Civic Leader Summit to Highlight Best Ideas for Building Vibrant Communities

PENSACOLA, FL, UNITED STATES, May 27, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Two innovative organizations will team up this fall to host the Civic Leader Summit in Pensacola, Florida. Their goal? To provide strategies that help communities across the nation inspire investment, attract talent, create lively downtowns, and in general become places where people want to be. In short, the Summit is all about vibrancy.

The Center for Civic Engagement will partner with Strong Towns to host the Civic Leader Summit from Tuesday, September 23, through Thursday, September 25. The event will bring together community leaders, innovators, and stakeholders committed to building stronger, more resilient communities.

Participants will learn actionable strategies, receive practical tools and tactics, and make valuable connections to enhance their local impact. The agenda will be filled with people who are “in the trenches” doing the work right now and are committed to bringing tried-and-true strategies to help solve communities’ toughest problems. The program will feature breakout sessions and presentations from Quint Studer, Chuck Marohn, and Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves, with many more speakers to be announced.

Quint Studer is the author of Building a Vibrant Community: How Citizen-Powered Change Is Reshaping America and founder of the Center for Civic Engagement, which focuses on finding top experts from around the country to educate citizens on best practices. He also founded Vibrant Community Partners, which coaches small and mid-size communities in build¬ing out a blueprint for achieving growth and excellence.

He notes that while we all tend to get focused on national news, in times of swirling change, getting local is where the difference is really made. When people feel anxious and destabilized, a vibrant community is both a safe place to land and an incubator for local solutions.

“Great communities help us feel grounded, protected, and empowered,” Studer says. “They provide jobs and solid economic growth. They educate our young people, keep us safe, nurture our health, and give us a feeling of control over our lives. The best solutions come when we engage locally. Plus, vibrant communities also provide that sense of belonging and connection that’s so vital for resilience and mental health.

“However, vibrant communities don’t just happen,” he adds. “They are built strategically and intentionally. That’s why this Summit is so valuable. It will lay out tactical, actionable ideas that have been proven to work. When Pensacola got intentional about what we wanted to create and educated ourselves on working together, everything changed for us.”

Charles (“Chuck”) Marohn is the founder and president of Strong Towns, a national nonprofit, media organization, and member-powered movement for change that is changing the conversation around how we approach development. With decades of experience as a land use planner and civil engineer, he is on a mission to help cities and towns become stronger and more prosperous.

“The most effective change happens from the bottom up,” says Marohn. “It’s the low-risk grassroots investments that help communities get stronger financially and improve quality of life for all citizens. Every day I see communities do amazing things without spending a ton of money. Events like the Civic Leader Summit really matter, because they provide a forum to share and scale these kinds of local solutions.”

Event organizers are super excited about this collaboration between Quint Studer and Chuck Marohn. Both have traveled the country looking for better ways to grow communities. Together, they make a powerhouse team.

Studer is known for his practical, workable, citizen-driven approach to community growth and development and his track record of revitalizing Pensacola, Florida. This success has earned a series of accolades, including being ranked the Number Seven Best Small City in the U.S. by the Condé Nast Traveler (https://www.visitpensacola.com/pensacola-named-number-8-on-conde-nast-travelers-top-10-best-small-cities-in-2023/) and Palafox Street’s being named one of the Ten Great Streets in America by the American Planning Association (https://www.floridawesteda.com/palafox-street-pensacola-one-of-the-10-great-streets-in-america/).

Marohn is known for his focus on helping cities and towns become more prosperous by seeking to replace the pattern of top-down growth and high-risk investing with small, incremental actions that strengthen communities and improve the lives of citizens. Through articles, podcasts, videos, live events, and professional coaching, Strong Towns provides knowledge and tools to help people take the future of their neighborhoods, towns, and cities into their own hands.

Both are incredibly passionate about their work. The synergy generated by these two thought leaders promises to result in a can’t-miss event.

To register for the Civic Leader Summit, please visit https://www.civicleadersummit.com/.

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About Quint Studer:
Quint Studer is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and leadership expert dedicated to helping organizations and communities thrive. He founded Studer Group, which improved education and healthcare outcomes and earned the Malcolm Baldrige Award before its acquisition in 2015. Studer’s focus was also on community revitalization via the Studer Community Institute (SCI), which advances early brain development and leadership training. He also founded the Center for Civic Engagement. The Center brings in speakers to Pensacola on a wide range of topics aimed at educating citizens and raising civic IQ. His efforts helped revitalize Pensacola, Florida, driving significant growth and earning national recognition. He has authored 16 books, including The Busy Leader’s Handbook, a Wall Street Journal bestseller, and Building a Vibrant Community, which is a blueprint for creating great places to live, work, and play. A passionate teacher and mentor, he continues to inspire leaders and communities nationwide. https://vibrantcommunityblueprint.com/about-quint-studer/

About the Center for Civic Engagement:
The Center for Civic Engagement is a nonprofit organization with the goal of making Pensacola a better place to live, grow, work, and invest through smart planning and civic conversations. They attract national experts to the CivicCon speaker series that explores what “great” looks like and how others have overcome challenges in their communities. https://vibrantcommunityblueprint.com/overview/

About Chuck Marohn:
Charles (“Chuck”) Marohn is the founder and president of Strong Towns. With decades of experience as a land use planner and civil engineer, Marohn is on a mission to help cities and towns become stronger and more prosperous. He has spoken nationally and internationally on how current U.S. development patterns are bankrupting cities and making them more fragile, and what cities can do to become more resilient through local action. His latest book, Escaping the Housing Trap, is a national bestseller. In recognition of his efforts and impact, Planetizen named him one of the 15 Most Influential Urbanists of all time in 2017 and 2023. https://www.strongtowns.org/contributors-journal/charles-marohn

About Strong Towns:
Strong Towns is a national nonprofit, media organization, and member-powered movement for change that shifts conversations around North American development patterns. Through articles, podcasts, videos, live events, and professional coaching, it provides knowledge and tools to help people take the future of their neighborhoods, towns, and cities into their own hands. https://www.strongtowns.org/

Dottie DeHart
DH&C
dottie@dehartandcompany.com

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