One year after a group of civic leaders launched Greater Spokane Incorporated http://www.greaterspokane.org/ —amid a mix of high expectations and some skepticism—organizers now say the job of combining the region’s top two business groups has been difficult and mistakes were made, but they’re happy with the results so far.
The marriage of the Spokane Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Spokane Area Economic Development Council was one that observers at the time said never could have happened five or 10 years earlier, when collaboration between them was thought to be tepid at best. Yet, with the good working relationship shared by then chamber President Rich Hadley and EDC President Jon Eliassen, and the spark provided by a group of executives who served on both boards, organizers said the time was right for a merger.
By Paul Read
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