Develop This: Economic and Community Development
378 episodes - English - Latest episode: 14 days ago - ★★★★ - 42 ratingsExplore 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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Episodes
DT #491 Economic Development in the Navajo Nation with Henry Silentman
April 10, 2024 11:00 - 33 minutes - 46.6 MBIn this episode, Dennis is joined by Henry Silentman, the program manager at the Shiprock Regional Business Development office in Northwest New Mexico. Dennis and Henry discuss the opportunities and challenges of working in economic development in the Navajo Nation
DT #489 Finding Your Path in Economic Development
April 03, 2024 11:00 - 41 minutes - 57.7 MBFinding Your Path in Economic Development Dennis is joined by Develop This! contributing correspondents Joi Cuartero Austin CEcd, Senior Program Officer, Economic Vitality with Main Street America, and Sean M. Maguire, AICP CEcD Economic Development and Planning Executive. Together, they discuss finding Your Path in Economic Development. Economic development is a broad career track. How do you find your niche? A career in economic development can take you in so many different dir...
DT #490 A Conversation with Dr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD, PhD
March 27, 2024 12:24 - 34 minutes - 48 MBDennis is joined by Eloisa Klementich, CEcd, PhD, President and CEO of Invest Atlanta and IEDC board chair. They discuss Eloisa's career path in economic development and her plans and goals for IEDC.
DT #488 Becoming an Accredited EDO with Chris Masingill and Ashley Llewellyn with the St. Tammany Corp., Mandeville, LA
March 20, 2024 17:15 - 44 minutes - 62.6 MBWhat does it take to become an Accredited Economic Development Organization? The St. Tammany Corp in Mandeville, LA, recently completed the process. There are over 5,000 economic development organizations, and fewer than 80 have achieved this prestigious designation. In this episode, Dennis is joined by Chris Masingill, CEO, and Ashley Llewellyn, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives with the St. Tammany Corp. They discuss the AEDO process from the organizations perspective.
DT #487 A Conversation with Jonas Peterson, Southwest Michigan First CEO and IEDC Immediate Past Chair
March 20, 2024 11:00 - 29 minutes - 41.9 MBDennis is joined by Jonas Peterson, the CEO of Southwest Michigan First and IEDC's Immediate Past Chair. Jonas also talks about his economic development career journey and his current role as the CEO of Southwest Michigan First, his time as the chair of IEDC, and the growth and future of IEDC.
DT #486 Ten Habits That Keep Us From Reaching Our Full Potential
March 13, 2024 11:00 - 29 minutes - 40.9 MBDennis is joined by Mark Perna, who discusses ten habits that can keep us from reaching our full potential. Seven Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen Covey Be Proactive Begin With the End in Mind Put First Things First Think Win-Win Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood Synergize Sharpen the Saw What are the habits that keep us from success and achieving our full potential? 1. Procrastination a. Set goals b. Prioritize tasks c. ...
DT #485 Surviving Tough Budget Times
March 06, 2024 12:00 - 11 minutes - 16.9 MBIn this episode, Dennis offers up some common sense strategies to help deal with tough budget times. Do great work Communicate Measure Build coalitions Measure your organization against your peers Build relationships Be transparent Engage your board
DT #484 Becoming an AEDO - Accredited Economic Development Organization
February 28, 2024 12:00 - 25 minutes - 36.1 MBDennis's organization, Lee County Economic Development Group, recently became an AEDO - Accredited Economic Development Organization through IEDC. Dennis is joined by Bill Murphy - President & CEO of Ardmore Development Authority in Ardmore, OK, and Jim Fram - Consultant and Economic Development Leader - of Community Growth Strategies, and they discuss the process of becoming an Accredited Economic Development Organization. What is AEDO, and why is it important? How many AEDOs are there...
