the Hampton Roads Partnership was held on May 15, 1996. In June, 1996, the Hampton Roads Partnership’s first budget was approved, its first President and CEO was hired, and strategic focus areas were endorsed, including: • Ports • Federal Government, especially the military, privatization, or commercialization • Technology-related economic development Other strategic focus areas were added once the organization was established, which include: • Transportation • Tourism • Workforce Training • Regional Identity (as part of Plan 2007) • Healthy Communities (as part of Plan 2007) • Water Resources • Professional Sports (added at the request of the Mayors and Chairs Caucus and later removed) These topics guided the Partnership’s work until June, 1999, when the Partnership undertook a new, more ambitious strategic planning process. (READ MORE)