View the GCEP 2025 Year in Review here.
Letter from GCEP Leadership
Dear Partners & Friends,
If we could call the first year of the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership (GCEP) an exploration of structured regionalism in the Chicagoland area, and the second year an expansion of it, then 2025 can only be characterized as a year of maturation and acceleration. Building upon the momentum and collaborative frameworks established in previous years, 2025 reinforced our commitment to elevating Chicagoland as a unified economic force on the global stage. This year marked several significant milestones that demonstrate the strength of our regional partnership:
Growing Our Capacity: GCEP expanded its team, enhancing our ability to serve the region’s economic development priorities with greater depth and strategic focus. This investment in our organizational infrastructure reflects our commitment to sustainable, long-term, data-driven regional collaboration.
Global Market Engagement: GCEP members participated in a trade delegation to Japan, strengthening vital international relationships and creating opportunities for cross-border investment and trade. This mission underscored Chicagoland’s position as a globally connected business hub and demonstrated our proactive approach to attracting international capital and fostering partnerships in key markets.
Celebrating Major Economic Wins: Throughout 2025, our region secured significant business investments and expansions, from companies like Abbott Labs and Osaka Soda, that validate our collective efforts. These victories span diverse sectors and reflect the breadth of Chicagoland’s competitive advantages—from our world-class talent pool and strategic location to our innovation ecosystem and business-friendly environment.
As we’ve stepped into the roles of Chair and Vice Chair this year, we’ve been consistently inspired by the dedication of our member organizations and the genuine spirit of collaboration that defines GCEP. The willingness of economic development leaders across our counties to work together, share resources, and champion the region as a whole continues to set Chicagoland apart.
We find ourselves in a period of both tremendous opportunity and considerable uncertainty. While external forces—national policy shifts, global economic headwinds, and evolving market dynamics—remain beyond our control, what we can shape is the trajectory of business growth in Chicagoland. That’s precisely where GCEP focuses its energy: on strategic, collaborative action that delivers results.
The pages that follow detail the work accomplished in 2025—work that positions Chicagoland not just to weather uncertainty, but to thrive in it. We invite you to review this progress and to continue standing with us as champions of this remarkable region. Together, we’re building something enduring: a super region with unmatched assets, unified purpose, and unlimited potential.
Thank you for your partnership and your unwavering belief in Chicagoland’s promise.
Sincerely,
Kevin Considine
Chair, Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership
President & CEO, Lake County Partners
Doug Pryor
Vice-Chair, Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership
President & CEO, Will County Center for Economic Development