Norm Levy (center) leads the strategic planning process at the Washington Business Alliance.

On Friday the Washington Business Alliance Strategic Planning Committee met in Seattle to lay the foundation for a new approach at creating a strategic plan for Washington State. The goal is straight forward, make Washington “a top five performing state based upon national metrics of economy, society, environment, and public sector management by 2025.”

Strategic planning in Washington State has been tried before by Governors and other organizations, with marginal success. These days the increased polarization in State politics makes the challenge even more daunting. But now there is a new kid on the block, the Alliance, and an energetic leadership to oversee the effort, including a veteran business planning consultant, Alliance Board Member Norm Levy.

The planning process will be a multi-stakeholder effort to create a state where businesses thrive and residents enjoy a higher quality of life. The Alliance will seek the active involvement of government, business, labor, tribal, nonprofit, and local thought leaders from across the state.

The process will be designed for Washington State but is modeled on a similar process in Oregon, the Oregon Business Plan, that is now striving to deliver better outcomes for all state residents in health, education, environment, economic development, and other critical issues areas.

The Washington Business Alliance will launch the new planning process on May 15th at their Annual Meeting at the World Trade Center in Seattle.

More details about the Alliance can be found at http://www.wabusinessalliance.org/ .

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