OR Legislative Coastal Caucus release - Oregon Coast Economic Summit to Bring State Leaders, Business and Community Leaders Together to Explore the Future of the Coastal Economy - SEASIDE — Coastal legislators, business leaders, economic development professionals, community leaders and industry representatives from across Oregon will gather in Seaside on Oct. 28 and 29 for the 2026 Oregon Coast Economic Summit, a bipartisan economic development forum organized on behalf of the Oregon Legislative Coastal Caucus. Hosted in partnership with the Oregon Coast Visitors Association and Blue Ridge Strategies, the summit will bring together leaders from government, tourism, business, ports, natural resources, economic development and emerging ocean industries to examine the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of Oregon's coastal economy. The Oregon Legislative Coastal Caucus is a bipartisan, bicameral group of legislators representing coastal districts from Astoria to the California border. The summit provides a unique opportunity for policymakers and community and business leaders to step outside the Capitol and engage directly with the people and industries driving coastal economic development. Travel Oregon's New Leader to Address how tourism contributes to a better life for all Oregonians: One of the summit's keynote speakers will be Kate Sinner, Executive Director of Travel Oregon, who began leading the state's tourism organization in July 2026. Sinner brings more than two decades of experience working across government, economic development, research and the private sector. Before joining Travel Oregon, she served as Innovation & Business and Resources Director at Business Oregon, where she managed statewide efforts focused on innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth. Her previous work also included efforts to secure federal research and education investment for Oregon, with an emphasis on rural and coastal communities. National Blue Economy Perspective: The summit's second keynote will feature Ephraim Froehlich of AKWA-DC, who will bring a national perspective on the rapidly developing blue economy and efforts underway around the country to harness ocean and coastal resources for economic development, innovation and job creation. Froehlich's presentation will examine how communities and regions across the country are approaching blue economy opportunities and what Oregon's coastal communities can learn from those efforts. The subject also comes at an important time for Oregon policymakers. During the 2026 legislative session, Oregon passed legislation establishing a Blue Economy Task Force to examine existing initiatives, market opportunities, state and federal programs and best practices from other states and countries, with the goal of developing recommendations for a more coordinated blue economy strategy. That task force has begun meeting. A Forum for Coastal Collaboration - The Oregon Coast Economic Summit has become an annual gathering point for policymakers, local government officials, economic development organizations, business owners, investors, nonprofit leaders and industry representatives interested in the future of Oregon's coastal communities. The summit is intentionally designed as a bipartisan and collaborative forum, providing extended opportunities for participants to exchange ideas, build relationships and identify opportunities for regional cooperation. The summit begins Wednesday evening, Oct. 28, with the Taste of the Oregon Coast, followed by a full day of programming on Thursday, Oct. 29, at the Seaside Civic & Convention Center. For registration and event information: 2026 Oregon Coast Economic Summit — Event Information & Registration.