DT #483 Working on the Other Side: From Elected Official to Economic Development
February 21, 2024 12:00 - 17 minutes - 25.4 MBWorking on the Other Side: From Elected Official to Economic Development In this episode, contributing correspondent Joi Cuartero Austin is joined by Kyle Moore, President of the Great River Economic Development Foundation in Quincy and Adams County, Illinois. Kyle discusses his journey from elected official to economic development professional. Going from the private sector, to elected official, to economic development. Stakeholders working together in a big, small town on a communit...
DT #482 The Three Biggest Workforce Mistakes with Dennis Fraise and Mark Perna
February 07, 2024 12:00 - 14 minutes - 20.4 MBIn this episode, Dennis opens up about what he believes are the three biggest mistakes he has made in workforce programming. Dennis and Mark discuss the realities and difficulties of developing workforce programming.
DT #481 Get Things Done With A Coalition Of The Willing
January 17, 2024 12:00 - 5 minutes - 9.01 MBIn this short episode, Dennis reflects on his day and how assembling a like-minded group of people can make or break a project.
DT #480 Fearless 2024 Predictions IEDC Edition With Nathan Ohle IEDC President and CEO
January 10, 2024 12:00 - 24 minutes - 35.1 MBDennis is joined by IEDC President and CEO Nathan Ohle, and they discuss the growth and changes at IEDC over the past year. They also discuss the future of IEDC and the economic development profession. New IEDC Strategic Plan Economic Recovery Corps Fellowship $1 million research initiative Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
DT #479 Fearless Predictions for 2024 Workforce Edition With Mark Perna
January 03, 2024 23:46 - 20 minutes - 28.8 MBDennis and Mark Perna make bold predictions on the future of our workforce and what lies ahead for our employers. Mark's book - Answering Why
DT #478 Leadership and Board Burnout with Joi Cuartero Austin
December 27, 2023 12:00 - 35 minutes - 50.3 MBIn this episode, contributing correspondent Joi Cuartero Austin is joined by Jackie Swihart, Program Officer with Main Street America. Joi and Jackie discuss Leadership and board burnout Economic development is challenging, with a lot of responsibility in building community prosperity, which is why you need a strong vision, good planning, and even better leadership at the helm of economic development and other partner organizations. Furthermore, if we weren’t already having trouble keepin...
DT #477 How To Be More Effective and Get More Done With Mark Perna
December 17, 2023 20:06 - 22 minutes - 31.5 MBDo you ever wonder how extremely busy people get so much done? Dennis is joined by Mark Perna and they discuss tips and strategies to be more effective at work. They also discuss the difference between activity and productivity. Email strategies How to empower others Effective onboarding Spending your time effectively Silence internal negative talk
DT #476 Mid America EDC Competitiveness Conference Recap and Review with Horton Hobbs
December 17, 2023 19:08 - 18 minutes - 25.7 MBDennis is joined by Mid America Economic Development Council's immediate past president, Horton Hobbs, to discuss the recent MAEDC Competitiveness Conference in Indianapolis. Dennis and Horton talk about highlights from the conference, Mid-Amercia EDC, and upcoming 2024 conferences.
DT #475 Affordable Housing and Economic Development with Stephane Frijia, President & CEO Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership
December 06, 2023 12:00 - 42 minutes - 58.6 MBIn this episode, contributing corespondent Sean M. Maguire talks affordable housing and economic development with Stephane Frijja, President and CEO of Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership.
DT #474 The 2023 Mid America EDC Competitiveness Conference Preview
November 10, 2023 01:07 - 23 minutes - 32.6 MBDennis is joined by Keith A. Gillenwater, CEcD, MEDP, MPA, President & CEO of Grow Wabash County, and Jeff Pipkin, Economic Development Manager at Hoosier Energy, to discuss the Mid America EDC Competitiveness Conference. Dennis, Keith, and Jeff discuss what makes the Competitivness Conference special. The conference is designed and planned by working economic development professionals. There's something for everyone from big idea projects to nuts and bolts advice, tours, and their world...
DT #473 Everyone Needs a Mentor
November 02, 2023 22:44 - 10 minutes - 15.1 MBIn this episode Dennis talks about finding a career-changing mentor late in life. Phil, Dennis' mentor recently passed away and Dennis reflects and discusses the difference having the right mentor can make in your life. To honor his mentor Dennis wants to give back by paying it forward to a Develop This listener.
