HUNTSVILLE — This is a defining moment for North Alabama.
As the region continues to experience historic economic expansion, its long-term success will depend on how well communities plan and partner across city lines, county borders, and industry sectors.
To address the issues facing the region, the Huntsville Committee of 100’s Creative Cities Fund is hosting “Beyond Boundaries: Reimagining Collaborative Regional Government.”
“The Creative Cities Fund exists to spark innovation in economic development and civic collaboration,” said Allison Ross, chair of the Creative Cities Fund. “’Beyond Boundaries’ is an invitation to think differently — to build partnerships that reflect the regional scale of our growth and the shared responsibility for our future.”
The organization’s annual luncheon is Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Jackson Center in Huntsville.
The event will bring together elected officials, business leaders, and civic partners from across North Alabama to explore how regional cooperation can drive shared prosperity and sustainable growth.
This year’s keynote speaker is Wiley Blankenship, president and CEO of the Coastal Alabama Partnership.
Blankenship helped unite Mobile and Baldwin counties around a common agenda for infrastructure, tourism, and workforce growth — building one of the state’s strongest regional coalitions. His insights will help North Alabama leaders explore how to align local priorities for collective impact.
Examples of regional cooperation include:
- Singing River Trail – a 200-plus mile greenway connecting more than 10 communities; • HEMSI – coordinated emergency response across multiple jurisdictions;
- Huntsville International Airport and Port of Huntsville – serving 1.2 million passengers annually;
- Tennessee Valley Authority – providing power to nearly 10 million people across seven states;
- Huntsville Hospital Health System – operating 14 hospitals serving 1.3 million patients across the region.
“These systems prove that regional cooperation isn’t just possible — it’s essential,” said John Allen, CEO of the Huntsville Committee of 100. “North Alabama’s next chapter depends on our ability to think and act as one region. ‘Beyond Boundaries’ is where that conversation begins.”
Tickets to the event are $75 per person (as available). For information, visit www.huntsvillecommitteeof100.org
