The mission of Regional EDGE is to sustain implementation of action initiatives that contribute to building a competitive region. Regional EDGE will emphasize using existing resources in new ways to achieve its objectives. While the participants in Regional EDGE are expected to be the engines that fuel the Flagships and cluster-specific action initiatives, the Stryker Center at Kalamazoo College will provide the anchor and sustaining mechanism for the entire process.

Structure: A "Virtual Organization"

Regional EDGE has now been established as a "virtual" organization to minimize the need for building new entities with their associated overhead. Considerable thought went into ensuring that there was support for Regional EDGE while minimizing creation of new bureaucracies. Regional EDGE will be a network organization that needs to be self-supporting. The Stryker Center's role as implementation support organization will make all the network-related activities possible immediately.

Stryker Center: Operations:

Secretariat, Technical Support

and Financial Intermediary

The Stryker Center will serve as the core support organization for the collaborative efforts that are under way. Within this structure, Regional Co-Chair Board members, flagship and cluster-specific action teams will have the job of harnessing resources to implement their initiatives. The Stryker Center will be the financial, logistical, technical assistance and communications intermediary for Regional EDGE activities, at least for the next year.

The Stryker Center will be responsible for the organizational logistics pertaining to the monthly meetings of the Regional EDGE Co-Chair Board, and the periodic meetings of the cluster groups and the economic infrastructure groups. The Stryker Center will also be responsible for the organizational logistics pertaining to the Flagship Initiative action teams and, as required, the cluster-specific action initiatives.

The Stryker Center will also have responsibility for preparing all communications arising from Regional EDGE. Among these responsibilities will be preparing a media plan and quarterly report on Regional EDGE and the progress of Flagships and cluster-specific action initiatives. Once a year, the Stryker Center will also prepare an annual report that analyzes progress made by all initiatives. Working with the Upjohn Institute, the Stryker Center will also track the status and changes in the region's overall economy and cluster performance to demonstrate the importance and outcomes of improving regional economic advantage. This annual report should serve as an update of our regional economic strategy. The completion of the annual report should coincide with an annual regional "town hall" event at which the successes and challenges facing the region's economic development are presented and discussed, helping to frame the challenges for the coming year of Regional EDGE activity.

Outlook for Tomorrow: A Growing

Community of Exchange

The existence of Regional EDGE demonstrates that our region is already changing and building improved economic advantages. Businesses, institutions and governments in our region are eager to move this collaborative initiative forward. Everyone is cautious but committed to action. With small, meaningful steps, the Kalamazoo-Battle Creek region is preparing itself to achieve improved competitiveness for its existing industries. Our strategic goal is to sustain and expand existing companies as well as create a new climate for the formation and attraction of industries that will diversify and strengthen our economy. This is what our next generation economy is about: we are on the "regional EDGE."