DT #472 Generational and Workforce Trends with Mark C. Perna
October 25, 2023 11:00 - 19 minutes - 28.3 MBDennis is joined by generational expert Mark C. Perna. Mark has spent 2023 speaking to 100's of education, community and economic development groups and organizations with 10,000's of people. Mark gives his insight into the trends, opportunities, and challenges he see's working with the generations and organizations involved in workforce development. Finally Mark and Dennis discuss what gives them hope for the future.
DT #471 Winning Ugly - Success is Knowing Who You Are
October 18, 2023 11:00 - 11 minutes - 16.5 MBWinning Ugly In this episode Dennis talks about how we measure success and why being flashy may not always yield the best results. Iowa Football Statistics Iowa's offense is currently ranked 133 of 133 in the FBS. Through 7 games, they have 13 total offensive TDs and have punted the ball 47 times. They average less than 250 total yards per game. Despite this, they have a top 10 scoring defense and are sitting comfortably atop the Big 10 West at 6-1. To have his contract extended...
DT #470 Review and Recap of the 2023 IEDC Annual Conference in Dallas, TX
September 28, 2023 00:31 - 12 minutes - 18.3 MBRecorded at the 2023 IEDC Annual Conference in Dallas, TX. Dennis is joined by Develop This! contributing correspondent Sean Maguire. Dennis and Sean give a recap and review of the 2023 IEDC Annual Conference in Dallas, TX. New IEDC Strategic Plan
DT# 469 Proven Strategies for Solving Housing Shortages in Communities - Bethany Quinn Golden Shovel
September 13, 2023 11:00 - 25 minutes - 35.5 MBPROVEN STRATEGIES FOR SOLVING HOUSING SHORTAGES IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS NORTH AMERICA Bethany Quinn - Vice President of Strategy and Content Development for Golden Shovel Dennis is joined by Bethany Quinn from Golden Shovel, and they discuss PROVEN STRATEGIES FOR SOLVING HOUSING SHORTAGES IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS NORTH AMERICA, a Golden Shovel white paper. For economic developers housing is one of the major topics we deal with, especially workforce housing. The data behind the Gol...
DT #468 Ron Kresha of Golden Shovel - Creating a Marketing Plan
September 05, 2023 22:08 - 33 minutes - 47.4 MBRon Kresha - COO & CFO Golden Shovel Creating a Marketing Plan Ron Kresha, Chief Operating Officer, is a founding member who helped start Golden Shovel Agency on the premise that every community deserves to be recognized and to have the tools needed to compete for businesses and jobs. He is committed to providing services that improve communities and people’s lives. Ron refers to himself as a serial entrepreneur who has been told he’s “too stupid to know how to fail”. He wears that as...
DT #467 The Highs and Lows of Economic Development
August 23, 2023 11:00 - 7 minutes - 10.6 MBIn this episode Dennis gets personal about how a week of good news and bad news affected him. Economic development professionals get an up close and personal look at the highs and lows that happen in their communities. It's never easy to feel helpless trying to save a facility and people's jobs in your community.
DT #465 Aaron Brossoit – Golden Shovel CEO
August 16, 2023 12:00 - 32 minutes - 45.5 MBAaron Brossoit – Golden Shovel Dennis is joined by Aaron Brossoit, the CEO of Golden Shovel. In this episode, they discuss the changes in digital marketing and what the future holds as we enter the metaverse and AI takes hold Aaron Brossoit, Chief Executive Officer, was a founding member of Golden Shovel and has been with the company since September 2009. He began as VP of Business Development and filled the COO position prior to becoming CEO. After earning his Bachelor’s degree from St...
