Austin, Texas, economic development veteran will headline Springs chamber annual dinner
As somebody who’s spearheaded economic development efforts in Austin, Texas, for 30 years, attorney Pike Powers says there are a few things that can make a community strong.
A city that builds upon its quality of life will be more attractive to employers, Powers said. And a city that adopts a comprehensive approach to problem solving — inviting all segments of the community to be part of open and honest discussions — stands a better chance of success, he said.
That’s part of the message Powers said he plans to deliver to local business people and residents when he speaks at the Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce’s 117th annual dinner Friday at The Broadmoor hotel.
“I’ve worked ... to build a series of relationships where people don’t just know each other, but they trust each other and they have honest, brokered relationships with each other in the context of a free and open exchange of information and the ability to sit down and work out their problems,” Powers said.
“It’s not perfect,” he added. “We’ve had battles royal for years. But we’ve worked very hard at having an enabling and a nurturing environment and culture.”
That sort of community building appears to be absent in Colorado Springs, Powers said. Among recent controversies, voters rejected a tax increase this month to help close a nearly $30 million city budget gap, while critics decried what they labeled as the Springs’ open-ended financial commitment to keep the U.S. Olympic Committee headquarters in town.
But Colorado Springs has much going for it, he added.
“It’s a region with a vast potential, largely attributable to it its attractive physical setting,” he said. “Quality of life always comes out high on all community scorecards ... and your community has got that in spades.”
A partner in an international law firm, Powers has been honored for his work to grow Austin’s economy and high-tech community. Powers has served on numerous business and government boards, and helped create the Texas Technology Initiative, a collaborative effort of government, higher education and private industry.
MORE INFORMATION
Reservations can be made until noon today to attend the Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce’s annual dinner, 6 to 9 p.m. Friday at The Broadmoor hotel, 1 Lake Circle on Colorado Springs’ southwest side. More information: www.coloradospringschamber.org or 635-1551.
