On September 8th we brought 100 members to Navy Yard and introduced them to the new, innovative DC Water HQO where we held our TD Bank Morning Star Speaker Series.
Dr. Wallace J. Nichols shared inspirational messages about how being in, on, or near water is beneficial to all aspects of your life – personal and professional.
We heard from TD Bank, SmithGroup and Brunswick who shared case studies on a wide range of ESG topics followed by a panel discussion moderated by DC Water.
The Board of Trade is dedicated to bringing our members content that is top of mind and will help organizations thrive in Greater Washington.
Want more? Click here to view TD Bank’s 2021 ESG Report. Learn more about the TD Ready Challenge, a grant initiative promoting innovative solutions for climate change. Read related articles from TD Economics here.
On June 9, 2022, the Greater Washington Board of Trade hosted the third briefing on Capital Market Volatility in the Emerging Economic Threats series presented by McGuireWoods LLP. Leading the discussion was Axios’ Market Correspondent, Matt Phillips, with panelists that included Dan Crowley, Partner at K&L Gates, Aditya Bhave, Senior US & Global Economist at Bank of America, and Jonathan Wright, Professor of Economics at The Johns Hopkins University.
Matt Phillips did a fantastic job setting the tone of the conversation and using up to the minute reports and data to frame up the discussion. The briefing covered a broad range of topics including inflation, interest rates, policy and regulatory issues, recession, national debt and more. Read the key highlights below.
What’s the state of the economy?
The economy is relatively strong, despite the first quarter GDP figures. Negative growth rates were largely driven by distortions to trade and inventory figures related to supply chain disruptions. There is a very strong labor market, particularly with lower income households, which gives them some buffer from the shock of inflation. Both consumer spending and capital expenditure have been accelerating in the last few quarters which are good indicators for a strong economy.
There are some concerns if inflation continues for the long term, how long can the consumer hold up against these pressures. There is about $2 trillion in consumer savings that have built up over the course of the pandemic and there is great potential of releasing some of that back into the economy. One sector where this is proving to be the case is the travel sector – it’s been called revenge travel whereas the consumer has been unable to travel and with this pent-up demand, they’re holding back no expense, spending more money and staying longer now that pandemic restrictions are being lifted.
What is the Federal Reserve doing?
The Fed is issuing a quick tightening cycle on interest rates because they are a little behind the curve, particularly from the latest announcement, raising interest rates by 75 basis points in the latest round of rate hikes. For 30 years, policy makers have worried about inflation and the only problem is that it’s coming in too low. The good news is that the Fed knows the tools needed to get inflation down. It’s more than likely that the Fed continues to raise interest rates by at least 50 basis points until there is some distinct cooling in monthly inflation.
Forecasting is difficult at the best of times, generally going off past experiences but in this particular situation, we don’t have anything to compare to so for the most part, our crystal ball to forecast is broken. The Fed’s target for inflation is still 2% but we’re seeing much more elevated levels and with core PCE (personal consumption expenditures) still above 3%, the Fed will have to keep raising interest rates until things tamper down. All in all, we see inflation continuing through the remainder of the year.
What policy or regulatory moves are coming down the pipeline?
There are a number of new proposed rules and regulations that may be passed by the current Congress. Recently, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed new rules on disclosing climate risks along with ESG and human capital. While they are just proposals, it’s likely they will become rules moving forward. Senators Lummis and Gillibrand just announced a bipartisan bill to regulate cryptocurrency, stable coins, NFTs, and other digital assets so that has to work its way through both the senate and house of representatives.
During the credit crisis of 2007/2008, there was a massive outcry on spending $700 billion to bail out these firms. Ultimately, that was scaled back to about $500 billion, and it created the TARP program or troubled asset relief program. That program essentially paid for itself, even making the taxpayer about $100 billion in profit and counting. Because of the pandemic, we’ve spent roughly $5 trillion dollars though the CARES Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Build Back Better bill would have added an additional $4-5 trillion to the staggering $30 trillion sovereign debt our country is already carrying. With that said, there will be much fewer spending bills added as interest rates rise because more and more of the budget will be put towards paying interest payments on our debt. If any more spending bills do pass both the house and senate this year it will likely be some type of Omnibus spending bill that could include rules for cannabis banking, especially since 37 states have legalized it.
Is a recession imminent?
