In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson talks with Jennifer Storm, CEO of the Buda Economic Development Corporation, who discusses her transition from association management and government relations to economic development leadership. Storm shares insights about managing a rapidly growing community that's 90% built out, the importance of team building, and how her background in various roles prepared her for leading economic development in one of Texas's fastest-growing corridors.

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Special Guest: Jennifer Storm.

Sponsored By:

• Sitehunt: Sitehunt helps economic developers understand their sites, match them to projects, and respond with confidence in minutes instead of scrambling for days.

Links:

• Jennifer L. Storm - Buda EDC

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, host Dane Carlson sits down with Coby Lefkowitz, co-founder and partner at Backyard, a real estate development firm specializing in infill multifamily projects in walkable communities. Coby shares insights from his book "Building Optimism: Why Our World Looks the Way it Does, and How to Make it Better" and discusses how communities can evolve through better development practices, emphasizing the importance of context-specific solutions and the integration of mixed-use spaces in urban planning.

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Special Guest: Coby Lefkowitz.

Sponsored By:

• Sitehunt: Sitehunt helps economic developers understand their sites, match them to projects, and respond with confidence in minutes instead of scrambling for days.

Links:

• Building Optimism: Why Our World Looks the Way it Does, and How to Make it Better by Coby Lefkowitz

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Clint Nessmith, CEO of Resource Development Group, reveals the niche world of economic development fundraising consulting. He explains how his firm exclusively works with economic development organizations and chambers of commerce across the country, particularly focusing on larger regional chambers in major markets. Nessmith shares insights about the fundraising process, the importance of market validation, and how proper fundraising can unite communities behind a shared vision.

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Special Guest: Clint Nessmith.

Sponsored By:

• Sitehunt: Sitehunt helps economic developers understand their sites, match them to projects, and respond with confidence in minutes instead of scrambling for days.

Links:

• Clint Nessmith | LinkedIn

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, host Dane Carlson sits down with Arthur Jackson, Chief Economic Development Officer for Cedar Park, Texas. Arthur shares his unexpected path into economic development following a layoff from a sales director position, leading to his role with the Austin Chamber and eventual leadership in Cedar Park. Through their conversation, Arthur reveals how his sales background enhances his economic development approach, emphasizing the importance of listening and resilience. He also showcases Cedar Park's impressive achievements as the safest and most affluent city in the Austin area, while discussing the delicate balance of regional cooperation and local development in the greater Austin metroplex.

Cedar Park is undergoing a remarkable transformation. Under Arthur’s leadership, this rapidly growing suburb of Austin is attracting innovative businesses that are transforming the tech, aerospace and clean energy industries including rocket tester Firefly, Hyliion, which provides clean, flexible and affordable electricity production., and Hanyang. Cedar Park offers space, affordability and access to talent while capitalizing on its proximity to Austin.

The City is also attracting talent and providing enhanced livability to its residents by investing in itself. Cedar Park, which was incorporated about 50 years ago, has 80,000 residents and experienced 44.2% growth in the last population Census, but it never had a downtown or gathering place. The City’s approach to community development was to bet on big-box retail, a minor league sports and event arena (HEB Center), hotels, and 31 miles of trails and parks, along with housing. This presented an opportunity to build a modern-day downtown with resident buy-in. Cedar Park is currently building its first downtown with the Bell District—a $750 million development anchored by a $31 million state-of-the-art public library that opened this November.

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Special Guest: Arthur Jackson.

Sponsored By:

• Sitehunt: Sitehunt helps economic developers understand their sites, match them to projects, and respond with confidence in minutes instead of scrambling for days.

Links:

• Arthur Jackson, MBA | LinkedIn

In this episode, Alan Tio shares his journey from earning his Master's in Public Administration to his current role as VP of Business Development at South Bend International Airport. He discusses the unique challenges and opportunities of airport-based economic development, including managing hundreds of acres of developable land and creating partnerships to maximize the airport's potential as a community asset. Tio emphasizes the importance of long-term planning and viewing the airport as the "front door" to the community for business development.

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Special Guest: Alan Tio.

Sponsored By:

• Sitehunt: Sitehunt helps economic developers understand their sites, match them to projects, and respond with confidence in minutes instead of scrambling for days.

Links:

• Alan Tio, MPA, CEcD, MEDP | LinkedIn

In this episode of the Sandy Dubay opens up about her unexpected path from traditional economic development to entrepreneurship, sparked by a life-changing moment when she was pregnant with her first child and a friend's suggestion led her to establish her own consulting practice, which has now grown to a team of eight people over 22 years, while also discussing her passion for educating new economic developers through her her EDO Breakthrough Podcast.

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Special Guest: Sandy Dubay.

Sponsored By:

• Sitehunt: Sitehunt helps economic developers understand their sites, match them to projects, and respond with confidence in minutes instead of scrambling for days.

Links:

• Sandy Dubay, CEcD | LinkedIn

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, host Dane Carlson talks with Juan Pablo Alcantar, the CEO of Economic Development for Tuxpan in Mexico. Juan shares his journey from being US-trained to making significant changes in economic development practices in his hometown. Faced with challenges like data accessibility and cash-based economies, he emphasizes the importance of implementing best practices and establishing rapport with stakeholders. Juan also recounts his interactions with significant institutions like the North American Development Bank and moments of insight during meetings at the White House Business Council.

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Special Guest: Juan Pablo Alcantar.

Sponsored By:

• Sitehunt: Sitehunt helps economic developers understand their sites, match them to projects, and respond with confidence in minutes instead of scrambling for days.

Links:

• Juan Pablo Alcantar, CEcD | LinkedIn

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Kathleen Rose, drawing from her 30-year experience and family background in development, discusses the evolution of economic development planning from lengthy reports to actionable scorecards. She emphasizes the importance of practical implementation over extensive planning, sharing how her firm helps communities move from aspirational ideas to concrete actions through data-driven approaches and efficient resource allocation.

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Special Guest: Kathleen Rose.

Sponsored By:

• Sitehunt: Sitehunt helps economic developers understand their sites, match them to projects, and respond with confidence in minutes instead of scrambling for days.

Links:

• Rose Associates - Kathleen Rose, CCIM - Davidson, NC

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, host Dane Carlson speaks with Dan Eernissee, Economic Development Director for the City of Everett, Washington. Leading economic development efforts in this dynamic city of 115,000 residents north of Seattle, Dan reveals how his unique blend of private sector experience and public service shapes his approach to community development. From attracting cutting-edge technology companies to reimagining traditional retail spaces, Dan shares practical insights on how economic developers can transform their communities while maintaining their distinct character and creating new opportunities for residents.

Dan also talks about reimagining highway corridors as valuable community assets rather than eyesores. Through his unique perspective, Dan explains how these often-overlooked areas can become dynamic mixed-use spaces that provide essential services, housing opportunities, and quality jobs while maintaining their crucial role in transportation infrastructure.

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Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers:

Special Guest: Dan Eernissee.

Sponsored By:

• Sitehunt: Sitehunt helps economic developers understand their sites, match them to projects, and respond with confidence in minutes instead of scrambling for days.

Links:

• Choose Everett

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, tourism expert Lynn Fuhler, former tourism director of Clearwater and Clearwater Beach area and author of two books on festival management, discusses the intricacies of organizing successful events and festivals. She shares her experience as the former chairman of the Clearwater Jazz Holiday, insights on community revitalization through arts and tourism, and emphasizes the importance of proper event planning, including post-event evaluation and the four key elements necessary for tourism development.

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Special Guest: Lynn Fuhler.

Links:

• Lynn Fuhler | LinkedIn