Having successfully engaged business and institutional leaders to serve as "stewards" of the first stage, Regional EDGE participants feared that this leadership group would dissolve. Fortunately, the co- chairs have agreed to remain in place and continue to meet monthly during the subsequent implementation phase.

Regional EDGE is an inclusive participatory process that focuses on the continuous improvement of our region's economy. Consequently, business and institutional leaders currently engaged in the process need to explore ways to work with other public and private initiatives so that everyone in the region becomes attentive to innovation, quality, and customers. Participants need to be encouraged to think about the region as a "virtual holding company" that competes in global markets with every organization in the region as a potential asset in local competitiveness - from schools to taxi drivers.

Many regional economic strategies are worth little more than the paper they are written on; they are grand schemes showing little understanding or commitment to action by stakeholders. To avoid this, we need to keep our expectations focused and modest. The stakeholders in Regional EDGE need to demonstrate that they can collaborate successfully and deliver on agreements, and maintain an openess to new initiatives. Experience in previously successful efforts will guide new activities.

The achievements of Regional EDGE are already receiving considerable attention from the press and other partners in the region. During the period of implementation, performance and outcomes should be monitored and shared. Ideally the economic performance of the region, its clusters, and economic input infrastructure should be measured annually to show the impact of the Regional EDGE process.

The cluster strategy process is not finite. Some regional clusters were not convened during this process due to resource constraints. These clusters will be encouraged to come together, through Regional EDGE, to develop their own regional strategies. The collaborative strategy process is always inclusive and ready to expand, requiring only interested and enthusiastic stakeholders to move forward.

The goal of Regional EDGE is to create sources of advantage for our region's economy. To achieve this, local leaders need to ensure that the regional economic infrastructure meets the specific demands of our industry clusters. While there was good participation of economic infrastructure organizations, such as schools, colleges, universities, foundations, financial institutions, and government agencies in the strategy process, it was not entirely complete or representative of the nine county region. Ensuring that every relevant economic infrastructure institution is involved with Regional EDGE is a high priority. Their participation is critical to achieving implementation of the Flagships and cluster specific action initiatives. As Regional EDGE moves forward, concerted efforts by the co-chairs should be made to invite public and private institutions from the surrounding counties and communities to participate in their respective economic infrastructure groups and be represented in the Regional EDGE co-chair group.