VVREO’s Fall Forum Brings People and Possibilities Together
A local business owner has an idea for expanding but needs help taking the next step. A young adult hopes to build a career close to home. A community sees potential in a vacant property but needs the right partners to put it to use.
Each possibility raises questions about resources, relationships, and opportunity. Together, they point to a larger conversation: what would help the Verde Valley become an even better place to build a business, earn a living, and put down roots?
That conversation will bring business owners, community leaders, entrepreneurs, and residents together at the VVREO Fall Forum: The Verde Valley Economy: Outlook & Opportunity, taking place Monday, October 19, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to noon at The Hub in Sedona.
The Verde Valley has much to build on: distinctive communities, entrepreneurial energy, and people deeply invested in the place they call home. Turning those strengths into lasting economic opportunity takes connections. A business may need expertise available in a neighboring community. A promising project may need a partner who has already worked through a similar challenge. An idea may move forward because the right people finally have a chance to talk.
Hosted by the Verde Valley Regional Economic Organization (VVREO), the Fall Forum creates space for those connections while helping participants understand the forces shaping the region’s economy.
An economic outlook from Tom Binnings will provide context for the decisions businesses and communities face. Karen Stamm, Rural Economic Development Specialist from the Arizona Commerce Authority, will connect that larger picture with practical insights into business investment, what companies consider when evaluating locations, and resources available to rural communities and existing businesses.
Those insights have relevance well beyond attracting a new employer. They can help frame decisions about supporting an established business, preparing a site for future use, or recognizing an opportunity that fits a community’s strengths.
Local perspectives will be central to the morning. A Community Showcase will highlight efforts and possibilities across the Verde Valley, giving attendees a chance to discover what is happening nearby and where interests overlap. An update on VVREO’s Small Business Loan Program will also highlight a resource supporting local entrepreneurs and business growth.
The people attending will bring an equally valuable part of the conversation: firsthand experience. Business owners understand the challenges of keeping an enterprise moving forward. Educators and nonprofit leaders see where support can make a difference. Residents bring perspectives on what makes a community a place worth staying.
Table Talks will create opportunities to share those perspectives and explore possibilities for the region. The closing Going Forward conversation will look ahead at VVREO’s work and ways to become involved. Both reflect a central purpose of the Forum: building relationships that can continue long after the morning ends.
Throughout the year, VVREO connects the region with business support, educational opportunities, local economic data, market research, and site selection resources. The Fall Forum brings that work into a shared conversation about the future—and the people willing to help shape it.
For anyone with an idea, a question, or a stake in the Verde Valley’s future, October 19 offers a place to make a connection and take a next step.
The Fall Forum will take place at The Hub, 525-B Posse Ground Road, Sedona. General admission is $35 and includes refreshments. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available through the VVREO Fall Forum registration page. More information about VVREO is available at vvreo.com.
By Constance “Connie” Capiotis, Executive Director, Verde Valley Regional Economic Organization