DT #466 Preview IEDC 2023 Annual Conference, September 17 – 20th, 2023 – in Dallas, Texas
August 16, 2023 11:00 - 13 minutes - 20 MBDennis is joined by IEDC Presdent and CEO Nathan Ohle to discuss the upcoming IEDC 2023 Annual Conference, September 17 – 20th, 2023 – in Dallas, Texas Dallas, TX, is one of the country's most economically and socially diverse cities. The 1920s were an age of dramatic political, technological, and social change for some, yet not for others. In Dallas, we'll usher in the next-generation 'Roaring 20s,' spotlighting how to build thriving, sustainable, resilient, and equitable communities for ...
DT #464 Joseph Stefko, ROC2025 President and CEO, joins Develop This!
July 31, 2023 15:54 - 40 minutes - 56.7 MBJoseph Stefko, ROC2025 President and CEO, joins Develop This! contributing correspondent Sean Maguire. Sean and Joe talk about what's changed in Rochester for the better and how it's shaking off the rust belt of the past. Fun and interesting things about Rochester include food, museums, wine, and more. Economic Development in Rochester Today More than Kodak How does ROC2025 fit in? In 2020, the City of Rochester posted its first decennial population increase since the 1950s. The n...
DT #463 Dealing With Controversial Projects
July 19, 2023 11:00 - 11 minutes - 16.5 MBIn this episode Dennis discusses the conundrum many economic development professionals find themselves in trying to deal with stakeholders on both sides of a controversial project. Some of these types of projects can incldue. The use of eminenet domain Utility franchise fees Utility rate cases for rate increases Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Dennis offers some tips to help navigate these tricky waters. Enage your board of directors Host a neutral forum Communicate, communicate, ...
DT #462 Responding to RFPs is a Team Sport
July 05, 2023 11:00 - 21 minutes - 29.9 MBResponding to RFPs is a Team Sport Dennis and Broderick discuss the sometimes intense process of responding to a request for a proposal with a tight deadline. RFPs many times come on short notice and successfully completing the RFP requires being prepared and having a team of rapid response partners. RFPs can come from a variety of sources · State ED · Site selectors · Utility partners · Rail partners Being prepared High-quality maps Acreage, o...
DT #461 IEDC Basic Economic Development Course
June 28, 2023 20:49 - 13 minutes - 19.4 MBFriend of the show Mark Perna joins Dennis and they discuss Mark's experience in taking the IEDC Basic Economic Development Course in Nashville. Why did Mark Perna decide to take the IEDC Basic Economic Development Class? What was Mark's impression of the class? How can the IEDC Basic ED Course help others better understand economic development?
DT #460 “Making semiconductor chips in Upstate New York” with Develop This! Contributing Correspondent Sean Maguire and guest Nick Bruno from MV EDGE.
June 21, 2023 11:00 - 30 minutes - 43.4 MB“Making semiconductor chips in Upstate New York” with Develop This! Contributing Correspondent Sean Maguire and guest Nick Bruno from MV EDGE. Sean and Nick discuss their love of Utica and semiconductor projects in upstate New York Tomato pie, chicken riggies, and Utica Club beer How’d you get here? How did you get into semiconductor work? Overview of Wolfspeed in Marcy/Utica How did the work in Albany set the stage for Wolfspeed? How does Wolfspeed fit into the Micron in...
DT #459 Connecting Students with Business and Industry Partners
May 31, 2023 11:00 - 25 minutes - 35.8 MBDennis is joined by Mark Perna and they discuss how economic development professionals can help our business and industry partners connect with students. In a time of full employment, worker shortages, and a skills gap business and industry partners are increasingly looking to economic development professionals to help bridge the gap with their future workforce. There is an increase in job fairs, career expos, and career exploration events. A company's approach to these events can make or ...
DT #458 Economic Gardening: No Green Thumb Needed
May 31, 2023 11:00 - 22 minutes - 31.8 MBEconomic Gardening: No Green Thumb Needed Economic Gardening is an economic development model that embraces the idea that entrepreneurs drive economies and places a laser-like focus on creating jobs by supporting existing companies in a community. It originated in the late 80s in Littleton, CO when the state was in a recession and the community lost a major employer. Local leaders realized that only a small percentage of all companies were “high growth” but those companies were creatin...