It’s certainly likely that we’re heading into a recession if we’re not already in one. The recent indicator of a bear market on wall street as the S&P 500 declined by more than 20% year-to-date is one sign. High inflation of 8.6% in May, up from 6.3% in April coupled with higher interest rates is another indicator. The slowdown in the housing market with available homes for sale and increased mortgage rates tends to subscribe to recessionary pressures.
When asked about a potential for a “Volker Shock” style recession, Jonathan Wright quickly diminished this theory by comparing the potential recession we are facing to the recession in 2001, following the collapse of technology stocks. It was short and mild and there are many arguments that it didn’t even occur at all. However, all panelists did agree that a recession is likely.
This webinar proved to be another spirited discussion in our Emerging Economic Threats series presented by McGuireWoods LLC. Join us on June 21st for the next part in the series as we dive into Regional Emergency Preparedness. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank all our panelists for their incredible insights into a complex topic and to Matt Phillips of Axios for moderating. We would also like to thank McGuireWoods LLC for their support in making this series a possibility.
The comments made by panelist do not necessarily represent the official position of their organization, the Board of Trade or its members.
Washington, DC: May 18, 2022 – This is an exciting time for professional sports in our region, and the Greater Washington Board of Trade, in partnership with Grant Thornton, announces the establishment of the Regional Sports Council (RSC) composed of the region’s professional teams. The Council will 1) examine the economic and community impacts of professional sports franchises across the region 2) work to improve the operational environment for these franchises.
The Council’s launch will take place on May 23rd at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center, as part of the Board of Trade’s Morning Star Series presented by TD Bank. This event, featuring a moderated Q&A panel with the business leaders from the Washington Commanders, Washington Nationals, Monumental Sports & Entertainment (Washington Mystics, Washington Wizards, Washington Capitals), and D.C. United, is open to Board of Trade membership, invited guests, and members of the media with limited availability for seating.
“Our teams are firmly on the national stage and are getting the recognition they so richly deserve. Not only is our region a growing hotbed for innovation and technology as well as host for the federal government, but we are also a world-class sports destination,” said Jack McDougle, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Board of Trade. “This Council recognizes the importance of professional sports to our economy and communities, providing an opportunity to further support and build this vital industry sector.”
The Regional Sports Council will examine the positive impacts of professional sports on job creation, economic development, small business creation and support, inclusive growth, tax revenues, community building, tourism, and more.
The Council will also work with the business community to accomplish broader regional objectives in areas such as transportation, transit and infrastructure, wage parity and growth, increasing supplier diversity, and elevating localized vendors.
About the Greater Washington Board of Trade: The Greater Washington Board of Trade, a member driven business organization, provides connections, advocacy, analysis, and programs to elevate the business community and improve member businesses. Pro-business and non-partisan, the Board of Trade addresses business concerns that stretch across the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland, and Northern Virginia, with a priority focus on building a skilled workforce, enhancing innovation, attracting investment, and fostering regional collaboration. This work is backed by a diverse membership, sound analysis and more than 130 years of experience. Learn more at www.bot.org or follow @GWBoardofTrade on Twitter.
Aerospace giant Boeing is moving its global headquarters to Arlington, Virginia, from Chicago and is creating a research and technology hub in the D.C. region, the company announced Thursday.
Boeing President and CEO Dave Calhoun said the move will put corporate workers in close proximity to key government and military stakeholders. It’ll also better position the company — which is the U.S.’s largest exporter employing 140,000 people — to attract “world-class engineering and technical talent,” Calhoun said in a statement.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, and Democratic Sen. Mark Warner have been working on the deal for some time. Warner said he started conversations last year and Youngkin has a personal relationship with Calhoun, a Virginia state official said. A large incentive package was not involved in the relocation discussions, this official said.
Boeing, a corporation with a market capitalization of $89 billion, makes commercial airliners like the 787 Dreamliner and 737 as well as military cargo planes, fighter jets, satellites and rockets.
Boeing already has a large presence in Arlington’s Crystal City section with its Defense, Space and Security unit centered there. That division moved from St. Louis in 2017 to be closer to government and military decision-makers.
The company’s commercial aviation division is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, and its services division is focused in Plano, Texas. Calhoun said Boeing will continue to operate an office in Chicago but with a reduced physical footprint.
As part of the announcement, Boeing said it will build a research and technology hub in Northern Virginia. The new hub will focus on cybersecurity, autonomous operations, quantum sciences and software and systems engineering.
