In December 1999, four friends gathered for lunch to discuss the future of Montgomery and the rest is history...

Those four soon invited others to join the conversation, which shortly included the mayor and an Initiating Committee of 32 Montgomerians.

As scores of volunteers from all five counties of the River Region became involved in the Envision process, a new sense of optimism about the future of the region became evident. The Envision 2020 Board of Directors was formed, staff were hired and the following roles and principles were developed to guide the organization.

The role of the Envision Board of Directors and Staff will be to:

1. Monitor Task Forces to be sure they stay "on task"
2. Coordinate activities and fund-raising for specific projects among all Task Forces
3. Keep the River Region informed through all forms of media.
4. Offer other support needed by Task Forces to accomplish their goal.

The life span of Task Forces will vary, depending on how quickly they get the work done and on the nature of the work. Some will have a clear beginning and end, while others may be ongoing. The goal of Envision is to launch all goals and to monitor and report on their progress, with the ultimate vision of each becoming such an important part of life in Central Alabama, that the Envision office is no longer necessary! As in other communities, some of the Task Forces may spin off as separate, freestanding entities.

Envision2020 Guiding Principles:
Envision 2020 is a new way of conducting business in the River Region. It is an opportunity to reach shared goals with new collaborations among those involved in:

Business
Government
Direct providers of services
Interested citizens

Along with reaching the specific goals and strategies of the Envision 2020 Plan, an equally important goal is developing people. Envision leaders and participants strive to:

Lead, directed by a shared vision
Use consensus to create "win-win", rather than "win-lose"
Are agents for change
Are inclusive
Develop people
Listen
Persevere
Have the long view
Are not guided by just what is possible today, but by what the vision is for tomorrow.