Leadership and community and economic development: this article tells the story of northeastern Ohio’s epiphany that it could no longer rely on a few successful individuals and corporations to drive and sustain catalytic community change. The era of the “hero economy” is over. The region’s stakeholders realized that its advancement depended on creating interconnected networks of leaders. These stakeholders have now begun to support programs that weave a fabric of leadership among the communities of Akron, Canton, Cleveland and Youngstown.