“As the former Governor of Virginia, I was proud to secure Virginia’s standing as the best state for business and the best-managed state, among other honors, and I’ve been proud to work in my role as Senator to help continue to cultivate the kind of pro-business environment that world-class companies like Boeing need to grow and thrive,” Warner said in a statement.
“I look forward to working with Boeing to attract even more talent to Virginia especially given its reputation for engineering excellence. From day one, our goal has been to make Virginia the best place to live, work, and raise a family,” Youngkin added in his own written statement.
Arlington is already home to several aerospace and defense contractors like Boeing. Amazon is building its satellite headquarters complex — nicknamed Amazon HQ2 — in Crystal City as well.
While Virginia lawmakers applauded Boeing’s move, not all legislators are happy. House of Representatives Transportation Committee Chair Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) blasted the decision.
“Moving their headquarters to Chicago and away from their roots in the Pacific Northwest was a tragic mistake,” DeFazio said. “Moving their headquarters again, this time to be closer to the federal regulators and policymakers in Washington, D.C. is another step in the wrong direction. Boeing’s problem isn’t a lack of access to government, but rather its ongoing production problems and the failures of management and the board that led to the fatal crashes of the 737 Max.”
Facility would replace current outdoor boarding areas, expand passenger amenities, support new jobs
APRIL 7, 2022 – The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is proposing a new concourse at Washington Dulles International Airport to replace outdoor boarding areas currently used by regional flights, upgrade aircraft service facilities and bring new conveniences and amenities to passengers.
The proposed “Tier-2 Concourse (East)” would be a modern 14-gate facility with convenient access to the airport’s underground Aerotrain system and would include new shops, restaurants and other customer services as well as the latest aircraft-servicing technologies to accommodate future needs. It would replace gates built in the 1990s at the eastern end of Concourse A, where many regional-flight passengers currently go outdoors to access their planes via covered walkways.
“This new concourse would represent a major improvement in the passenger experience at the regional gates,” said Airports Authority President and CEO Jack Potter, calling the project “the first step in a long-term strategy to expand and enhance the facilities and services at Dulles International Airport as we look toward the future.”
To attain partial funding for the project, the Airports Authority has applied for a Federal Aviation Administration grant under the recently enacted Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which includes a competitive grant program to help airports upgrade or replace aging facilities. The application seeks $230 million to begin development of the 400,000-square-foot facility, which is expected to ultimately cost between $500 million and $800 million. The Airports Authority is working with United Airlines, the largest carrier serving Dulles, and other airlines in planning the design, funding and construction of the new concourse.
“United recognizes the critical importance this new concourse will serve both as an economic driver and job creator in the region,” said Nathan Lopp, vice president, Corporate Real Estate. “This state of the art facility will also help deliver a best in class customer experience for our passengers at Dulles, and provide them with more flights to more destinations—the same goals we have for our United Next strategy. As the leading airline at Washington Dulles, we strongly encourage the Federal Aviation Administration to approve MWAA’s grant application.”
Potter said that once the Tier-2 Concourse (East) proposal receives all the necessary approvals for construction and funding, the project would provide hundreds of construction and service jobs, and he also noted that the Airports Authority has completed all the necessary studies for the project under the National Environmental Policy Act, making the project “shovel ready” under guidelines of the FAA grant program. The proposed concourse also meets additional criteria of the FAA program, including:
Improved convenience and connectivity for travelers navigating the airport;
More space (400,000 square feet versus 110,000 square feet in the current facility) for larger seating areas, more concessions, airline lounges, ADA-compliant restrooms, and other amenities;
Larger operational areas for servicing aircraft, handling baggage and other airport and airline support functions; and
Enhanced sustainability features, including electric vehicles to service aircraft and carry passengers, increased usage of the electric Aerotrain to move passengers to and from the new gates; energy-efficient construction featuring LED lighting, high R-value insulation and high-efficiency climate control systems that will follow LEED Silver building standards.
In 2021, the Airports Authority opened a new 14-gate concourse for regional flights at Reagan National Airport, which replaced outdoor boarding areas with spacious new seating areas, concessions and other amenities. The construction program at Reagan National, called Project Journey, also added two large security screening buildings to provide new services and improve the passenger experience.
This article was contributed by a member organization of the Greater Washington Board of Trade and does not necessarily represent the official position of the Board of Trade or its members.
