Regional Leaders Discuss “A Rising St. Louis” in Forest Park

Forest Park Forever’s annual Corporate and Community Leaders Breakfast convenes St. Louis leaders for networking and a panel discussion of a topic with relevance to the region. As the nonprofit conservancy in an innovative public–private partnership with the City of St. Louis to sustain the 1,300-acre park at the heart of the region, Forest Park Forever is uniquely positioned to bring together cross-sector leaders who have a shared interest in moving our community forward.

City of St. Louis Alderlady Shameem Clark Hubbard (left) poses with Tina Duckett, executive director of the Steward Family Foundation

The decades-long restoration, improvement and ongoing maintenance of Forest Park is a model for how public leaders, corporations, nonprofit organizations and private individuals can work together to promote thriving communities, cultural institutions and public amenities. 

On Wednesday, January 21, nearly 70 attendees gathered in Forest Park around the theme of “A Rising St. Louis.” Seven months after the devastating May 16, 2025, tornado—which exacerbated long-term challenges related to economic shifts, population decline and social inequity—these leaders were invited to share challenges, opportunities and successes in the efforts to recover, rebuild and rise stronger:

Karen Branding, President and CEO of the Regional Business Council

Doug McHoney, international tax services global leaderPwC and Forest Park Forever board member, mingles with other guests before the panel discussion

The discussion ranged from excitement about development projects, the energy these leaders see from younger visitors and long-term residents and the need for everyone who calls St. Louis home to think and plan regionally.

Mayor Spencer, whose term began just one month before the tornado, said she’s inspired by the response not only to the tornado but also to other challenges the City faces. “This community is showing up for the recovery and showing up for the region,” she said. “The amount of folks involved in collective visioning is something I haven’t seen in my lifetime. We’re poised to work together as a community like never before.”

Monique Bynum, senior community investor/education relations at Boeing, asks a question during the panel discussion

Branding, whose organization brings together CEOs of 100 large St. Louis companies to act on the high-impact issues of education, career opportunities and public safety, cited signs of progress and reasons for optimism. These include several multi-billion-dollar projects, such as the modernization of St. Louis Lambert International Airport. She also noted that the region’s structural fragmentation is a major obstacle to progress: “We are [a metropolitan statistical area] with, as we know, two states, 14 counties. In St. Louis County alone, we have 88 municipalities. We have a city that’s not in the county… We need a shared vision for St. Louis.”

Clark Hubbard spoke to the tornado’s impact from the hyperlocal level, as each of the neighborhoods in her ward was directly affected. She sees promise in the community response. “In my day-to-day work, I think about the role we all play… and the responsibility we have to use this network and not take it for granted and see the ways we can all work together to bring our community forward.” Like all of the panelists, she also emphasized the importance of strong local, public schools, speaking as a St. Louis Public School parent.

Dean, who assumed leadership of Explore St. Louis in February 2025, brought an important perspective to the discussion as the panelist newest to St. Louis. He sees strength, resilience and possibility in his new home. “St. Louis ‘rising’ doesn’t imply ‘easy,’” Dean said. “It doesn’t imply that there won’t be setbacks. When I think of rising, I think of overcoming and overcoming together… St. Louis feels like it’s going that way, and that’s what drew me [to work] here.”

See more photos from the event on our Facebook page.

Note: The discussion was moderated by Forest Park Forever Senior Vice President of Development and Community Initiatives John O’Gorman, who stepped in for Forest Park Forever President and Executive Director Lesley Hoffarth.

Want to Work with Us to Help Move St. Louis Forward?

There are many ways for your business or organization to get involved:

  • Event sponsorships

  • Philanthropic partnerships

  • Corporate memberships

  • Custom partnerships

  • Volunteer opportunities

If you have questions or would like more information, reach out to our Corporate & Foundation Giving Manager, Sara Curran, by email or by calling 314.571.6082.

Tiffany Webb