72. Lessons from Madison: Recapping Commerce Lexington's Leadership Visit

This special episode of DevelopLex was created in partnership with Commerce Lexington to capture the biggest takeaways from the 2025 Leadership Visit to Madison, Wisconsin - and bring them home to Lexington.Every year, Commerce Lexington organizes one of the largest and longest-running intercity leadership trips in the country. Presented by Central Bank & Trust Co., the 2025 visit brought 165 Lexington-area leaders to Madison for three days of immersive learning. The goal? Study what’s working in high-performing peer cities and bring those insights back to Lexington.Madison’s story is one of intentional growth. With a youthful population, a booming research university, and major employers like Epic Systems, it’s a city defined by its constraints - and its creativity. From land use challenges and housing affordability to civic alignment and regionalism, this episode is packed with ideas Lexington can act on.Speakers in the order they appear:1:52 Jason Ilstrup - President, Downtown Madison Inc.6:37 Jennifer Mnookin - Chancellor, University of Wisconsin-Madison8:33 Kate Dale - EVP of Brand Strategy & Communications, Destination Madison17:10 & 22:22 Kurt Paulsen - Professor of Urban Planning, University of Wisconsin, MadisonHosted by Ross BoggessDevelopLex is proud to be supported by:SVN Stone Commercial Real EstateCommunity Trust BankCraftsman Contractors