Explore topics related to transformational community leadership including economic development, non-profit engagement, organizational management, and policy development. It's a candid conversation with veterans of the economic development profession along with inspiring interviews of today's thought leaders.
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Interviews leading experts on issues pertaining to employee ownership including building an ownership culture, management practices, succession planning, economic development, and so much more.
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Where Urban Planning, Cities, Hip Hop Culture and Community Development conversations live. The Streets are Planning Podcast highlights the unheard voices, stories and impact of community leaders working in cities and neighborhoods across the globe.
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More than Money is a podcast that creates a conversation community around how to use your values to engage with work and invest your wealth. The podcast is designed in a 12-episode season format. Each episode is produced around two core interview segments sharing a common theme. In this podcast, we explore the following topic areas: (1) business ethics, (2) economic justice, (3) corporate social responsibility, (4) social entrepreneurship, (5) community development, and (6) faith and values- ...
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St. James Town Storeys is a podcast about a diverse, densely-populated, dynamic, but often overlooked Toronto neighbourhood called St. James Town. It showcases the voices of people who come together in countless ways to solve needs and problems and build social bonds of friendship and support, to inspire even more resident participation in community life.
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DT # 537 The Case For Liberal Arts In Economic Development - Dennis Pruitt
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30:32Dennis Pruitt Vice President Business Development for the Missouri Partnership joins Dennis and makes the case for liberal arts in economic development. Dennis stresses the importance of reading, history, and culture. In a day and age dominated by STEM don't miss this discussion on the value and power of a liberal arts degree.…
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DT #536 Leadership and Giving Back to the Economic Development Profession - Barry Matherly
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29:17Barry Matherly joins Dennis, and they discuss the skills needed to be a great leader and how to become involved and give back to the economic development profession. Barry has worn a lot of hats in his economic development career. His current role is as the President and CEO of Hickey Global. Prior to joining Hickey Global, Barry was the President …
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DT #535 The State of Workforce in 2025 - Mark Perna
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23:10Mark Perna joined Dennis, and they discussed the state of workforce in 2025. What prompted you to write Answering Why? How would you compare the state of our workforce in 2018 versus today? We are at the start of 2025. Where do we stand today with job openings and the skills gap? How can economic development professionals and organizations be more …
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DT #534 Behind the scenes of state level economic Development - Debi Durham, the Director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) and the Iowa Finance Authority (IFA).
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42:39Debi Durham, the Director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) and the Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) joins Dennis to discuss the role of a state economic development director. Fifteen years ago, what was the state of economic development? Fast forward 15 years, and how has economic development changed? Through two main divisions – busin…
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DT #533 Finding Your Path in Economic Development - Danielle Casey
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55:01Danielle Casey, President & CEO of the Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance, joins Dennis and discusses finding your path in economic development. How do you find the right fit? How do you know when to move to the next position? Is working your way up in one organization preferable, or is there value in working for multiple organizations? Is ther…
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DT #532 The Year Ahead in Economic Development With Bryan Daniels IEDC Board Chair
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40:10Bryan 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 Communic…
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DT #530 IEDC Update and the Year Ahead with Nathan Ohle
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36:17IEDC President and CEO Nathan Ohle joins Dennis, and they reflect on Nathan's first three years leading IEDC and what the future holds for the economic development profession and IEDC.
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DT #531 IEDC 2025 Conference Previews with Nathan Ohle
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18:50IEDC President and CEO Nathan Ohle joins Dennis, and they discuss the 2025 IEDC conferences and the changes happening to the IEDCC conferences in 2025. o 2025 Leadership Summit Washington, D.C. February 23 – 25 o 2025 Rural Summit Great Falls Montana June 23 – 25 o 2025 Annual Conference Detroit, MI September 14 – 17…
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DT #529 Being Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable - Mark Perna
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13:29Mark C. Perna joins Dennis, and they discuss Being Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable. Discover why being uncomfortable can actually be positive, and why focusing on a personal competitive advantage now prepares us for when our personal “want-to” arrives. The Competitive Advantage Track Is Available Free on Mark's Website Learners will discover: …
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DT #527 IEDC Membership Changes Everything You Need To Know - Maria Berg - Stark
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22:54Dennis is joined by Maria Berg-Stark, the Senior Director of Membership at IEDC, and they discuss the changes to IEDC's membership structure. IEDC recently rolled out a new membership plan, reducing our membership offerings from 27 categories to 10. Individual Member Types Member Type Price* (USD) Definition Student $35 Must be enrolled in at least…
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DT #528 Dennis Retires - What's Next For Develop This!?
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7:52Dennis gets personal about his decision to retire from his economic development position and discusses what is next for Develop This!
