News & Updates

Dear Council on Competitiveness Community, We are in the homestretch for 2025. As past newsletters have demonstrated, 2025 has been incredibly productive. And with just three months ahead of us this year, much more is still to come. In particular, the team and I are excited to deliver the 2025 gala dinner and National Competitiveness […]

The numbers tell a stark story: China now graduates roughly 1.25 million engineersand computer scientists annually—five times the U.S. total of 250,000. Over just twodecades, China’s output of bachelor’s degrees in these fields increased tenfold,master’s degrees by 15 times, and doctorates by 20 times. Meanwhile, U.S. growthhas been comparatively modest, widening the domestic gap in […]

The regulation of public utilities is an arcane art practiced in the U.S. at the state and federal government levels. Public utilities, also called public service companies, include such vital infrastructure industries as electricity, natural gas distribution and water. These private companies are granted monopoly franchises to serve specified communities. In return for the monopoly […]

In her September Forbes.com article, Council President and CEO Deborah WinceSmith highlights how regions across the country—from Tennessee and South Carolina to Indiana, Texas, Colorado, and Pennsylvania—are laying the foundations for America’s innovation economy. Drawing on insights from the nearly 10 editions of Competitiveness Conversations hosted across the country, as well as from findings in […]

For more than four decades, the Council on Competitiveness has been defined and strengthened by its remarkable members and leaders. This tradition continues with the election of J. Erik Fyrwald, CEO of International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF), as Chair of the Council. Erik brings decades of leadership in science-driven innovation, sustainability, and global partnerships—experience that […]

Dear Council on Competitiveness Members and Friends, For four decades, an extraordinary group of members and leaders have defined, strengthened and stretched the Council on Competitiveness—a tradition that continues as we welcome our next Chair. The Council’s Board and Executive Committee have unanimously elected Mr. J. Erik Fyrwald, CEO of International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. […]

Washington, DC, August 28, 2025 — Today, the Council on Competitiveness (Council) will announce Mr. J. Erik Fyrwald, CEO, IFF, as its next Chair. The announcement comes in advance of the Council’s September 17-18, 2025, Executive Committee and National Commissioners Meeting in Lafayette, IN, which is themed around the future of the bioeconomy, and will bring […]

The United States faces an increasingly urgent challenge: a growing dependence on China, its economic rival and geopolitical adversary, for critical technologies that underpin both national security and economic stability. Critical minerals for most emerging technologies are now almost wholly mined and processed in China. The United States heavily relies upon China for manufacturing tools […]

In the spirit of working to accelerate innovation and advance U.S. competitiveness, the Council is excited to share a robust lineup of key events in the months ahead: Want to learn how to engage in these upcoming events? Read the full July edition of the Compete Connect newsletter below:

AI, biotech, quantum, and other breakthrough technologies are reshaping the global economy — and the race to lead them is intensifying. While the United States invested a record $940 billion in R&D in 2023 (approximately 79 percent of which was conducted by business), other nations are moving fast to scale innovation and claim leadership in […]