St. Louis Leaders Discuss Authentic and High-Impact Partnerships
Lunch and panel discussion with cross-sector executives
On June 24, St. Louis leaders gathered at Delmar DivINe for a panel on authentic partnerships. The “A Seat at the Cross-Sector Table” lunch and panel discussion was sponsored by Access Point.
Panelists included Rodney Crim, CEO and President of St. Louis Economic Development Partnership (STL Partnership); Dr. Natissia Small, CEO of Girl Scouts of Eastern MO.; and Ron Kitchens, CEO of Greater St. Louis Inc. Kristen Sorth, Director and CEO of St. Louis County Library moderated the discussion while also participating as a panelist.
The discussion covered a range of topics, from common assumptions about the relationship between non-profits, businesses, and government, to the signs of collaboration-ready organizations. Panelists also addressed questions about the formation, maintenance, and even dissolution of partnerships.
A few key ideas were emphasized throughout the panel:
- Authenticity, discipline, and intentionality are key to strong partnerships.
- Impact matters, and not every project will be a perfect fit.
- Partnerships are relational, not transactional.
These ideas were illustrated through real-world examples from each panelist’s organization. When talking about intentionality and impact, Crim highlighted recent work done in Wellston and Kinloch. The event concluded with a Q&A between the attendees and the panelists.