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DT #526 Lessons Learned in 40 Years Of Economic Development and Using EDC Forge CRM Platform - Clark Smith
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20:54Clark Smith has almost 40 years of experience in economic development. Clark began his economic development career as executive director of the Hampton Area Chamber and Development Corporation. He then joined the Iowa Department of Economic Development, where he worked as a community consultant and manager of existing industry. Most recently, Clark…
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DT #525 AI For Economic Developers With Aaron Brossoit CEO – Golden Shovel Agency
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27:32Dennis is joined by Aaron Brossoit, CEO of the Golden Shovel Agency, to talk about AI for economic developers. Aaron and Golden Shovel Agency are at the leading edge of implementing AI. Aaron helps AI neophyte Dennis better understand AI and how economic development professionals can use it. Be sure to check out Aaron's avatar below, which speaks m…
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DT #523 IEDC Rural Entrepreneurship 101 Online Class - Mo Collins
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30:23Dennis is joined by Mo Collins, Director of Entrepreneurship - International Economic Development Council, and they discuss the upcoming Rural Entrepreneurship 101 online class. Courtney Zaugg is the other instructor of the Rural Entrepreneurship class. Rural Entrepreneurship 101 - online November 20, 2024 11:00 am - 6:00 pm EST The rise of bandwid…
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DT #524 Leading Ladies of Economic Development Podcast - Kaycee Bunch
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39:28Dennis is joined by Kaycee Bunch, an economic developer and podcast host. Dennis and Kaycee discuss the unique challenges faced by female economic development professionals. The Leading Ladies of Economic Development is a great podcast for all economic development professionals. Give it a listen; you won't be disappointed! The Leading Ladies of Eco…
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DT #522 Moving From Burnout to Renewal Dennis Pruitt, Missouri Partnership
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36:51Moving from burnout to renewal - Dennis Pruitt, Missouri Partnership In this episode, Dennis and Dennis discuss the reality of burnout and practical next steps to help deal with the effects of burnout. Outline I. Definitions II. Causes III. Significance IV. Caveats V. Fundamentals of building personal energy VI. Practical Next Steps…
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DT #520 Why We All Need a Personal Competitive Advantage - Mark Perna
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17:23Dennis and Mark Perna discuss the importance of and the three critical elements of a personal competitive advantage. Robust academic knowledge Technical competencies Professional skills Even though the Competitive Advantage Track is designed to talk to Gen Zers about their careers, there are lessons for all of us to learn and ponder. Competitive Ad…
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DT# 521 Redefining West Virginia’s Region 1's Economy; Life After Coal – With Economic Recovery Corps (ERC) Fellow Shaun Donovan
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26:59
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26:59Dennis is joined by Shawn Donovan, an Economic Recovery Corps (ERC) Fellow working in West Virginia. They discuss the Economic Recovery Corp, what it is like to be an ERC Fellow and Shaun's work in West Virginia. New River Gorge National Park ERC Project Project Title: Redefining West Virginia’s Region 1's Economy; Life After Coal Host Community or…
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Dt #519 Springfield Ohio, When the National Spotlight Shines You – Horton Hobbs
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20:41Springfield, Ohio, has recently been in the national spotlight after the community was mentioned in several political debates. What happens when you go from being one of 67 communities named Springfield to the one everyone is talking about? Is all publicity good publicity? How does an organization respond to the glare of the national media? Horton …
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DT #518 Why Communities Get Eliminated from Projects with Chris Lloyd
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34:28In this episode, Dennis is joined by Chris Lloyd from the McGuireWoods Consulting infrastructure and economic development team. Dennis and Chris discuss best practices for responding to RFPs and the intangibles that can prevent a community from being considered for a project. Chris Lloyd leads the McGuireWoods Consulting infrastructure and economic…
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DT #517 Dealing With Things Beyond Your Control
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9:06In this episode, Dennis talks about the frustrations of dealing with issues and projects that are beyond your direct control. What do you do when quiet diplomacy fails, and entities are determined to engage in behavior detrimental to the area you live and work in?
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DT #516 The Power of the Unexpected Compliment
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9:04In this episode, Dennis explores the power of the unexpected compliment. Too often, we quickly criticize and forget to tell the people in our lives how much we appreciate them. Take a deep breath and unleash the power of the unexpected compliment.
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DT #515 2024 IEDC Annual Conference Recap and Review
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8:17In this episode, Dennis shares his thoughts on the 2024 IEDC Annual Conference that was held in Denver.
