Summit Unites Stakeholders for Rural Growth
Businesses, Leaders, and Community Stakeholders Come Together for Growth in Lake County
Lake County hosted this year’s Redwood Coast Region Economic Development Summit, centering on rural development and agri-tourism to combine agricultural landmarks and environments with recreation and economic highlights.
The Soper Reese Community Theatre hosted the 5th Redwood Coast Region Economic Development Summit on Thursday, November 6, and Friday, November 7, 2025. The summit aimed to inspire networking, discussion, and collaboration under the theme “Harvesting Growth – Transforming Rural Economies.”
Nicole Flora, Executive Director of Lake County Chamber of Commerce and the Lake County Economic Development Corporation, co-organized and hosted the summit. Attendees represented a variety of sectors:
Economic development
Entrepreneurs
Local government representatives
The financial sector
Workforce development
Local community members
Panels covered key topics such as the following:
Agri-tourism
Small town revitalization
Recreational economy
California’s tourism industry
Regional economy
State-supported projects
Speakers at the summit included State Senator Mike McGuire, Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, and representatives from local businesses such as Six Sigma, alongside other enterprises supported by the Small Business Development Center. Participants came from the following counties:
Lake
Mendocino
Humboldt
Trinity
Del Norte
The Lake County Economic Development Corporation and North Edge Financial served as lead organizers, with several Lake County businesses and institutions sponsoring the event.
The day before, a Redwood Region Rise gathering was held on Wednesday, November 5, at Robinson Rancheria. Presentations highlighted economic development initiatives in Lake and Mendocino counties, provided updates on several Catalyst Fund projects, and included workshops on advancing regional economic collaboration. Representatives from Tribal Nations and counties including Lake, Mendocino, Humboldt, and Del Norte attended, strengthening cross-county partnerships and sharing best practices for rural growth and agri-tourism development.
The 5th Redwood Coast Region Economic Development Summit reinforces Lake County’s commitment to fostering rural growth, agri-tourism, and regional collaboration. Such continued collaboration transforms the local economy while preserving the region’s unique agricultural and recreational assets.