On July 14, the REALTOR® Association of the Fox Valley (RAFV) hosted an economic summit in conjunction with State Representative Kay Hatcher (R-50th, Yorkville). The event provided an update on job growth and economic development in the Greater Fox Valley area and provided business and community leaders an opportunity to network.

This event began through a conversation in Springfield between lobbyists for the Illinois Association of REALTORS® (IAR) and Rep. Hatcher following an IAR-initiated program that featured University of Illinois economist Dr. Geoffrey J.D. Hewings presenting an economic briefing to a joint hearing of the House and Senate Revenue Committees called exclusively for that presentation.

State Representative Kay Hatcher talks with Brian Dolan, CCIM of Dolan and Murphy Real Estate and Paul Hinterlong of the Plumbers and Pipefitters Union.

IAR lobbyists connected Rep. Hatcher with RAFV local Government Affairs Director (GAD) Kristen Jungles and IAR Housing Policy Advisor Sharon Gorrell to develop the local economic summit in the Greater Fox Valley region.

The summit featured a panel of experts in the areas of Legislative, Commercial and Residential Real Estate, Industrial, Work Force Development and Banking. Each panelist presented on what challenges existed in their respective industries and highlighted where there were opportunities for improvement and growth. Following the presentations, there was a networking session and a number of business-to-business connections were made.

Illinois REALTORS® promote economic development in the Greater Fox Valley region.

The event is a great example of how IAR’s lobbying, advocacy, local GAD and grassroots political involvement efforts work together to promote a great dialogue and forum for discussion with policy makers. The summit was promoted through the REALTOR® Association of the Fox Valley and the Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS®, and sponsored with Advocacy Funds from the Illinois Association of REALTORS®. About 52 people attended including local residential and commercial REALTORS®.