Research Matters – C2ER/LMI Institute April 9, 2026

Research Matters - Bi-Weekly Update
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April 9, 2026
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Features
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📢 Final Call for the Regional Data Connections Cohort 📢
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Don’t miss your chance to apply for the Regional Data Connections Cohort, a six-month initiative led by the Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness (CREC) and the LMI Institute. Applications close TOMORROW night!
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This cohort is designed for state LMI agencies and workforce boards looking to strengthen how local data are used to inform decisions and align workforce and education systems. Your team will work on a specific data collaboration challenge and walk away with practical tools and approaches ready to apply and share across regions.
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Participants receive:
  • Monthly technical assistance and coaching
  • A facilitator visit to your state
  • A two-day in-person convening in Washington, DC
  • Access to expert-led webinars and peer exchange
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If your team is ready to turn data into action, now is the time. Apply here!

Interested in applying but need more time to gather your partners? Contact Sarah Edwards at sedwards@crec.net.

Supported by Ascendium Education Group.
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Kick Off Your Conference Week With a Newly Enhanced, AI‑Powered Training
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Start your Memphis conference experience with a refreshed and expanded pre‑conference training on June 16: Proving and Sharing Your Impact: Practical Tools and AI Techniques for Practitioners.
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We’ve added new AI components to this popular course to help you work smarter and communicate your value more effectively. You’ll learn how to use AI tools to:
  • Understand and segment your audiences
  • Strengthen your messaging and storytelling
  • Translate complex work into clear, compelling narratives
  • Demonstrate impact to funders, employers, and stakeholders
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This hands‑on session equips you with practical techniques you can apply immediately throughout the conference and back home with your team.
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Reserve your spot for the June 16 training and start your C2ER + LMI Institute Conference week on the right track.
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Memphis Moment:

The Peabody Ducks Tradition
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Welcome to the Peabody, the “South’s Grand Hotel,” where the marble gleams, the chandeliers sparkle, and the lobby carries more stories than most history books. For over 150 years, this place has hosted presidents, performers, and generations of travelers who love a little grandeur with their stay. And now… it’s your turn.
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And then there are the true headliners: the ducks.

Twice a day, the Peabody Duck March transforms the lobby into a runway so iconic it the spectators become the paparazzi. A red carpet is rolled out with the seriousness of an awards show. The Duckmaster, yes, that is a real job title, leads the procession with the calm authority of a seasoned stage manager.

Then, from their rooftop “Duck Palace” (yes, palace), the stars emerge. Five tiny, feathered divas making their way to the fountain with the confidence of seasoned performers hitting their mark.

It’s tradition. It’s nearly a century old. And the best part? Everyone treats it with complete sincerity, which only makes the whole thing more delightfully iconic.

And this year, one of you gets to join the legacy.

We’ll be selecting one random attendee to serve as Duckmaster of the Day, complete with the honor, the spotlight, the cane, and the bragging rights that come with guiding the most famous ducks in America. Keep an eye out… the next Duckmaster could be you.
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News & Reports
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Headlines

Reports – From Our Members

Reports – Non-members
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Have a report you’d like to share?
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ICYMI
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Data Visualization
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Careers
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Have an open position that might be of interest to C2ER members?

Let us post your job listing!
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Send the position title, description, and any other relevant information to Jennifer Gual.

Jobs are typically posted within 1 business day and postings remain active for 45 days if no closing date is specified.
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Our Events
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CERP Presentation: Building Missouri’s Statewide CEDS –

Methods, Engagement, and Actionable Recommendations

May 7, 2026

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET
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C2ER members are welcome to join a webinar on how Missouri built its 2025 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy using industry cluster analysis, skills gap data, and structured stakeholder engagement. CERP candidate Paul Liu will walk through the methodology, findings, and lessons learned so you can apply similar approaches in your own work.

Find out more information and get registered here.
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C2ER Webinar

Metro Atlanta Chamber’s MACROview

April 23, 2026

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET
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C2ER Member Only Webinar:

CERP Presentation: Building Missouri’s Statewide CEDS – Methods, Engagement, and Actionable Recommendations

May 7, 2026

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET
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C2ER/LMI Institute Training Class

Accelerated Talent Transformation via AI-assisted Python Coding

June 16, 2026

Memphis, TN
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C2ER/LMI Institute Training Class

Proving and Sharing Your Impact: Practical Tools and AI Techniques for Practitioners

June 16, 2026

Memphis, TN
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2026 C2ER + LMI Institute Annual Conference

June 17 – 19, 2026

Memphis, TN
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eLearning Courses
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Foundations of Economic Development Research I: Introduction to Data Sources

Any Place, Any Time
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Foundations of Economic Development Research II: Introduction to Regional Analysis Methods

Any Place, Any Time
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Basic LMI Analyst eLearning

Any Place, Any Time
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Industry Events
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2026 SelectUSA Investment Summit

May 3 – 6, 2026

National Harbor, MD
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Local Employment Dynamics (LED) Partnership Hybrid Workshop

May 12 – 13, 2026

Register for May 12, 2026

Register for May 13, 2026
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Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Conference

May 19 – 21, 2026

Portland, OR
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