EDW2026: Economic Development Week Luncheon

Description

We’ll close out the 2026 Economic Development Week with our signature luncheon at the historic Blanche Hotel. Presented in partnership with Columbia County Economic Development, this week-long celebration highlights the people, programs and investments shaping the future of our community.

The luncheon brings together business leaders, community partners, educators and workforce stakeholders for a conversation focused on workforce development and the people who will drive Columbia County’s economic future.

Our keynote speaker, Andy Portera, works with rural chambers and economic development organizations to strengthen workforce development, align schools and employers, and help communities build on the capacity they already have. His insights will challenge us to think differently about how we prepare our workforce and create lasting economic opportunity.

Join us as we close out the week, celebrate the progress happening across Columbia County, and look ahead to what’s next.

Admission: $35 per person. Seating is limited.

About Our Keynote Speaker:

Andy Portera co-founded Portera & Associates in 2014 to help rural communities build stronger economies and create more opportunities for residents. For more than a decade, Andy's work has spanned workforce development, education, business retention and recruitment, and community capacity building. A central focus of Andy's work is helping communities build stronger talent pipelines: developing people, developing their skills, and intentionally connecting them to local training and career opportunities.

Throughout his work, Andy encourages rural leaders to rethink economic development: pursue fewer outside projects, invest more intentionally in the people and businesses already in the community, and build local capacity to drive lasting growth. He brings employers, educators, economic developers, chambers, local governments, and community leaders together around a small set of priorities to drive measurable progress.

Born in West Point, Mississippi, Andy grew up around his father's work in economic development and saw firsthand what it takes to create opportunity in a community. Helping communities do the same has always felt like the family business. Andy lives in Birmingham, Alabama, and works with communities throughout the Southeast and across rural America.