DT #457 Economic Recovery Corp with Nathan Ohle
May 24, 2023 11:59 - 18 minutes - 26.9 MBNathan Ohle – President and CEO of IEDC Economic Recovery Corps - Program launched on May 11th The Economic Recovery Corps Program (ERC) is a multi-year, $30 million collaborative initiative designed to accelerate recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic in distressed communities and regions throughout the U.S. by connecting organizations with the talent and capacity needed to advance new ways of doing economic development that promote economic resilience and transformative change. The E...
DT #456 Economic Development Week
May 17, 2023 11:00 - 15 minutes - 22.6 MB2023 Economic Development Week – May 8 - 12, 2023 In this episode, Dennis and Broderick discuss Economic Development Week and why economic developers are not always great at telling their stories. Economic Development Week gives economic development professionals a platform to showcase to their community the contributions made to their local economy throughout the year. Utilize IEDC’s toolkit to help support your message and increase your impact Economic Development Week was created...
DT #455 Walking the Economic Development Tightrope
May 10, 2023 14:30 - 6 minutes - 9.75 MBWalking the Economic Development Tightrope For many of us, there has been a fundamental shift in how we approach economic development. As the job market has tightened the challenge of bringing in a new project has increased exponentially. How do we continue to look for opportunities when our current employers can’t fill their staffing needs? Everyone loves the new announcement and golden shovel ceremonies How does that play with our existing companies? 750,000 jobs are unfilled in th...
DT #454 What Do You Want to be When You Grow Up?
May 03, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutes - 9.87 MBIn this episode Dennis as the question what do you want to be when you grow up? Whether economic development is your 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th career it's never too early or late to decide what you want to be when you grow up. Are you following your childhood dream or has your career been a series of twists and turns? Now is the time to take a look in the mirror and have a serious conversation with yourself. Sometimes the hardest part of life is being honest with yourself. Only one person re...
DT #453 AI Artificial Intelligence and Economic Development with Sean Maguire
April 26, 2023 13:47 - 17 minutes - 25 MBHow do others understand economic development? Does AI understand our work better than others? In this episode, Develop This! contributing correspondent Sean Maguire checks in from OUEDI and draws inspiration for this show from both real life and entertainment and starts asking AI about economic development. Sean engages with ChatGPT to ask questions about economic development and considers the validity of the answers AI comes back with. He asks ChatGPT to create a script for this show, h...
DT#452 Sometimes Doing the Right Thing is Hard
April 19, 2023 11:00 - 7 minutes - 11.2 MBSometimes Doing the Right Thing is Hard Caution! This is the cynical and bitter version of the Develop This! podcast! In this episode, Dennis vents his frustrations about the difficulty of building coalitions even when you're trying to do the right thing. Dennis has made a conscious decision to be less like Neville Chamberlain and more like Winston Churchill.....Never, never, never, give up Economic development professionals are often at the nexus of difficult projects Everyone wants...
DT#450 Mid America EDC Best Practices Conference with Brad Reams
April 12, 2023 11:00 - 20 minutes - 29 MBDennis is joined by Mid Amercia EDC board member Brad Reams to discuss the upcoming Mid Amercia EDC Best Practices Conference May 10 - 12 in Kansas City. We hope you can join us in Kansas City May 10-12 for the 2023 Best Practices Conference! The Best Practices Conference is the annual spring/summer conference for Mid-America EDC. This conference rotates throughout the states in the region, and we are thrilled to have Kansas and Missouri as this year’s host states! You won’t want to m...
DT#451 Assembling a Dynamic Board of Directors
April 12, 2023 11:00 - 19 minutes - 27.7 MBDennis and Broderick discuss how to assemble a dynamic board of directors for your organization. No matter what your role is in an economic development group the quality of your board of directors directly impacts the quality of your organization. How do you attract high quality people to serve on your board of directors? Run a quality meeting Start and stop on time Respect peoples time Be the kind of organization that people want to be a part of Traits of a good board member Att...