Investment Will Spur Economic Development and Support Physical and Mental Health Initiatives in Historic Anacostia and throughout DC
APRIL 5, 2022 – Bank of America announced an investment of nearly $43 million directly impacting economic and social opportunity in Southeast and Southwest Washington, D.C. as part of its commitment to local communities. Through affordable housing projects and partnerships with local nonprofits, including Building Bridges Across the River (BBAR), the Washington Area Community Investment Fund (Wacif), and Bread for the City, the funding and grant package will address housing, workforce development, healthcare and small business efforts in the region.
“These are the types of investments that give more DC residents a fair shot,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “Bank of America and the organizations it’s partnering with know DC, they know what our residents and neighborhoods need to thrive, and I’m confident in their ability to help us realize our shared goal of building a more equitable and connected DC.”
Aligned with Bank of America’s $1.25 billion, five-year commitment to help advance racial equality and economic opportunity in local communities, the funding is aimed at improving the area’s long-term economic growth and stability.
As part of its commitment to safe, affordable housing, Bank of America has invested $39 million in the mixed-use affordable housing development, MDL Flats Apartments, in the Buzzard Point neighborhood of Southwest D.C. The bank’s funding will help provide 76 units for individuals and families in need of affordable housing in the community.
Building Bridges Across the River (BBAR), a nonprofit dedicated to providing residents east of the Anacostia River with a thriving, equitable community, is receiving a total of $1.25 million to build the 11th Street Bridge spanning the Anacostia River, D.C.’s first elevated public park. To help fund construction of the bridge and further environmental education efforts, BBAR will receive a $1 million grant. BBAR will also receive $250,000 to support workforce development efforts to train Ward 8 residents in construction skills necessary for employment opportunities to help build the park.
“We are thrilled about Bank of America’s investment in the 11th Street Bridge Park and our workforce training strategies,” said Rahsaan Bernard, President, Building Bridges Across the River.” This naming gift for the environmental education plaza moves us one step closer to realizing this community driven civic space that will literally and figuratively bridge D.C.”
The bank is providing $1 million in support to the Washington Area Community Investment Fund (Wacif) to help to fund the acquisition and redevelopment of the Anacostia Arts Center to promote small business development in the region. Wacif, which helps promote equity and economic opportunity in underserved D.C. area communities, will create a new hub for inclusive, diverse entrepreneurship in the heart of Historic Anacostia and hopes to support more than 1,000 underserved entrepreneurs over five years.
“As a long-term, strategic partner in our mission and growth, we are delighted to deepen our work with Bank of America by reimagining the Anacostia Arts Center as a new regional hub for inclusive entrepreneurship,” said Wacif CEO Harold B. Pettigrew, Jr. “This critical gift accelerates Wacif’s efforts to scale investments that help small businesses recover and be resilient, and drives our commitment to deploy greater capital to under resourced entrepreneurs and create thousands of local jobs in the years ahead.”
To support mental and preventive healthcare in the region, Bread For the City, a nonprofit providing D.C. residents living with lower income with resources and services to reduce the burden of poverty, is receiving $1 million. The grant will help Bread For the City provide critical care, such as health screenings, nutrition consultation and mental wellness treatments, in its Anacostia clinic.
“The partnership with Bank of America, the Ward 8 Community Economic Development Initiative and Bread for the City is helping us provide much needed behavioral health support and care to young ward 8 residents and their families as they struggle with the trauma caused by the intersection of pandemic, and the persistent socioeconomic disparities that are so prevalent in the community,” said George Jones, CEO of Bread for the City.
This announcement is the latest in a series of investments that Bank of America has made in the Greater Washington, D.C. community. In 2021, Bank of America invested $350 million in local grants and additional capital investments to help finance small businesses, affordable housing, and other economic revitalization projects benefiting communities throughout the Washington region.
“Through our business offerings, our partnerships with non-profit and community leaders, and the trust of our neighbors, we are driving meaningful growth and helping create opportunity and prosperity in Anacostia, and throughout the DMV,” said Larry Di Rita, President of Bank of America Greater Washington, D.C.
Bank of America
At Bank of America, we’re guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We’re delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. It’s demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Learn more at about.bankofamerica.com, and connect with us on Twitter (@BofA_News).
This article was contributed by a member organization of the Greater Washington Board of Trade and does not necessarily represent the official position of the Board of Trade or its members.
Communication and PR professionals at Board of Trade member organizations convene quarterly to discuss current industry trends and share best practices for developing and nurturing organizational, media, and public relationships.We are excited to welcome Michael Akin (President, LINK Strategic Partners) and Beth Johnson(Founder and CEO, RP3 Agency) as 2022 series co-leads.
