State Of The Region

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.

2026 Columbus Business First
Agenda

AGENDA

  • 11:00 a.m. – Registration & Networking
  • 11:30 a.m. – Program Begins
  • 1:00 p.m. – Closing Remarks
LOCATION
Hilton Columbus Downtown
Aminah Robinson Grand Ballroom 
402 North High Street
Columbus, OH 43215

PARKING
Please note that parking availability around the Greater Columbus Convention Center will be limited due to another event taking place at the Convention Center. We strongly encourage attendees to allow extra time for arrival and parking.
Event parking is available for $30 per vehicle. The following Convention Center parking facilities are recommended:
 
South Garage
  • 50 E Nationwide Blvd, Columbus, OH 43215
Goodale Garage
  • 70 E Goodale St, Columbus, OH 43215
North Lot (Surface Lot)
  • 50 E Goodale St, Columbus, OH 43215
East Lot (Surface Lot)
  • 80 E Nationwide Blvd, Columbus, OH 43215
To help reduce congestion and ensure a smoother arrival, we encourage attendees to carpool, use public transit, or take advantage of rideshare options when possible.
Thank you for planning ahead and helping us create a smooth and accessible event experience.

The Hilton Columbus Downtown also offers valet as a parking option.

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.

In addition to the featured keynote remarks from Greg Lindsay, the State of the Region will also include a fireside chat with special guest Ray LaHood, Former United States Secretary of Transportation, moderated by Marcia Hale, a nationally recognized infrastructure leader. 

Secretary Ray LaHood is a nationally respected bipartisan leader with more than three decades of federal public service. He served as U.S. Secretary of Transportation from 2009 to 2013, leading a $70 billion agency overseeing aviation, highways, rail, and transit. His tenure focused on major infrastructure investment, strengthened safety standards, improved fuel efficiency, and elevating passenger rail as a national priority.

Previously, Secretary LaHood represented Illinois in Congress for 14 years as a Republican, serving on the House Appropriations and Intelligence Committees. Throughout his career, he has been known as a practical consensus-builder who brings leaders together to advance shared priorities.

Marcia Hale is a nationally respected public policy leader known for advancing bipartisan infrastructure solutions.

From 2009 to 2018, she served as President of Building America’s Future, where she led a broad, cross-party coalition of elected officials and business leaders advocating for long-term national infrastructure investment and policy reform. Under her leadership, BAF became a prominent voice elevating transportation, public works, and economic competitiveness as shared national priorities.

Earlier, Hale served in the Clinton White House (1993–1997) as Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, working closely with governors, mayors, and local leaders nationwide.

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.

2026 Sponsorship Brochure  

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)

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