Greater Washington Partnership

Promotional alliance of Washington, D.C. business leaders

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Greater Washington Partnership

Founded| 2016
Founder| Russ Ramsey; Peter Scher; Ted Leonsis; Tony Pierce
Type| Nonprofit
Focus| Economic Growth, Transportation Infrastructure, Workforce Development
Location|

* Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC

CEO

| Kathy Hollinger

Key people

| Kathy Hollinger, Kathy Warden, Russ Ramsey, Peter Scher, Ted Leonsis
Website| www.greaterwashingtonpartnership.com

The Greater Washington Partnership (The Partnership) is an alliance of CEOs and C-suite executives of the region's leading employers in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC who are committed to championing the super-region’s economic growth and prosperity. The Partnership identifies shared opportunities and core challenges, offering solutions to critical regional issues including skills and talent, regional mobility, infrastructure and inclusive economic growth.

The organization is led by Chief Executive Officer Kathy Hollinger and Board Chair Kathy Warden, Chair, President and CEO of Northrop Grumman Corporation.

## History

[edit]

The Greater Washington Partnership is an alliance of CEOs and C-suite executives of the region's leading employers in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC.[1][2] The nonprofit was founded in 2016, and grew from an original foundation of a number of businesses working to bring the Olympics (Washington 2024) to the region.[3][4][5][6][7] The Partnership focuses advancing inclusive growth and fostering unity through three pillars of work: Inclusive Economic Growth, Skills and Talent, and Regional Mobility & Infrastructure.[3] Jason Miller was the Partnership's CEO from 2017 to 2020 and was followed by JB Holston from 2020 to 2022.[3][8][9] In 2022, the Partnership named Kathy Hollinger as its CEO.[10] Co-founders include Russ Ramsey, Ramsey Asset Management; Peter L. Scher, JPMorgan Chase & Co.; Ted Leonsis, Monumental Sports and Entertainment.[11][12][13]

Transportation and workforce development were two early goals of the organization.[14] In May 2018 the organization advocated for higher tolls.[15]

Developing the region is part of a strategy to encourage more companies to establish themselves within the region.[16]

The organization seeks to establish some standardization in regional educational credentials.[17]

## Activities

[edit]

When Amazon announced a North American sweepstakes for the location of its second headquarters in 2017, the Partnership contributed 11 addendums supporting each of the first round of bids submitted by jurisdictions in the region.[18] “When one wins, we all win,” was the theme used by the Partnership to show Amazon that the region had the businesses, talent, and infrastructure to support being selected as the second headquarters location.[4][19][20][21][22] In November 2018, Amazon announced Arlington, VA as one of the locations for its second headquarters.[23]

### Regional Mobility & Infrastructure

[edit]

The Greater Washington Partnership is a founding member of the MetroNow Coalition, which works for long-term improvements to WMATA, the DC Metro system.[24][25][26] In May 2018, MetroNow worked with other organizations, including CSG, Federal City Council, Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, The 2030 Group, the Greater Washington Board of Trade and Fund It Fix[27] to get DC, Maryland, and Virginia leaders to approve $500 million annual funding for Metro.[28]

In November 2018, the Partnership released its Blueprint for Regional Mobility,[29] a comprehensive transportation strategy to improve commutes, increase transportation options, and provide better access to public transportation for people around Baltimore, Washington, and Richmond.[30][31] It is the first-ever CEO-led agenda to improve the region's transportation system.[32][33] The Blueprint lays out four main priorities: connecting the super-region, improving the consumer experience, ensuring equitable access and integrating innovation as the keys to fundamentally transforming the way residents move around the region.[34][35][36]

A few of the Partnership's recommendations include a commuter rail network for the region, an expansion of the regions toll-lane network, improving the region's bus network, and growing programs for commuters at private employers.[37]

Dominion Energy CEO Tom Farrell, MedStar Health CEO Kenneth Samet, and EY global chairman and CEO Mark Weinberg are the co-chairs of the Greater Washington Partnership Regional Mobility Initiative and authored the Blueprint.[34]

The Partnership has also released several issue specific reports on buses, integrated mobility, performance-driven tolling, and Richmond's transit revolution. This includes a case study titled “Richmond’s Transit Revolution: GRTC Ridership and Accessibility Analysis,” which was released in June 2019.[38][39] The study analyzed the launch of the Pulse Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line, a bus redesign in Richmond and expansion of service in Henrico Country.[38][40] The Pulse was recognized by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy with a bronze ranking for design and implementation.[40]