The Importance of Developing Authentic Partnerships to Boost Your Organization’s Media Relations
The evolution of the internet, rise of social media, and the adoption of the 24-hour news cycle has allowed us to receive a steady and constant flow of information. Yet not all news is publishable or worth airtime. For communication and PR professionals at companies and organizations, it is important to have coverage on activities, events, and initiatives to establish credibility and notability among wider audiences. So, what is the secret to getting media coverage?
During the first Communications-PR Roundtable, communicators from our member organizations discussed their strategies for developing and maintaining authentic partnerships with journalists and media professionals. With the public’s constant need for information, the media industry has shifted from their traditional approach of discovering and/or exploring leads to a more modernized approach where content is pitched by individuals who want placement. Therefore, the media is looking for stronger, long-term partnerships with communications and PR professionals to develop a constant stream of content that interests readers and viewers alike. Building and maintaining these relationships can be challenging (considering the everchanging media landscape), but it is doable. Some successful approaches for forming and continuing these relationships are:
Are you a member who is Interested in participating in discussion like this one? Contact [email protected] to sign up for the Communications-PR Roundtable. Not a member? No worries – contact [email protected] to learn more about our membership.
Executives at Board of Trade member organizations convene quarterly to discuss current labor market and economic trends and share best practices for strategic decision making. We are excited to welcome Patti Steis, Managing Director at Marsh McLennan, and Bradley Flickinger, Senior Managing Director Mid-Atlantic at CBRE Inc. as the 2022 series co-leads.
While researching the skills and practices that have driven the success of the world’s highest performing CEOs, the authors found that CEOs are the ultimate integrator and follow six key mindsets.
All these mindsets play a key role in a CEO’s effectiveness and success, yet (1) aligning your organization and (2) mobilizing through leaders have proven to be more critical for long term impact. To drive success, top performing CEOs must communicate their intentions and have clarity of their vision (align the organization) in order to place the right people in key leadership roles to advance and execute their vision (mobilizing through leaders). Once aligned, all the others easily fall into place.
To learn more about the mindsets that help top CEOs such as Janie Dimon of JP Morgan Chase, Reed Hastings of Netflix, and Marillyn Hewson of Lockheed Martin deliver extraordinary impact and achieve CEO Excellence, check out Vik’s new book.
McKinsey & Company is a member of the Greater Washington Board of Trade, and their views and perspectives does not necessarily represent the official position of the Board of Trade or its members.
The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected our economy and society, accelerating major changes in business strategies, digital transformation, and productivity measures. Hospitality and retail (industries that heavily relied on personal interactions) were immediately impacted. These industries had to reimagine their business landscapes and quickly adopt e-commerce, digitalization, artificial intelligence, and automation to continue providing a personalized experience to customers in addition to face-to-face interaction.
On February 24th, the Greater Washington Board of Trade and knowledge partner APCO Worldwide, hosted its fourth installment on the Future of Work Series with the Future of Retail & Hospitality. Licy Do Canto, Managing Director at APCO Worldwide moderated the discussion with panelists Christine Kettmer, Senior Director, Global Enterprise Insight & Strategy at Marriott International, Karen Strack, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW), and Chad Horrell, Senior Manager, Government Affairs Eastern Region at Doordash as they shared their insights and experiences within the marketplace.
For many companies across these industries, navigating local municipality mandates, ordinances and health protocols was the primary challenge at first but once clear messaging was established, the focus returned to the customer. While safety always remains a top priority for both staff and guests, mobility played a key role in returning to normal-like business levels. Whether it was a mobile key sent to a smartphone when guests checked into a hotel property, contactless and secure delivery of food items from a dasher, and even order online and curbside pick-up from a shopping center, these all drove customer acquisition.
The great resignation tried to hinder economic recovery, but companies acted quickly to increase salary ranges, drive flexibility in workplace options, add to employee perks and benefits, and offer up retention bonuses. Restaurants quickly adopted QR code focused menus instead of endlessly printing menus, saving on costs and at the same time advancing environmental and sustainability goals.
Key takeaways:
Marriott’s newDesign Lab is a center for innovation, working in tandem with partners and startups to improve upon future guest experiences, mockups of future guest rooms, improvements to mechanical operations and more.
DoorDash has a commanding market share of online delivery apps, and they see no slowing down. They saw an increase of 35% in sales in 2021 even with indoor dining returning to the fold so the market has room to grow.
