On November 1, 2023, the Federal Co-Chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission is expected to discuss multi-state strategies to advance economic opportunities.

Ringgold, Georgia: Thrive Regional Partnership (Thrive) is pleased to announce that Gayle Manchin, Federal Co-Chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission, will deliver the keynote address at the Tri-State Summit on November 1-2, 2023 in Ringgold, Georgia.

The Tri-State Summit, presented by TVA, is Thrive’s flagship conference designed for elected and community leaders in northeast Alabama, northwest Georgia, and southeast Tennessee.

Over the course of two days, the Summit provides attendees with immersive learning and networking opportunities centered around topics such as local economy, transportation, environmental stewardship, as well as arts and culture.

Gayle Conelly Manchin was sworn in as the Appalachian Regional Commission’s thirteenth federal co-chair on May 6, 2021, becoming the first ARC Federal Co-Chair from West Virginia. Nominated by President Biden, Manchin works directly with ARC’s 13-member governors, their state alternates and program managers, and a network of local development districts. Together they collaborate to build greater community capacity and strengthen economic growth throughout Appalachia, which increases the region’s ability to compete nationally and globally. As ARC Federal Co-Chair, her top priorities are to support the creation of greater economic opportunities in the Appalachian Region through a cross-regional, multi-state approach.

Dar Williams, singer-songwriter and urban planning expert, will deliver a second keynote address at the Tri-State Summit. Dubbed by The New Yorker as “one of America's very best singer-songwriters,” Williams has made her career not in stadiums, but touring America's small towns. Her book What I Found in a Thousand Towns is more than a love letter to America's small towns, it's a deeply personal and hopeful message about the potential of lively and resilient communities across the country.

In addition to keynote speakers, Thrive’s Tri-State Summit features panel discussions, such as:

• Forecasting Freight in the Tri-State

• Perspectives on Community Climate Resilience

• 76 Towns Atlas: the Unique Communities that Make a Region

• Affordable Internet in Your Community

Attendees may also participate in exclusive immersion experiences such as:

• An expert-guided tour of the Georgia Ports Authority’s Appalachian Regional Port

• A private rooftop reception at Steam Logistics in downtown Chattanooga

• An exclusive tour of the Catoosa County College & Career Academy in Ringgold, GA

This year, Thrive’s Tri-State Summit will take place November 1-2 at The Colonnade in Ringgold, Georgia.