In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson talks with Mark Williams, founder of Strategic Development Group and author of Corporate Site Selection and Economic Development: A 35 Year Perspective, about what really happens behind the scenes in site selection.

Mark shares lessons from working in state government, building a consulting firm, advising corporate clients, and writing a book that has become both a teaching tool and a business development asset.

The conversation covers why economic developers and companies often misunderstand each other, why listening matters more than overloading prospects with information, how time quietly kills deals, what clients really want from consultants and communities, and how technology, AI, virtual meetings, and generational change are reshaping the field without replacing the need for judgment, trust, and walking the site.

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Special Guests: Dr. Glenn Athey and Mark Williams.

Sponsored By:

• Sitehunt: Sitehunt is industrial site selection software for economic developers.

Links:

• Corporate Site Selection and Economic Development: A 35 Year Perspective by Mark Williams