Research Uncensored

Join us this week as we chat with a very special guest, Brian McGowan, CEO of the Greater Seattle Partners. Brian boasts a prominent career working in politics and economic development with appointments under then Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and President Barack Obama. A Brookings Institute fellow, Brian also led the White House's Economic Solution Task Force in response to the 2010 BP oil spill. Brian then made his historic transition to lead Invest Atlanta and now the newly formed entity, Greater Seattle Partners. Tune to hear his intriguing stories firsthand and his current mission to champion exclusive economics in Seattle. 

Not many in the field of Economic Development can claim to have experience as vast and as varied as this week's guest on the Research Uncensored podcast. Shirar O'Connor-Mugler has worked at Economic Development agencies and consulting firms since the early 90's, having started her career at Conway Inc. before going on to work for the likes of the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency, UK Trade & Invest and most recently, AdvanceCT. Join us as we hear from Shirar about her experience traveling to over 40 countries around the world, starting her own consulting firms and being there throughout it all to witness the Economic Development community develop & mature over the past 30 years.

Join us as we chat with Amy Thomson, Director of the International Strategy and Trade division, and responsible for the growth of foreign direct investment and export activity at the South Carolina Department of Commerce

We explore Amy's experience as a senior international trade specialist with the US Department of Commerce’s Commercial Service and her time as an editor-in-chief of a Spanish-language trade publication for the apparel industry, traveling throughout Latin America during the region's boom of apparel manufacturing.

As ResearchFDI celebrates a decade in the business,  Bruce and Amber welcome longtime friend, former colleague, mentor and all round top notch person, Dan Silverman, current VP of Foreign Direct Investment at Invest Quebec. We discuss his career in both the private and public sector and his top tips for emerging talent in the economic development field. 

This week we are honored to be joined by Niloo Boroun, Executive Director at Consider Canada City Alliance (CCCA). Niloo notably has held roles in the Office of the Premier (Ontario) as a Senior Policy Advisor to the Premier, a Senior Policy Advisor and Public Appointments to the Minister of Research and Innovation (Ontario) and as Manager, and Acting Director, of Investment Services and Global Markets for Toronto Global (formally Invest Toronto). We discuss her career in politics, her passion for promoting Canada to international investors and her thoughts on the newly ratified USMCA (or CUSMA if you're living in the great white north).

This week we're joined by ESPN's resident MMA superstar journalist, Ariel Helwani! We discuss all things WWE, UFC, and Ariel's dream to see the Montreal Expos make a return to his hometown. Listen to the end for a surprise cameo by Daniel Silverman, VP of Foreign Direct Investment at Investissement Québec. Dan discusses how he assisted Ariel's father to pivot production to manufacturing PPE during the outset of the pandemic in order to rehire his staff and avoid further lay-offs at his Montreal-based textile company, Tricots Liesse. 

This week we discuss the importance of inclusive economic programs. To lead the discussion, we are joined by Rodrick Miller, who is the current CEO of Invest Puerto Rico, a Harvard Graduate and one of the foremost economic development leaders in the U.S., respected globally for his ability to maneuver in extraordinarily complex political and business environments.

Rodrick's expertise and experience is vast, having served as CEO of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, the public-private partnership charged with leading the economic revitalization of the city of Detroit. Rodrick also served as the founding president and CEO of the New Orleans Business Alliance focusing on the organization’s efforts on lowering barriers to entry in the marketplace, increasing transparency, and developing approaches to drive inclusive economic growth. 

 This week we're going to Vegas! Well, virtually that is. We speak with Jared Smith, the Chief Operating Officer of the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance (LVGEA). We discuss how the Las Vegas economy boasts more than just tourism and learn how Jared and his team promote the region. In addition, we find out what led Jared into Economic Development and his previous experience working as Director of Business Development for the Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC). 

This week we have the pleasure of introducing you to Samantha Brown, Director of Team Texas. A member-based state business attraction program through Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC), the professional association for Texas economic developers.

Join us as we chat with Sam to learn more about her time working on the Hill and what led her to economic development. Oh, and that time she was managing a delegation mission in Chicago which ended up with her having emergency oral surgery and then of course running into J.J. Watt the Houston Texan's defensive end, and much more!

For the past 25 years, Barry Matherly has been gaining leadership experience and driving initiatives. He has served as the past Chair of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and in 2019, Barry was named CEO and President of Detroit’s brand new regional economic development organization, the Detroit Regional Partnership. Join us this week, as we discuss what it took for Barry to rise to the top of the ED game and how to build a successful regional group from the ground up.