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WE ARE AMERICA’S JOBS TEAM.

America’s future relies on people like you to foster a dynamic economy. It’s a big responsibility, but you are not alone in shouldering the weight. You are part of America’s Jobs Team!

You know—as do we—that the business of creating jobs is hard work, requiring more than just a little bit of elbow grease. You’ve got to have: deep industry knowledge; community and workforce familiarity; an ability to form deep relationships and create unity; perseverance; and the drive to keep growing.

Over the years, the Consultant Connect team has seen many amazing economic development warriors battling for their communities. We are connecting with these fellow community champions to dive into how they got to where they are, what lessons they have learned along the way, and what inspires them daily. We firmly believe that when leaders get better, communities thrive!

Listen to the America’s Jobs Team podcast below, or find it on iTunes.

Sign up to receive America’s Jobs Team directly to your inbox!

Episode 056: Rob Cleveland | Cornerstone Alliance
 Episode 056: Rob Cleveland | Cornerstone Alliance 150 150 America's Jobs Team

On This Week’s Podcast: Rob Cleveland, president at Cornerstone Alliance, joins for an in-person interview, and on 60 Seconds with a Site Consultant Ann Petersen (director, Atlas Insight) shares insight about her favorite community website. Rob talks with Nick Riashi about how he went from being a sports administration major to economic development. Rob dives…

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Episode 055: Brooklin Salemi | BDO USA
 Episode 055: Brooklin Salemi | BDO USA 150 150 America's Jobs Team

What’s Happening On This Week’s Podcast: Brooklin Salemi, manager of credits and incentives at BDO USA, joins Nick Riashi on the podcast, and on 60 Seconds with a Site Consultant Bryan Farlow (partner, The Arrowhead Group) talks about the effects elections have on foreign direct (FDI) investment. Brooklin shares how she went from changing her…

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Episode 054: Bob Leak | Winston-Salem Business Inc.
 Episode 054: Bob Leak | Winston-Salem Business Inc. 150 150 America's Jobs Team

What’s Happening On This Week’s Podcast: Bob Leak, president at Winston-Salem Business Inc., joins Nick Riashi on the podcast, and on 60 Seconds with a Site Consultant Ann Petersen (director, Atlas Insight) talks about a stand-out community and what components impressed her the most. Bob Leak talks about the need for having humor in economic…

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Episode 053: Adrian Cannady | Temple Economic Development Corporation
 Episode 053: Adrian Cannady | Temple Economic Development Corporation 150 150 America's Jobs Team

What’s Happening On This Week’s Podcast: Adrian Cannady, president and CEO at Temple Economic Development Corporation, joins Nick Riashi on the podcast, and on 60 Seconds with a Site Consultant Bryan Farlow (partner, The Arrowhead Group) shares his insights on the trends he has seen in foreign direct investment over the past year. Adrian talks…

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Episode 052: Bryan Farlow | The Arrowhead Group
 Episode 052: Bryan Farlow | The Arrowhead Group 150 150 America's Jobs Team

This Week on America’s Jobs Team Podcast: It’s a new year and we are launching a new format! We are thrilled to share with you that we’re adding in a new segment each week  called 60 Seconds with a Site Consultant. We will also be making the interviews even better and more insightful! This week’s…

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Episode 051: Cristina Paredes | Office of Economic Vitality
 Episode 051: Cristina Paredes | Office of Economic Vitality 150 150 America's Jobs Team

This Week on America’s Jobs Team Podcast: Nick Riashi interviews Cristina Paredes, director at the Tallahassee-Leon County Office of Economic Vitality, about her personal leadership journey. They talk about what some of the biggest challenges are that Cristina is facing in her leadership and how she is overcoming these. Cristina shares her ongoing journey to…

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Episode 050: Jill Bland | Southwest Michigan First
 Episode 050: Jill Bland | Southwest Michigan First 150 150 America's Jobs Team

This Week on America’s Jobs Team Podcast: Carla Sones sits down with Jill Bland, managing partner at Southwest Michigan First. Jill shares impactful, personal stories about how she landed in economic development and who her role model was those first years of her career. Jill talks about the necessity of accepting that we cannot solve…

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Episode 049: Robbie Bennett | Development Authority of Columbia County
 Episode 049: Robbie Bennett | Development Authority of Columbia County 150 150 America's Jobs Team

This Week on America’s Jobs Team Podcast: Nick Riashi is joined on the podcast by Robbie Bennett, executive director at Development Authority of Columbia County.  Robbie talks about utilizing the strengths of the team to create a well-rounded approach, and dives into the dangers of being unable to self-reflect. He shares the methods he uses…

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Episode 048: Joe Max Higgins | Golden Triangle Development Link
 Episode 048: Joe Max Higgins | Golden Triangle Development Link 150 150 America's Jobs Team

This Week on America’s Jobs Team Podcast: Nick Riashi talks with Joe Max Higgins, CEO at Golden Triangle Development Link. The two share a robust conversation with Joe Max sharing his insights on how to learn to see a much, much bigger picture through mental flow-charting, as well as why he is a firm believer…

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Episode 047: Future of Data and Economic Development with Steve Jast | Gazelle AI
 Episode 047: Future of Data and Economic Development with Steve Jast | Gazelle AI 150 150 America's Jobs Team

This Week on America’s Jobs Team Podcast: This past week at ECONOMIX, Ron Kitchens had the chance to talk lead generation with Steve Jast, president at Research on Investment (ROI). ROI developed Gazelle.ai, which is a an artificial intelligence enabled business intelligence platform. Ron and Steve talk about leadership, the future of data and economic…

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