### Skills and Talent

[edit]

#### Collaborative of Leaders in Academia and Business (CoLAB)

[edit]

One of the Partnership's main initiatives is to grow the region's economic competitiveness.[41][42] The Greater Washington Partnership created the Collaborative of Leaders in Academia and Business (CoLAB), an alliance of educators and business leaders working together to develop talent in the region by providing them with enhanced digital technology education, to ensure people have the skills that employers require.[30][43][42] CoLAB companies include Amazon, Capital One, JPMorgan Chase, MedImmune, Monumental Sports & Entertainment, Northrop Grumman, and Under Armour.[44][6] University partners include: American University, George Mason University, Georgetown University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland, University of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University and Virginia Tech.[45][43][44] Wes Bush, Partnership board member and former chairman and CEO of Northrop Grumman serves as the inaugural chair of the CoLAB.[46]

### Housing

[edit]

In October 2018, the Greater Washington Partnership, together with the Urban Institute and JPMorgan Chase, launched the Regional Housing Framework, in an effort to address the Capital Region's future housing needs.[47][48]

On September 4, 2019, the Urban Institute released "Meeting the Washington Region’s Future Housing Needs", commissioned by the Greater Washington Partnership and JPMorgan Chase. The report provides business leaders, policy makers, community members and advocates with evidence-based insights so they can join the collective push for solutions and help create a healthy housing market in which residents and businesses thrive.[49]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Martz, Michael. "New report highlights 'clear disparities' by income and race in Richmond-area access to transportation". Richmond.
2. ^ "Two Capital Cities Take Stock of Their Transport Infrastructure, Find It Needs Work". Nextcity.org.
3. ^ a b c "New Greater Washington Partnership aims high". Federal News Network. 2017-05-31. Retrieved 2019-09-19.
4. ^ a b Sides, Emily. "Business leaders ready for Amazon". Inside Nova.
5. ^ "Greater Washington Partnership". www.open990.com. Retrieved 2019-09-19.
6. ^ a b Babcock, Stephen (2018-06-26). "Greater Washington Partnership puts focus on tech talent". Technical.ly DC. Retrieved 2019-09-19.
7. ^ Ramsey, Russ; Scher, Peter (5 January 2017). "Why we launched a Baltimore-to-Richmond business group". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
8. ^ "CEOs Recommend Improvements for Richmond Transit". VPM.org. Retrieved 2019-09-20.
9. ^ Leonor, Mel. "Chesterfield's long history with GRTC comes to a head". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 2019-09-20.
10. ^ Sidersky, Robyn (2022-08-03). "Greater Washington Partnership taps new CEO". Virginia Business. Retrieved 2022-08-11.
11. ^ Sharrow, Ryan. "Russ Ramsey and top CEOs unveil Baltimore-to-Richmond regional group". bizjournals. Retrieved 2019-09-20.
12. ^ Gantz, Sarah. "Greater Washington Partnership brings together CEOs from Baltimore to Richmond". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2019-09-20.
13. ^ Medici, Andy. "Philanthropy & Nonprofits Exclusive: Greater Washington Partnership lands well-known exec". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2019-09-20.
14. ^ Gantz, Sarah (21 September 2017). "Transportation workforce development to be top priorities for Greater Washington Partnership". The Baltimore Sun.
15. ^ Medici, Andy (16 May 2018). "Is the solution to the region's awful congestion more tolls? This group of CEOs thinks so". Washington Business Journal.
16. ^ O'Connell, Jonathan (22 June 2018). "With Amazon decision looming, improvements in higher ed, housing gain steam". The Washington Post.
17. ^ Medici, Andy (22 June 2018). "A group of local CEOs is partnering with universities to build a set of regional tech credentials". Washington Business Journal.
18. ^ Martz, Michael. "How Virginia sealed the deal on Amazon's HQ2, 'the biggest economic development project in U.S. history'". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
19. ^ "What Amazon's HQ2 really means for Virginia". Federal News Network. 2018-11-19. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
