At State of the Valley 2026, Eagle County Community Leaders Agree: ‘It All Starts With the People.’
Behind attendees at Eagle River Presbyterian Church hung a white banner that read “Journeying Together,” seemingly capturing the focus of the 2026 State of the Valley.
The Vail Valley Partnership and Vail Symposium hosted the annual State of the Valley event to hear community leaders from different sectors of the county speak about strengths, needs and 2027 goals. Panelists included Chris Romer, president and CEO of Vail Valley Partnership; Gerry Lopez from the Eagle County School District; Tori Franks, resiliency director for Eagle County government; Colleen Weiss-Hanen, president and CEO of East West Hospitality; and David Kaplan, president of Colorado Mountain Medical. The event was moderated by Tom Moorhead, arbiter and former chief judge of the 5th Judicial District.
While the panel began with the theme of resiliency, all discussion points homed in on one subject — the people. Each leader shared how community members need more support in a variety of ways across the county, whether it be looking into housing for families, mental health support for employees, support for the young student population or retaining the general population.
