Naperville Welcomes Top Global Leaders Through Americas Competitiveness Exchange Visit
NAPERVILLE, Ill. — The City of Naperville, through the efforts of the Naperville Development Partnership (NDP), was honored to host over 60 participants from the Americas Competitiveness Exchange (ACE) last week, bringing together key government and business representatives from Latin America, Canada, Europe and the United States to explore economic collaboration and growth opportunities.
The visit to Naperville was part of the 20th edition of the week-long ACE exchange. The event brings top global and regional leaders together to explore partnerships, innovation and entrepreneurship that promote economic development and increase trade. Illinois was selected through a competitive process, and Naperville was honored to be included as part of the visit to leverage key target industries, including life science, quantum computing and AI, clean energy, ag tech and advanced manufacturing.
“Naperville was thrilled to welcome ACE delegates to our city and share our economic development story,” Mayor Scott Wehrli said. “Naperville’s focus on transforming our portion of the Interstate-88 corridor into its next iteration as an innovation center aligns perfectly with ACE’s goal to accelerate economic growth through transformative technologies.
Ecolab’s Home of Water: A Beacon of Innovation
Delegates visited Ecolab’s state-of-the-art Naperville campus, known for its innovative approach to water management and sustainability.
With an on-site research and development center, this facility fuels Ecolab’s innovation in water, with solutions that help industries take a circular approach to water management. The visit invited attendees to explore the latest advancements in water technology, learn how Ecolab serves growing and water-intensive industries like data centers and microelectronics and witness the impact of Ecolab's initiatives firsthand on a local and global scale.
“At Ecolab, every drop counts,” said Josh Magnuson, EVP & GM, Global Water Solutions Group for Ecolab. “We use innovative programs and technology to help our customers perform at their best, so they can protect vital resources, like water, profitably.
“The exchanges we had yesterday with our guests from ACE served to reiterate how critical and applicable protecting water is for all stakeholders worldwide.”
The Naperville Story: A Legacy of Partnership and Innovation
After their Ecolab visit, delegates were welcomed to Naper Settlement’s Innovation Gateway Center for an event hosted by Wintrust and the Naperville Development Partnership. Delegates enjoyed a City of Naperville staff presentation about the community’s famed Riverwalk. This pathway was a key component in downtown revitalization in the late 1900s and an example of how Naperville advances excellence through creativity, ambition, and collaboration.
Attendees heard from Mayor Wehrli how the I-88 corridor they had just toured transformed Naperville from a farm community into a hub for emerging technologies in the 1960s and 70s, resulting in the well-planned community that residents, businesses, and visitors enjoy today.
“For over 60 years, Naperville has been a leader in attracting and retaining world-changing companies to our community and the corridor, including Ecolab,” Wehrli said. “The connections formed and conversations started during ACE’s visit will further our economic goals, open us up to new partnerships in some of today’s most dynamic and cutting-edge sectors, and benefit the region.”
About Naperville: Located 28 miles west of Chicago, Naperville, Ill., is home to approximately 150,000 people. This vibrant, thriving city consistently ranks as a top community in the nation in which to live, raise children and retire. The city is home to acclaimed public and parochial schools, the best public library system in the country, an array of healthcare options and an exceptionally low crime rate. Naperville has ready access to a variety of public transportation, housing and employment options. The city’s diversified employer base features high technology firms, retailers and factories, as well as small and home-based businesses. Residents also enjoy world-class parks, diverse worship options, the opportunity to serve on several City boards and commissions, a thriving downtown shopping and dining area, a renowned outdoor history museum known as Naper Settlement and an active civic community. For more information, please visit our website at www.naperville.il.us.