20. ^ "Leonsis Calls for 'Rethinking Rules on Verticality' in Region In Response to Amazon Move". Falls Church News-Press Online. 2018-11-15. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
21. ^ "The Political Calculations Behind the Amazon Package | Bacon's Rebellion". Retrieved 2019-11-07.
22. ^ McCartney, Robert; Sullivan, Patricia. "Amazon seeks 'good neighbor' image in Virginia, but opponents aren't impressed". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
23. ^ Kaya Yurieff. "Amazon HQ2 sites have been decided. Now the real work begins". CNN. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
24. ^ "MetroNow Coalition Aims to Repair DC Metro System's Funding". Associations Now. 2018-01-10. Retrieved 2019-11-14.
25. ^ "'MetroNow' Group to Push for Metro Funding, Reform". dccommutetimes.com. Retrieved 2019-11-14.
26. ^ "MetroNow Adds New Members as Legislative Momentum Builds for Metro Funding and Reform | Friends of White Flint". Retrieved 2019-11-14.
27. ^ "About". It's Time for Better Transit. Archived from the original on August 14, 2020. Retrieved 2019-11-21.
28. ^ "Metro funding and governance reform!". Coalition for Smarter Growth. Retrieved 2019-11-21.
29. ^ "Capital Region Blueprint for Regional Mobility". www.greaterwashingtonpartnership.com. Retrieved 2019-11-21.
30. ^ a b Daniels, Freeman A. Hrabowski III, Ronald J. "Lift Baltimore by prioritizing digital skills, transportation". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2019-11-21.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
31. ^ "Time to Get Moving". US News. Retrieved 2019-11-21.
32. ^ "New study looks at impact historic transit investment has had on greater Richmond, Va., region". www.MassTransitMag.com. Retrieved 2019-12-19.
33. ^ Weinberger, Mark. "Time to Get Moving". U.S. News.
34. ^ a b "Greater Washington Partnership releases mobility blueprint Industries | Virginia Business". www.virginiabusiness.com. Retrieved 2019-11-25.
35. ^ "Chesterfield's long history with GRTC comes to a head". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 2019-11-25.
36. ^ "Greater Washington Partnership calls for vast improvements to regional transit". Smart Cities Dive. Retrieved 2019-11-25.
37. ^ "Should D.C. Toll Streets During Peak Traffic Periods? Council Wants To Study 'Congestion Pricing'". WAMU. Retrieved 2020-01-03.
38. ^ a b "New study looks at impact historic transit investment has had on greater Richmond, Va., region". Mass Transit. 2019-06-26. Retrieved 2020-01-07.
39. ^ "Greater Washington Partnership celebrates Richmond's transit success". Intelligent Transport. Retrieved 2020-01-07.
40. ^ a b Rao, Michael; Farrell II, Thomas F. "Michael Rao and Thomas F. Farrell II column: Pulse's successful first year points to a bright future". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 2020-01-07.
41. ^ Daniels, Freeman A. Hrabowski III, Ronald J. "Lift Baltimore by prioritizing digital skills, transportation". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2019-12-10.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
42. ^ a b Blumenstyk, Goldie (2019-05-24). "Why a New Kind of 'Badge' Stands Out From the Crowd". The Chronicle of Higher Education. ISSN 0009-5982. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
43. ^ a b Anderson, Nick. "Businesses and universities team up on a new digital technology credential". Washington Post. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
44. ^ a b Blumenstyk, Goldie (2019-05-24). "Why a New Kind of 'Badge' Stands Out From the Crowd". The Chronicle of Higher Education. ISSN 0009-5982. Retrieved 2019-12-11.
45. ^ O'Connell, Jonathan. "With Amazon decision looming, improvements in higher ed, housing gain steam". Washington Post. Retrieved 2019-12-11.
46. ^ "Amazon Web Services, General Dynamics join Capital CoLAB". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved 2019-12-11.
47. ^ "Greater Washington Partnership Announces Launch of Regional Housing Framework". Urban Institute. 2018-10-24. Retrieved 2019-11-26.
48. ^ Earl, AJ (November 6, 2018). "This local partnership hopes to fix the region's housing shortage". ggwash.org. Retrieved 2019-11-26.
49. ^ "D.C. region's leaders face big challenges as they tackle affordable-housing shortage". The Washington Post. 4 September 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2019.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website