Intelligent Community Forum Brings International Summit to Columbus

COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- When Columbus was named Intelligent Community of the Year for 2015, it was a culmination of efforts by both the city's public and private sectors to showcase the strides Columbus has made in innovative growth strategies that focus on economic vitality and community building. This year, the city plays host to the Intelligent Community Forum's Annual Summit (June 13th - 17th), which focuses on economic growth and community empowerment. The summit will not only feature the local places and people that helped Columbus clinch the title last year, but will feature communities that are currently in the running to be named this year's winner of the Intelligent Community of the Year Award. Tickets are still available for this unique opportunity: ICFSummit16.com.

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"The ICF Summit is the only place that brings together cities and towns who are working with a specific set of criteria to help solve problems that national governments have become incapable of solving," Louis Zacharilla, Co-Founder of the Intelligent Community Forum said. "The Summit is also a mecca for match-making between cities, and for sharing knowledge that has helped leaders worldwide go back home and change the lives of citizens."

The week-long event takes place at sites around Columbus and includes an exploration day, economic development day, community accelerator day, intelligent community day and a day to explore Columbus. Many of the planned events focus on both rural and urban settings and feature a variety of local speakers like current Mayor, Andrew Ginther; former Columbus mayor, Michael B. Coleman; CEO of Stratford Economic Enterprise Development Corporation, Marlene Coffey; and Dublin, Ohio City Manager, Dana McDaniel; as well as international leaders including Annette Main, Mayor of Whanganui, New Zealand and Kristina Verner, director of Intelligent Communities Toronto.

"We want the world to see what we mean when we say that it is cities that are under the radar,  in terms of name brand recognition, that are the innovative cities," Zacharilla said. "We think Columbus, and cities that will be here from places like Eindhoven and Taiwan, will dictate the terms of the global economy over the next few decades. Columbus is great. We want to show people how sexy it really is!"

Throughout the Summit, attendees will learn how progressive communities have harnessed the broadband economy to the benefit of public and private interests and most importantly, how they have used the broadband economy to empower their citizenry. The 2016 Intelligent Community of the year will be selected at the Intelligent Community Awards Dinner on June 16.

"I am interested to meet each of the Top7 and learn how they have gone from revolution to the Renaissance," Zacharilla said. "That is, to understand how they have put technology in the service of human expression and wealth creation."

Columbus residents and the media are invited to engage with mayors, CEOs, CIOs, leading academics, economic development executives, marketing professionals and thought leaders from around the globe in an invigorating discussion about what fuels broadband economies in the 21st century at this year's 2016 Intelligent Community Forum. The summit lasts from June 13, 2016, through June 17, 2016, at various locations around the city of Columbus, Ohio, including the Sheraton Hotel Columbus, COSI and the Columbus School for Girls.

Tickets may be purchased through June 15 at ICFSummit16.com.

About Intelligent Community Foundation:

The Intelligent Community Forum Foundation is the nonprofit membership association of the Intelligent Community Forum. Its members are communities honored by the Forum's international awards program for Intelligent Communities, which use information and communications technology to grow prosperous, inclusive, sustainable economies. Having achieved so much already, the members of ICFF have formed this global network – a "community of communities" – in order to boost their economic competitiveness, social health and cultural strength through close and effective collaboration. They are committed partners in building the community of the 21st Century.

About the Intelligent Community Summit:

The ICF Summit is an international gathering of leaders and community innovators coming together to explore and celebrate cutting edge strategies that drive economic growth and empower citizens in the digital age.

For Media Interviews/Request about the Intelligent Community Summit: Aladin Gohar, Summit16 Program Committee Chair, 614.859.6894, [email protected].

For Media Interviews/Request about the Intelligent Community Foundation: Louis Zacharilla, Co-Founder, +1 212-249-0624.

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SOURCE Intelligent Community Forum Foundation