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How Direct Employee Ownership Created the Right Succession Plan, and Company Culture, at Cargas
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49:00SUMMARY: One of the exciting happenings in the world of employee ownership today is the proliferation of different models and methods for bringing employees into the ownership of a company. In this episode we discuss the Direct Stock Ownership model that Chip Cargas, Founder of Cargas Systems, implemented at his company. We also discussed where the…
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DT #514 Why Can't We All Get Along Election Edition
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9:42In this episode, Dennis laments how the seeds of distrust have been sown in our election process and how that distrust affects even local elections. Why is it so hard to disagree and still respect each other's opinions?
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DT #513 The Power of Saying No With Mark Perna
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10:18Mark Perna joins Dennis to discuss the power of saying no. Sometimes, saying no is the best strategy. Dennis and Mark talk about how and why to say no.
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DT #512 Economic Development is Like Magic with Magician Dennis Watkins
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50:14Dennis is joined by third-generation magician and award-winning entertainer Dennis Watkins from the Magic Parlour in Chicago. Dennis and his wife attended a show at the Magic Parlour, and Dennis was so impressed he asked magician Dennis Watkins to join him on an episode of Develop This! Listen in for a fascinating discussion of the behind-the-scene…
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DT #511 Basic Economic Development Course - Heartland Edition
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32:32In this episode, Denis is joined by James Hoelscher, CEcD (Course Director) for The Heartland Economic Development Course (HEDC) and the Program Manager at the University of Northern Iowa's Institute for Decision Making. Dennis and James discuss the basic economic development courses and how they vary around the county. IEDC lists 25 basic economic…
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Guests: Olga Prushinskaya and Jamie Pockrandt, Democracy at Work Institute Summary: The second most common form of employee ownership in the United States is the worker cooperative where workers participate in both the financial success and governance of the firms. Today there are over 750 worker cooperatives in the United States, which is triple t…
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DT #510 OUEDI - OU Economic Development Institute with Kirk Garton
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33:50Dennis is joined by Kirk Garton, program director of OUEDI - OU Economic Development Institute. OUEDI alumnus Dennis discusses the OUEDI curriculum and the process of completing the classes, which are available online and in person. OU EDI Core Requirements OU EDI has aligned its curriculum to meet the education standards and requirements set by th…
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DT #509 Encore Episode 7 Rules for Brand New Economic Development Professionals
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37:52Enjoy this classic Develop This! episode from 2021 Develop This! will be back next week with an all-new episode Are you new to the business of economic and community development and wondering how to get started? Whether you are brand new to the business or a seasoned economic developer looking to get back to basics, this episode is for you. Dennis …
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DT # 508 Encore Episode The Art and Power of Persuasion
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16:36Enjoy this classic Develop! This episode from 2020. Develop This! will be back with an all-new show next week. Many projects require divergent groups to work together, so how can we reach consensus when there are very different opinions? In this episode, Dennis and Jason share tips and strategies for identifying mutual goals, navigating compromise,…
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DT #507 How Old is Too Old? With Mark Perna
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15:54Dennis is joined by Mark Perna. In light of President Biden's dropping out of the presidential race, they discuss how old is too old and the power of having multiple ages working together.
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DT #506 Preview of the 2024 IEDC Annual Conference in Denver
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14:02Dennis is joined by Dell Gines, the Chief Innovation Officer of the International Economic Development Council. They discuss the upcoming IEDC annual conference, which will be held in Denver from September 15-18, 2024. Early Bird Registration Deadline ends July 26th. Discover The Mile High City Calling all changemakers, visionaries, influencers, di…
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DT #505 Get to Know Dell Gines the Chief Innovation Officer, International Economic Development Council
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31:13In this episode, Dennis is joined by Dell Gines, Chief Innovation Officer, of the International Economic Development Council. Find out more about Dell's passion for economic development and his path to joining IEDC. Dr. Dell Gines is a nonprofit executive and certified economic developer with over 15 years of experience in organizational transforma…
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DT #504 Dealing With Stress and Burnout with Mark Perna
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21:37In this episode, Dennis is joined by Mark Perna, who discusses how to deal with stress and burnout in your job. We've all been there, with sleepless nights and nagging insecurities. Dennis and Mark discuss their own challenges and ways to deal with the two-headed monster of stress and burnout.
