The Verde Valley showed up—and brought some wonderful ideas. Nearly 80 business, community, and economic development leaders gathered at The Hub in Sedona on Monday, October 19, for the 2026 VVREO Fall Forum. Outstanding speakers, engaging conversations, and enthusiastic participation made it a memorable morning focused on economic opportunity across our region. We’re proud of the turnout and grateful for everyone who contributed their time, perspectives, and ideas. The willingness to work together was especially encouraging as we explored what Verde Valley communities could accomplish through regional collaboration.

The forum brought together several perspectives on the opportunities shaping the Verde Valley economy. Tom Binnings provided the economic outlook, followed by the Arizona Commerce Authority’s presentation on business investment, community readiness, and available resources. Our Community Showcase highlighted local developments and opportunities, while the small business loan program update shared information about support for business growth. Our speakers gave participants useful information to consider alongside the experiences and priorities of their own communities. Throughout the morning, attendees had opportunities to make connections, ask questions, and contribute to the conversation.

During our table talks, participants explored regional priorities and proposed initiatives they would be interested in helping advance. Ideas included:

• Childcare and elder care: Exploring ways to address needs that affect families, workers, and employers.
• Food festivals and a restaurant week: Creating opportunities to celebrate local food businesses and connect people with the region’s restaurants.
• A potential Verde Valley Innovation Center: Exploring the possibilities for a regional center.
• Workforce development: Strengthening opportunities for people to build careers and for businesses to find the talent they need.
  • Small business support: Continuing to support existing businesses and people preparing to start or grow a business.

Working groups emerged as a particularly popular idea for keeping these conversations moving. Bringing interested community members and partners together around specific topics could help turn promising concepts into practical next steps. These ideas will need community participation to take shape. As we review the table talk responses and explore follow-up opportunities, we’ll be looking for people willing to contribute knowledge, time, connections, and resources.

There was also a lighter moment when our surprise guest, Mr. Chip Munk, ran through the event. Apparently, he wanted to join the conversation, too! Thank you to our board, sponsors, and outstanding speakers for helping make the forum possible. Most of all, thank you to our attendees. Your energy and participation made this a lively and productive regional gathering.

Presentation slides and a resource sheet featuring information from our speakers will be available on our website the week of October 26. We’ll also share those materials through our email list, along with updates about the community ideas and opportunities to get involved.

Interested in helping shape an initiative or participating in a working group? Contact Connie directly at administration@VVREO.com.

We can’t do this without our communities. We’re excited to bring people together for more events, build on these conversations, and help move these ideas forward.

Let’s keep the momentum going and make a lasting impact together in our beautiful Verde Valley.