It appears the Great Recession is over.
Now what?
With the news last week that the nation's economy grew by 3.5 percent - the latest in a string of good signs on the economic front - thoughts are turning to what the "recovery" will look like. By many estimates, it will be long and fragile, moving in fits and starts for months to come.
Here in St. Louis, the previous recovery was weak.
Through much of the decade, the region's not-too-fast, not-too-slow economy couldn't keep up with faster-growing cities. Unemployment remained high. Population growth was slow. And other regions thrived at St. Louis' expense.
And although the St. Louis region's steady pace means it weathered the downturn better than some, it's also a recipe to lag in a rebound. In an ever-faster global economy, other regions may thrive at our expense again.
But it doesn't have to be that way.
There are conversations brewing all over St. Louis these days about what our region can do, right now, to grow, to get ahead of the curve. And so on this week that signaled the end of the Great Recession, we asked five experts in economic development - three area, two national - what St. Louis should do to make the most of the coming recovery.
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To compete globally, St. Louis needs to continue to train and educate its work force. Carol Coletta • President, CEOs for Cities
The era of making cars may be over, but St. Louis can thrive in advanced manufacturing. Howard Wial • Metropolitan Policy, Brookings Institution
Set concrete goals. Get everyone involved. And don't be afraid if things get messy. Sandra Moore • President, Urban Strategies, St. Louis
Nurturing small business is the key to job growth. Alan Richter • Regional Union Construction Center
St. Louis must stop selling itself short and aggressively pursue the industries it wants.
Steve Anderson • Economic development attorney
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diversity takes a hit in downturn • E1
