Looking to build on the momentum of a decade “connecting our communities”, the myregion.org Executive Committee has approved some operational changes designed to help continue moving “regional ideas to regional actions.”

When myregion.org first organized in 1999, the primary challenge was to get leaders across the seven-county Central Florida Region to recognize the value of thinking and acting regionally.

Through a number of successful projects and initiatives – including the publication of the New Regional Agenda, development of the Regional Growth Vision and other projects or studies conducted related to arts & culture, regional demographics and social services, education and the environment – myregion.org has spent the last several years building regional awareness and developing a network of partners across Central Florida.

As the organization continues to grow and evolve, the importance of building the network of engaged leaders has also continued to increase. It also has become clear that economic centers, rather than county boundaries, serve as the most effective guide for fostering additional outreach and increasing the involvement of leaders and citizens across the region.

That is why the myregion.org Executive Committee has approved a new structure that calls for one centralized Executive Board of Advisors (EBA) as well as eight Regional Boards of Advisors (RBA). These local boards will provide an opportunity to engage more leaders from across the region.

“We recognized that business connectivity isn’t based on county associations,” said Shelley Lauten, president of myregion.org. “As an example, from an economic perspective, Deltona has more in common with Lake Mary than with Daytona Beach. The same can be said for other pockets across the region. So, we created these centers to help businesses and leaders build relationships with others who are similar not just geographically, but in most cases also strategically.”

The eight economic centers are located in the following areas across the region (see map): North East, North Central, North West, Central, South Central, East Central, South East and South West.

“We envision that the Regional Boards of Advisors will serve as our conduits into the community,” said Shelley Lauten, president of myregion.org. “We envision taking the research and initiatives that are being conducted at a seven-county perspective and using the RBAs to gain greater local feedback and engagement.”

To help support the individual RBAs, myregion.org is identifying strategic partners in each of the eight economic centers to help organize and support the local RBA. Depending on the center, these organizations may include Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Organizations or other business-led groups.

In addition, myregion.org is working with the four local vision programs and the 17 leadership programs in the region to create partnerships that will help support both the regional and local efforts.

“It is time for us to practice what we preach,” Lauten said. “Working strategically with the leadership and vision programs across Central Florida will help all of us increase awareness about both local and regional issues.”

The myregion.org leadership team of Lauten, Chairman Ed Timberlake and Vice Chair Laura Boisvert is holding a series of virtual meetings with members of the myregion.org Board of Directors to update them on the organizational changes in advance of the myregion.org Board of Directors meeting on November 20.

The first virtual meeting was held on October 29 with another set for November 13. In addition, the first series of meetings with the vision and leadership programs has been held and additional meetings are scheduled for November.

If you are interested in becoming a member of one of the new Regional Boards of Advisors or if your organization is interested in becoming a strategic regional partner, please contact Shelley Lauten at 407.835.2444 or shelley.lauten@orlando.org.

myregion.org is one of four lines of business by which the Central Florida Partnership focuses on “Regional Research and Resolves.”  By identifying and examining the changing demographics and powerful trends that are shaping the Central Florida Region – myregion.org is helping to identify the issues and challenges that affect our future.