1Berkshire Presents First Bi-Annual Berkshire Blueprint 2.0 Advisory Summit Report

BERKSHIRE COUNTY, MA – 1Berkshire – March 3rd, 2020. Just over one year ago, on February 15th, 2019, the Berkshire Blueprint 2.0 launched into its implementation phase in front of over 300 attendees at the Colonial Theatre. Over the next nine months, stakeholders and partners across the region began to convene and act to take on a variety of the identified actions outlined in the Blueprint in a collective approach to improve our regional economy. On November 22nd, 2019, the first bi-annual Berkshire Blueprint 2.0 Advisory Summit was held, and 1Berkshire is excited to share the report from that first bi-annual summit.

The Advisory Summit, to be held twice annually going forward, convened the Blueprint 2.0 Advisory Committee (composed of a wide breadth of regional economy stakeholders) to help track progress that has been made toward the Blueprint’s goals and identify areas where more is needed. The Summit Report is the product of the conversations held at the summit, and identifies key areas where Blueprint-aligned work has been done as well as areas and emergent themes that require new or enhanced focus. Benjamin Lamb, 1Berkshire Director of Economic Development, noted, “The Berkshire Blueprint 2.0 is a living document that is meant to grow and embrace needed changes and emergent themes over time.” He added, “An integral piece of the Berkshire Blueprint’s work is increasing public awareness of many of the great things that are happening and how they align with our regional strategies in the Berkshires, and these summit reports aim to do that.”

The Berkshire Blueprint 2.0 itself remains the key strategic document in this regional economic development approach, but these summit reports serve as updates that acknowledge ongoing progress and welcome new partners to the table to help address emergent needs and new developments. Those attending the Summit identified issues such as workforce housing, employee support needs, and diversity and inclusion as paramount issues of concern. These important issues deserve additional and more direct focus. Jonathan Butler, 1Berkshire President and CEO, said, “The Berkshire Blueprint 2.0 is a long-term strategy for our collective future prosperity in the Berkshires. Tracking, motivating, and adapting will continue to be core components of our efforts to tactically implement the Blueprint’s objectives, and this is another moment for us to fully embrace that piece of the Blueprint implementation process.”

About 1Berkshire
1Berkshire is a county-wide organization focused on economic development and promotion of the region as a preferred place to visit, to live, and to grow a business. It provides programs that connect businesses with each other and with potential customers, as well as works to develop future leaders and support entrepreneurs. For more information, visit 1Berkshire.com.