Municipalities across the region and area businesses need to work together to attract more companies and jobs. That was the ongoing message at the 2012 Regional Economic Development Summit Tuesday. About 200 regional leaders attended the event.

Speakers addressed successes and challenges in economic development, site requirements for attracting businesses and tips on growing jobs. Vickie Clark is the President of the Economic Development Council for Central Illinois which hosted the event. She says it’s important for regional leaders to be on the same page when it comes to luring business to the area.

"It's really competitive out there. Post recession, there are states, there are regions that are very creative and innovative about pulling jobs to their area. That means they are trying to take our jobs from this area to their own. We want to keep those jobs here and we also want to pull new businesses into our area as well," says Clark.

Clark says the goal of the economic summit was also to get input from attendees as the EDC works to craft a new five year strategic plan for economic development.