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Measuring the Impact of Employee Ownership in the United Kingdom
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55:26Guest: Campbell McDonald, Ownership Works SUMMARY: Much of the work for raising awareness and advocating for supportive policies for further expansion relies on data collection. When making the case for employee ownership, it is one thing to say that, in theory, employee ownership can benefit workers, companies, and communities. It is quite another…
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DT #503 Building Your Leadership Skills With Will Baggett
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37:28Dennis is joined by Will Baggett, an author, motivational speaker, and authority on personal branding, body language, and soft skills leadership. A self-described "speaker snob," Dennis was blown away when he heard Will give a presentation at the IEDC Leadership Conference. Dennis and Will discuss how to find your North Star and exercise your leade…
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DT #502 Economic Development in Puerto Rico with Ella Woger-Nieves
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42:09In this episode, Dennis is joined by Ella Woger-Nieves, Chief Executive Officer of Invest Puerto Rico. Dennis and Ella discuss all things Puerto Rico, from the thriving pharmaceutical industry to the highly educated workforce and tax benefits. Ella Woger-Nieves, Chief Executive Officer of Invest Puerto Rico, leads the organization’s mission of prom…
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DT #501 500th Episode Celebration the Future of Economic Development
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51:05It's another 500th special edition show! Dennis is joined by Develop This! contributing correspondents Joi Cuartero Austin and Sean Maguire. Dennis, Joi, and Sean pull out their crystal balls and discuss what the future holds for working economic development professionals.
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DT #500 500th Episode Spectacular! - Jason Returns
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37:15Join Dennis and Develop This! cofounder Jason Hutcheson as they reminisce about the podcast's early days and wax poetic about their personal journeys and what the future holds.
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Gina Schaefer on The Power of Telling Your Story
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31:38Guest: Gina Schaefer SUMMARY: For 38 years, the OEOC has gathered hundreds of people from across the employee ownership community at our Annual Conference and every year, we invite a keynote speaker to address those in attendance. This year, we invited Gina Schaefer, the founder, CEO, and selling owner of A Few Cool Hardware Stores, which became 10…
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Employee Ownership in the Americas: A Path to Shared Prosperity
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35:12SUMMARY: When we think about expanding awareness about employee ownership, we often think of the United States and how much more work we have to do. However, the movement to expand the prevalence and awareness of employee ownership goes well beyond US borders. In this episode, we highlight an international example of this effort. We speak with Rodr…
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DT #499 Building a World Class Organization with Mike Neal President & CEO, Tulsa Regional Chamber
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36:00In this episode, Dennis is joined by Mike Neal - President and CEO of the Tulsa Regional Chamber. Mike presents a master class on how to build and lead a dynamic team of professionals and how to utilize strategic partnerships to build a world-class organization. Mike Neal is in his 18th year as president and chief executive officer of the Tulsa Reg…
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DT #498 IEDC 2024 Future Forum Preview with Suzanne Dale Estey
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19:04In this episode, Dennis is joined by Suzanne Dale Estey, Executive Director of the Washington Economic Development Association. Dennis and Suzanne preview the 2024 IEDC Future Forum and talk all things Washington State. The 2024 Economic Future Forum will be held in Spokane, Washington, on June 16-18 The 2024 Future Forum will explore 'Transformati…
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DT #497 Developing Your Leadership Style With Mark Perna
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31:30In this episode, Dennis is joined by Mark Perna, who discusses leadership and how to develop your leadership style. Leadership - the action of leading a group of people or an organization Leadership is only evident when it’s poor Leadership is not one-size-fits-all There are many styles of leadership…Example servant leaders A servant leader shares …
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DT #496 Carolina Small Business Development Fund with Kevin Dick
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46:28In this episode, Dennis is joined by Kevin Dick, President and Chief Executive Officer Carolina Small Business Development Fund in the Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina area. They discuss the importance of small businesses as part of the ecosystem of a community, region, and state. The Carolina Small Business Development Fund is a not-for-profit organ…
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DT #495 Becoming a Certified Economic Developer With Denisse Carter
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26:36Denisse Carter - Economic Development Administrator Doña Ana County Dennis is joined by Denisse Carter - Economic Development Administrator Doña Ana County, a newly minted Certified Economic Developer. Dennis and Denisse discuss the certification process and the benefits of becoming a Certified Economic Developer. T The coursework for the CEcD cert…
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DT #494 Economic Development, Consulting, and Rock and Roll
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27:27In this episode, Dennis is joined by Trish Heidenreich, Founder/CEO of EDI Group -Economic Development Initiatives Group. Trish recently underwent a career change. Previously, she was the Director of Economic Development for the Town of Bel Air, MD. and now is a self-employed consultant and founder of the EDI Group. Trish and Dennis discuss career …
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DT #493 Economic Development in Rural Arizona with Mignonne Hollis
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33:08Dennis is joined by Mignonne Hollis, the executive director of the Arizona Regional Economic Development Foundation and founder of Aerospace Arizona Dennis and Mignonne discuss the opportunities and challenges of economic development work in rural America and rural Arizona. Just because you live in a rural area does not mean you can't do cool thing…
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