Governors' Summit focuses on KC region

2/15/08 - Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt hosted the third annual Governors' Summit on Regional Economic Development today. The event, which was held at the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, brought together key leaders from the bi-state region to focus on crucial issues, including healthcare, the environment, education, and a collaborative approach to growing the region's bi-state economy.

"The shared efforts of Missouri and Kansas to work together and overcome challenges affecting the bi-state region have helped both states achieve a greater level of prosperity and enhanced opportunities for citizens living and working in the region," Blunt said.

Both governors commented about the cooperative efforts between the states, including the OneKC WIRED initiative and other ongoing efforts focused on economic and workforce development for the region.

On the eve of the 2006 Governors' Summit, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that Kansas City was among 13 regions selected to receive a $15 million grant for its OneKC WIRED initiative. Support of OneKC WIRED was included in the Commitment to Regional Economic Growth for Greater Kansas City signed by Governors Sebelius and Blunt at the inaugural Summit.

On a lighter note, Gov. Sebelius made good on her wager with Gov. Blunt made during last year's summit over the outcome of the Kansas-Missouri football game. The "losing governor" was required to wear the other team's colors to the summit.

Gov. Sebelius entered the packed auditorium sporting Mizzou black and gold, but turned around to reveal a motif that read "Kansas Orange Bowl Champions" - complete with the Orange Bowl logo.

In a good-natured exchange, Gov. Blunt commented that Gov. Sebelius' attire may have met the "letter" of their wager, but perhaps not the "spirit" of it. "Had I known that Gov. Sebelius was going to be called on to deliver the response to the President's State of the Union address, I might have required that she wear black and gold then," he added.

The Governors' Summit on Regional Economic Development is jointly sponsored by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. This year's co-chairs were Don Hall, Jr., president and CEO of Hallmark Cards; and Dan Hesse, president and CEO of Sprint Nextel.