During a speech at The City Club of Cleveland in June, attorney Jon Pinney declared Cleveland “dead last” in economic progress and challenged the region’s leaders to come together around a strategy to accelerate growth. To help frame that strategy, the next installment of Cleveland Connects will examine how two other legacy cities — Pittsburgh and Louisville — have reinvented themselves to become more competitive in a rapidly changing economic environment. Stefani Pashman, CEO of the Allegheny Conference in Pittsburgh, and Mary Ellen Wiederwohl, Chief of Louisville Forward, will discuss what their regions have done to align assets and find new paths to prosperity with moderator Joseph Frolik, ideastream Managing Producer of Community Affairs.

When: Monday, October 29
Where: Idea Center® at Playhouse Square at 1375 Euclid Avenue
What: Reception begins at 5pm, program begins at 6pm in the Westfield™ Studio Theatre

Cleveland Connects is sponsored by PNC and produced by cleveland.com, ideastream and The Plain Dealer.

Watch livestreams of the event at ideastream.org/clevelandconnects and cleveland.com. The program will also be broadcast on WVIZ/PBS Tuesday, October 30 at 7pm and on 90.3 WCPN Wednesday, November 7 at 9pm.