The 2026 Annual Meeting brought together the business executives, civic leaders, policymakers, and development partners who shape Washington, DC’s economy. The convening came at a moment of consequence for the District: a federal reset, a coming mayoral transition, and a national conversation about where companies are choosing to grow. The room centered on what the next five years of DC’s economic strategy will require.
President and CEO Derek Ford opened with the numbers that define the current landscape. In 2025, WDCEP helped facilitate 671 jobs and more than 306,000 square feet of office leasing activity. The active pipeline now includes 273 projects representing over 17,000 jobs, 4.5 million square feet, and more than $604 million in capital investment. Conversation throughout the evening returned to a single organizing question: Why DC? The answer, that DC is the only market where technology and policy intersect at decision-making scale, continues to shape how WDCEP approaches corporate attraction, retention, and expansion across AI, life sciences, and professional services.
Rappaport Companies and Cushman & Wakefield were recognized as our Economic Drivers of The Year, heard from OpenAI’s Chan Park on why the AI company chose to open a DC office, and featured a panel discussion, with Sorcero’s Dipwanita Das and Medstar Health’s Dr. Nawar Shara on how DC is forging the future of Health Innovation
We are grateful to everyone who joined us, including students from Howard University and the George Washington University School of Business, who represent the next generation of leadership for the District’s economy.