Unibail-Rodamco Westfield’s sales have returned to pre-pandemic levels. A strategy of mixed-use retail with tenants including medical, automotive, restaurant and even residential proved to be highly successful.
The economy is bouncing back, and in fact unleashing a pent-up demand for products, goods, and services. Data and automation are driving better customer experiences and retention. Companies need to remain nimble and flexible in order to keep both the customer and employees happy.
We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank our sponsors for making this series possible: Crown Castle, Bank of America, Verizon, APCO Worldwide, and McKinsey & Company.
Blog courtesy of Licy Do Canto, Managing Director of Washington, D.C. and APCO Mid-Atlantic, APCO Worldwide. Read Licy’s blog on APCO Forum.
Since the pandemic began, we have seen profound changes in the ways people connect and do business with each other. The world and its workforce have learned to be flexible in many capacities whether in-person or online.
As the leader of APCO Worldwide’s Washington, D.C., office and Mid-Atlantic region, I’ve been constantly proud and empowered by my colleagues both here and around the world, especially throughout these difficult times. Business travel has always been key part of our culture, allowing us to meet and connect with our colleagues around the globe. Travel and connection drive our success and we are excited to see them return—even if what that may look like is evolving.
The travel industry has had to adjust to not only changes in capacity, health and safety, but also how to communicate these measures to the public. To gain insight into the future of travel, we partnered with the Greater Washington Board of Trade to foster conversations between some of our regions greatest leaders in business travel: Jack Potter, president and CEO at Metro Washington Airport Authority (MWAA); Elliott Ferguson, president and CEO at Destination DC; Ricky Smith, executive director of Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) and Ian Rainey, senior vice president at Northeast Maglev.
As the pandemic continues to progress, so do the regulations to keep us safe and allow for a gradual return. The safety of my colleagues—who are also my friends—is my top priority. And as a leader, my role is to steer us through the challenges we face and communicate how we plan to address them.
And all the leaders we spoke with felt the same. According to Potter, “it is extremely important that people feel safe in the environment. That’s first and foremost.” For the travel industry, that looked like adopting all of the necessary standards and precautions—sanitizing stations, masking, social distancing barriers—and then realizing that the real challenge was communicating their dedication to these changes. For Smith and BWI, social media “went a long way in helping people understand that it was safe to come into the facility.”
And once safety measures were transparently communicated and understood by the public, we saw travel, especially business travel, pick up across the region. In Washington, business travel not only bolsters our economy, but fuels our pace of life, filling our restaurants, hotels and event centers.
Prior to the emergence of the omicron variant, when the state of the pandemic allowed us to breathe a little easier, I felt the resurgence of the travel industry throughout our business, allowing us to reconnect with clients and colleagues at in-person events, meetings and conferences. I’m hopeful that we can return to a world where this reconnection can happen even more because it was easy to see that business is better when we are meeting.
But, we have also seen the value of remote work over the last two years and it persists as a welcome and productive alternative as we go through the swings of the pandemic. I have found myself constantly impressed by the resilience and innovation of our company.
I am eager for more opportunities to increase engagement through in-person connection. Our experts agree that despite the productivity that still exists in the virtual workplace, something is still missing. “Even though there’s a train of thought that hybrid is going to take over the need to meet face-to-face, the reality is that’s not going to happen,” said Ferguson. “There are probably going to be some things we’ve learned in terms of how we can utilize hybrid meetings and the technology moving forward with meetings. But people want to meet face-to-face and we’re all going to benefit from that. And that demand is there.”
Despite the challenges and uncertainty with the current state of business travel, there also exists opportunity. Our role as leaders is to elevate and lift up opportunities within our workplaces as well as in the marketplace. As the world continues to evolve, the most valuable assets in our arsenal, as they always have been, are our people and our connections to each other. The future of business travel is bright, largely, due to the innovative thinkers and doers moving because of it.
About Licy Do Canto
Licy Do Canto, a veteran of public policy, corporate strategy, health care communications and diversity and inclusion, is managing director of APCO Worldwide’s Washington D.C. office headquarters and mid-Atlantic region lead.
A well respected expert in public health and health care policy, with nearly three decades of experience at the international, national, state and local levels across the nonprofit, philanthropic, corporate and government sectors, Mr. Do Canto is an accomplished, values-driven leader with unparalleled experience in developing and leading integrated public affairs campaigns combining strategic communications, public relations, political/legislative initiatives, policy, coalition building, grassroots efforts and advocacy.
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