DT#449 Equitable Economic Development: Does Anyone Care?
April 05, 2023 11:00 - 29 minutes - 41.5 MBEquitable Economic Development: Does Anyone Care? Background - “Equity” has been used a lot over the last few years Definition: “The quality of being fair and impartial” Last year, the IEDC released its “Equitable Economic Development Playbook” which examined structural racism in ED and promotes equitable practices and standards. The report highlighted four fundamental “prisms” through which equitable economic development strategies could be understood and applied. Acknowled...
DT #448 March Madness - How Economic Development is Like the NCAA Tournament
March 29, 2023 11:00 - 29 minutes - 41.5 MBHow Economic Development is Like the NCAA Tournament. March Madness: Cinderella’s Buzzer Beaters, & One Shining Moment Broderick and Dennis discuss their love of basketball and how March Madness and the NCAA basketball tournament have parallels to the work economic development professionals do in their communities. Broderick calls this the "Most Wonderful Time of the Year." What elements of the tourney have some similarities to the economic developer's day-to-day work? Final Four ...
DT#447 Are You and Your Organization Oscar Worthy?
March 22, 2023 11:00 - 25 minutes - 35.5 MBMovie fans Dennis and Broderick reimagine the Oscars as economic development awards. They ask the questions are You and Your Organization Oscar Worthy? Entering the annual IEDC awards is a great way to measure your organization against your peers. Plus Broderick and Dennis reveal their favorite movies and which Marvel character they would be! Production design – Your Image Everyone, every business, and every organization has an image Do you know what your image is? Cinematography – Vi...
DT446 Working with Multiple Generations in the Office
March 15, 2023 11:00 - 21 minutes - 30.9 MBHow do we work together more effectively with so many generations in the office? In this episode, young baby boomer Dennis is joined by generational expert Mark Perna to discuss working with multiple generations in the Office Can we find a middle ground on the way our offices run? Some Baby Boomer traits Punctuality Put in what ever hours are necessary to get a project done More rigid office environment Paying your dues A study finds that 74% of Millennial and Gen Z employees a...
DT #445 Repairing Broken Professional Relationships
March 08, 2023 12:00 - 9 minutes - 14.1 MBIf you’re in a position or with an organization long enough, you will more than likely encounter a professional relationship that becomes stained or broken. In this episode, Dennis offers some tips and ideas to help reset a broken relationship. Take some time to cool off Refrain from email and social media Reflect on your actions and role in the situation Apologize if necessary Reach out to attempt to reset the relationship A handwritten note is preferable Difficult to do wit...
DT #444 Economic Development and Higher Education
February 22, 2023 23:14 - 27 minutes - 38.5 MBEconomic Development and Higher Education Background - One of the more interesting changes in the last two decades has been the intersection of economic development and higher education. Universities are becoming important players in 21st-century economic development. The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (representing 238 members) and the University Economic Development Association have helped higher education define its role in economic development and engagement ...
DT #443 Organizing your Office and Digital Files with Laura Farley
February 15, 2023 15:36 - 31 minutes - 44.3 MBIn this episode, Dennis is joined by Laura Farley Digital Curation Librarian at the People’s Archive at DC Public Library to discuss organizing and preserving your organization's digital files. Laura shares her digital preservation mantra, start small, start now. https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauramfarley/ What is digital preservation? Best practices Concepts: Inventory: Documents, usable, available, scalable, current Use familiar software, be consistent, comprehensive, and concise Yo...
DT #442 Kevin Fleming - Workforce Preparation For Today's Generation
February 08, 2023 12:00 - 25 minutes - 35.9 MBDennis is joined by KEVIN J FLEMING PHD a scholar, author, global keynote speaker, & philomath. Lover of life, bacon, & the counter-narrative. Kevin was one of the first Develop This! guests in July of 2018. Luckily not much has changed since then. Dennis and kevin discuss Kevin's work since he created his first video and wrote his first book and talk about how the economy and workforce preparation for our young people has changed. Are we making any progress? How do we reach today’s stu...