Develop This: Economic and Community Development

What happens if your industrial park is located outside of an opportunity zone?  Keith Gillenwater, President & CEO of Grow Wabash, says you have to get creative.

In this episode, Keith is back with Jason on-site at the Mid America EDC Conference in Downtown Chicago to talk about getting creative when pulling together an economic development deal.

More About Keith Gillenwater

Grow Wabash

Mid America EDC

How can you grow your population against demographic headwaters?  Keith Gillenwater is the President & CEO of Grow Wabash, the economic development organization serving Wabash County, Indiana.

Keith was live on site at the Mid America EDC Conference in Downtown Chicago earlier this month.

Jason caught up with Keith to talk population strategies, chamber and economic development group mergers, and more.

More About Keith Gillenwater

Grow Wabash

Mid America EDC

Yes- data is very important in the site selection business.  But like most industries, the people and the relationships matter.

In this episode, Jason interviews Ron Starner, Executive Vice President of Conway, Inc. and Site Selection Magazine.  Ron was on location at the Mid America EDC Conference in Downtown Chicago to provide his annual update to attendees on the results of the consultants survey.

Ron talks big data, his affinity for the Midwest, and the value of building and maintaining relationships over the long haul.

Mid America EDC

Connect with Ron Starner

Site Selection Magazine

Conway, Inc.

Regions tend to change geographic boundaries over time, but the New North region of Wisconsin has held together for the last 15 years.  One of the secrets? This region was formed at the request of the private sector and the financial support followed.

In this episode, recorded on site at the Mid America EDC Conference in downtown Chicago, Jason interviews Barb LaMue, Executive Director of New North, Inc.  They talk details of funding, partnering with local economic development professionals, and structuring a regional effort that will stand the test of time.

Special thanks to the Mid America EDC group for partnering with this podcast to record on-site at the annual Competitiveness Conference.

Barb LaMue

New North, Inc.

Mid America EDC

It is that time of year when you are finishing the planning process for 2020.  We all know that goal-setting is important, but is it just enough to dream or to think big?

In this episode, Dennis offers some suggestions and tips for going beyond the ideas.  When setting goals, it is important to consider action steps, find an accountability group, and provide those individuals with regular updates.

If you stay in this profession long enough, you will encounter negativity.  No one likes to be criticized, but your response is entirely within your control.

In this episode, Dennis offers suggestions for dealing with criticism and provides some examples of how to handle negativity- especially with the press.

Your favorite podcast co-hosts are on vacation this week, so please enjoy this encore episode.

Trade shows sound like a worthy addition to your economic development marketing plan, but unless you execute well, they can be a total waste of time.

In this episode, Jason shares stories from the trenches including some best practices for maximizing your trade show attendance. 

Your favorite podcast co-hosts are on vacation this week, so please enjoy this encore episode.

If you have not yet read the Good to Great book by Jim Collins, you should definitely put it on your list.

In this episode, Dennis and Jason discuss the 6 key ingredients behind the successful transition from a good organization to a great organization and then apply them to the economic development profession.

Jim Collins, Good to Great

Dennis and Jason are on vacation this week, so please enjoy this encore episode originally published in March 2019.

Most residents of your community are likely familiar with the terms 'chamber of commerce' and 'economic development'.  The differences between these organizations, however, aren't always clear.  Often times, anything related to business, industry, and job growth will be lumped together as though it is all done by The Chamber.

So what are the key differences between these groups if they are separate organizations within a community?  Are the roles distinguishable in communities where the two groups have merged?

In this episode, Dennis and Jason share a few key differences in these groups and offer suggestions for chambers of commerce and economic development groups considering a merger.

Imagine an experience where the brightest minds from college campuses descend on a single location for an entire week to talk, study, and collaborate on business start-up ideas.

That experience is the Okoboji Entrepreneurial Institute.

In this episode, Dennis interviews Alyssa Petersen and Jake Jensen to learn more about this annual event and its successes. 

Okoboji Entrepreneurial Institute

Learn More About Alyssa Petersen