Bryan Daniels, the President and CEO of the Blount Partnership – Incoming IEDC Board chair, joins Dennis, and they discuss what is ahead for the economic development profession and IEDC in 2025.

Bryan Daniels was born and raised in Greeneville, Tennessee, which is adjacent to Cherokee National Forest. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications & Computer Science and a Master of Science degree in Manufacturing Engineering Technology from East Tennessee State University.

Bryan began his career with the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development based in Nashville, Tennessee. Mr. Daniels left the State of Tennessee in 1997 and begun work as an Economic Development Planner for the firm of Barge Waggoner, Sumner and Cannon based in Nashville, Tennessee. During this time Bryan worked with several communities within East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. His clients were municipalities trying to develop their local economies and seeking state and federal support for their goals.

From 2001 thru 2010, Bryan accepted the role of Executive Vice President under the Blount Partnership. He was directly responsible for the Economic Development offices and staff located in Maryville, Tennessee; Munich, Germany; and Yokohama, Japan. Bryan managed the operations of the community's four industrial parks, two science/technology parks, and the Economic Development Programs for Blount County, City of Maryville, and City of Alcoa, Tennessee. The Economic Development Board is one of the four partner agencies of the Blount Partnership.

In 2010, Bryan was named President and CEO of the Blount Partnership. The Partnership is comprised of The Blount County Chamber of Commerce, Blount County Economic Development Board, the Smoky Mountain Tourism Development Authority, and the Blount Chamber Foundation. The 24-person staff is responsible for all economic development activities within the jurisdictional boarders of Blount County and the cities of Alcoa, Maryville, Townsend, Rockford, Friendsville, and Louisville.

During Bryan's tenure, Blount County has recruited over 75 new and expanding companies in the areas of research & development, corporate headquarters, manufacturing, and back-office support centers. The total capital investment of these companies has exceeded $4 billion dollars and created more than 12,000 direct new jobs with average wages above Tennessee's average. The Blount County local governments adopted the new tourism authority structure which was written by Bryan and former Senator Doug Overbey. The authority was unanimously adopted by the 107th Tennessee general assembly.

Bryan has continued his professional education by graduating from the Economic Development Institute located at the University of Oklahoma and is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) from the International Economic Development Council. Bryan is also a graduate from the US Chamber's Institute of Non-Profit Management and attained the designation of IOM. He has also attained the status of Certified Chamber Executive (CCE) from the American Chamber of Commerce Executives.

The Blount Partnership is a five-star accredited Chamber of Commerce by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and is the only Accredited Economic Development Organization (AEDO) by the International Economic Development Council in the state of Tennessee. Bryan is very active in the community and has held the following leadership roles: