Growth & Development Summit 2025

Thursday, July 10, 2025 11:00 AM - 4:30 PM EST

Raleigh Marriott City Center
500 Fayetteville St
Raleigh, NC 27601

Registration 11 - 11:30 a.m.
Program 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

The Greater Raleigh Chamber is hosting its first Growth & Development Summit. This event will convene business and community leaders from across industries and sectors to better understand what smart growth looks like, and why it is important for the future of the region.

Keynote Speaker

Richard Florida
Richard is an author, thought leader and researcher, having penned several bestsellers, including the award-winning The Rise of the Creative Class and The New Urban Crisis. He co-founded CityLab, the world’s leading publication for cities and urbanism. Richard last spoke to our region virtually for our 2021 Economic Development Summit. He is eager to return to the community to share insights on how intentional economic growth occurring across the country impacts us here.

Confirmed Panelists
Kendal Bowman, North Carolina President, Duke Energy
Laurie Braxton, Head of NC Operations, SVP, FUJIFILM Biotechnologies
Ward Nye, CEO, Martin Marietta
Mike Smith, CEO, Kane Realty Corporation

Breakout Sessions (Speakers to be announced.)

Smart Growth, Sustainability, and Infrastructure

The Raleigh metro is one of the fastest growing in the nation, attracting new talent, companies, and driving innovation. However, the growth also presents challenges such as pressure on infrastructure and the need for smart growth and density. Addressing growth can be balanced with comprehensive infrastructure development and sustainability. This session will highlight how Raleigh and Wake County can best address these challenges through practices, partnerships, and policies that support growth, not stymie it.
- Rob Herman, Vice President & General Manager, Workstation & Client AI Group, Lenovo
- Matt Kuntz, Director of EHS & Sustainability, FUJIFILM Biotechnologies
- Mike Munn, President & CEO, McAdams
- Derrick Remer, District Manager, Duke Energy
- Whit Wheeler, Director, Raleigh Water

New Opportunities and Challenges Mean New Funding Tools

Wake County and the region are being presented with an array of opportunities and challenges leading to the need for a wide range of funding tools to support big, bold ideas. This session will provide direct examples from across the country of tools, policies, and practices used to support and drive development.
- Lauren Berry, Senior Manager, Location Analysis and Incentives, Maxis Advisors
- Jeanne Milliken Bonds, Professor of the Practice, Impact Investment and Sustainable Finance, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School
- Dr. Jonathan Morgan, Professor of Public Administration and Government, UNC School of Government

Building a Future-Tech Innovation Hub

Innovation is happening at a dizzying pace. How do we keep up? This session will discuss how the region can become a “Future-Tech” hub and how development choices can impact our innovation ecosystem.
- Candice Coltrane, Executive Director, ISG Product Release Operations, Lenovo
- Tim Humphrey, Senior Site Executive, Chief Analytics Officer, IBM Corporation
- Bennet Waters, President & CEO, NCInnovation

Shaping Tomorrow’s Cities

The Raleigh metro is one of a small handful of dynamic, fast growing, innovation-driven communities. What lessons do our peer communities have to offer us? This session will provide insights from leaders of peer metros on pitfalls to avoid and how to capitalize on opportunities.
- Kurt Hartman, Senior Managing Director, Hines
- Nathaniel Hoffman, Vice President of Development, Hoffman & Associates
- Mike Smith, CEO, Kane Realty Corporation
- Michael Wagner, Senior Designer, LS3P Associates

The Urban Core/Downtown and the New Economic Geography

It is often said that any community is only as good as its core. Downtown Raleigh is critical to the overall success of the metro. This session will highlight the ongoing evolution of downtown, how to best leverage the cultural infrastructure and the impact of explosive residential growth, and how all support the overall health and vibrancy of downtown.
- Clyde Higgs, President & CEO, Atlanta Beltline, Inc.
- Brian Leary, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Highwoods Properties

The Future of Growth

Raleigh metro continues to earn top rankings and be recognized as one of the most competitive metros in the nation. What do these accolades mean for our present and our future? This session will provide a glimpse into the Raleigh metro's future and underscore what our trajectory actually means.
- Nathan T. Dollar, Ph.D, Director, Carolina Demography
- Zachery Eanes, Reporter, Axios
- Matthew Martin, Regional Executive, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

Questions?
For content questions, call 919.664.7035 or email Haley Waxman.
For logistics questions, call 919.664.7080 or email Taylor Sullivan.
For registration questions, call 919.664.7033 or email Alea Morales.
For sponsorship information, email sales@raleighchamber.org.

Join the conversation on social media!
@raleighchamber
#GDS2025

Event Item Name	Expires	Pricing
Growth & Development Summit 2025 - Chamber Member Registration	Jul 10, 2025	$150.00
Growth & Development Summit 2025 - Non-Member Registration	Jul 10, 2025	$175.00
Growth & Development Summit 2025 - Member Table Registration (10 Seats)	Jul 10, 2025	$1,350.00
Growth & Development Summit 2025 - Platinum Sponsor	Jul 10, 2025	$7,500.00
Growth & Development Summit 2025 - Presenting Sponsor	Jul 10, 2025	$15,000.00
Growth & Development Summit 2025 - Gold Sponsor	Jul 10, 2025	$5,000.00
Growth & Development Summit 2025 - Silver Sponsor	Jul 10, 2025	$2,500.00
Growth & Development Summit 2025 - Bronze Sponsor	Jul 10, 2025	$1,000.00