MORPC’s 2026 State of the Region will be held on Friday, March 20, 2026, at the Hilton Columbus Downtown.
The State of the Region is one of Central Ohio’s most significant events of the year. During the State of the Region, we highlight community accomplishments and showcase upcoming plans for leading our region into the future. It is attended by the region’s top political, business, and civic leaders as the year’s premier event.
Agenda
11:00 a.m. – Registration & Networking
11:30 a.m. – Program Begins
1:00 p.m. – Closing Remarks
*Additional information will be available soon.
Keynote
GREG LINDSAY is a non-resident senior fellow of MIT’s Future Urban Collectives Lab, Arizona State University’s Threatcasting Lab, and the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. He was the founding chief communications officer of AlphaGeo, where he remains a senior advisor. Most recently, he was a 2022-2023 urban techfellow at Cornell Tech’s Jacobs Institute, where he explored the implications of AI and augmented reality at urban scale.
Greg speaks frequently about the future of cities, real estate, technology, and work, including invitations to 10 Downing Street, the United States Military Academy, Sandia National Laboratories, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Harvard Business School, MIT Media Lab, and Aspen Ideas Festival.
He also speaks to companies (Microsoft, Deloitte, Gensler, Ford, Starbucks), organizations (U.S. Conference of Mayors, Canada Council for the Arts), associations (ULI, NAHB, NAIOP, SIOR) and universities (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, NYU, McGill).
He’s been cited as an expert by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, USA Today, CNN, NPR, BBC, and CBC Radio.
Greg’s also a partner at the firm FutureMap, and has advised such firms as Intel, Samsung, IKEA, Starbucks, Audi, Hyundai, Tishman Speyer, British Land, André Balazs Properties, Aldar, Emaar, and Expo 2020, along with G20 government entities. Previously, he was urbanist-in-residence at BMW MINI’s urban tech accelerator, URBAN-X, as well as director of applied research at NewCities and founding director of strategy at its mobility offshoot, CoMotion.
Sponsorship
This event would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. Secure your sponsorship today by contacting our Events and Donor Relations Officer, Amanda McEldowney.
State Of The Region Awards
During the State of the Region, we highlight community accomplishments with the State of the Region Awards.
The William H. Anderson Award recognizes a current or past board member who exemplifies outstanding leadership, a vision for the community and the region, and commitment to MORPC. William H. Anderson, a longtime MORPC board member, was the epitome of a civic volunteer who is remembered for his zeal with which he championed MORPC’S mission and goals.
Past award winners include:
- 2025 Thomas Homan
- 2024 Franklin Christman
- 2023 David Scheffler
- 2022 Joe Stefanov
- 2021 Kim Maggard
- 2020 (none given)
- 2019 Steve Stolte
- 2018 James R. Schimmer
- 2017 Karen Angelou
- 2016 Richard “Ike” Stage
- 2015 Marsha Grigsby
- 2014 Eric Phillips
- 2013 Dean Ringle
- 2012 Derrick R. Clay
- 2011 R. Thomas Homan
- 2010 William (Bill) C. Yaple
- 2009 Marilyn Brown
- 2008 Herb Asher
- 2007 Virginia Barney and Mark Barbash
First introduced in 1997, the Regional Leadership Award recognizes individuals in a 15-county region (Franklin, Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Hocking, Knox, Licking, Logan, Madison, Marion, Morrow, Perry, Pickaway, Ross and Union counties) who make extraordinary efforts to ensure the future viability of the region’s communities. The Regional Leadership Award is derived from MORPC’s continuing dedication to addressing issues that transcend community boundaries and to stimulating visionary thinking.
Past award winners include:
- 2025 Jeff Fix
- 2024 Lark Mallory
- 2023 Christie Angel
- 2022 Jennifer Gallagher
- 2021 Trudy Bartley
- 2020 (none given)
- 2019 Jean Carter Ryan
- 2018 Curtis Stitt
- 2017 Patrick Losinski
- 2016 Marilee Chinnici-Zuercher
- 2015 Michael Coleman
- 2014 Marjory Pizzuti
- 2013 Kenny McDonald
- 2012 Ron Pizzuti
- 2011 William Lhota
- 2010 Val Moeller
- 2009 Elaine Roberts
- 2008 Ty Marsh
- 2007 Mike Long
- 2006 Bill Habig
- 2005 Jack Lucks
- 2004 Debbie Martin
- 2003 Art Wallace
- 2002 Don Wuertz
- 2001 Rich King
- 2000 Dave Lieser
- 1999 (none given)
- 1998 Jim Caldwell
- 1997 Ginny Barney
The William C. Habig Collaborative Achievement Award was created in 2006 in honor of William C. Habig, who served MORPC for 39 years, 34 years as executive director. The William C. Habig Collaborative Achievement award is annually presented to an individual and/or organizations who have achieved an effective effort or innovative collaborative in central Ohio. The honoree(s) will have demonstrated success in developing a specific initiative or entity that supports broad inclusion, diverse thoughts in the process and delivers tangible results addressing key challenges facing the region.
Past award winners include:
- 2025 War Room Collaborative
- 2024 FRAMEWORK – Communities of Licking & Partners
- 2023 One Columbus
- 2022 Downtown Bellefontaine Redevelopment & Small Nation
- 2021 Central Ohio’s Public Health Districts
- 2020 (none given)
- 2019 MECC Regional Council of Governments
- 2018 Delaware Community YMCA/Ohio Army National Guard Readiness Center
- 2017 Smart Columbus
- 2016 Sustaining Scioto
- 2015 Yaromir Steiner
- 2014 Economic Development 411 (ED 411)
- 2013 Union County Council of Governments
- 2012 Capital Crossroads and Discovery Special Improvements Districts
- 2011 Columbus Region Logistics Council
- 2010 Central Ohio Trauma System
- 2009 Central Ohio Public Information Network (COPIN)
- 2008 Signers of the Central Ohio Green Pact
- 2007 Mid Ohio Development Exchange (MODE)
Premier Sponsor
Connecting Sponsors
Supporting Sponsors
