“You have to take opportunities as they come to you.” –Karla Moran Sustainability is gaining momentum all over, and the corporate world is no different. How does that influence attraction work from a utility perspective? What demands do incoming businesses have with regard to renewables? And how does that play out in a place like…

“If you want to target talent, you need to customize what your region’s strengths are for the type of people you’re trying to attract. I firmly believe that the jobs will follow the talent.” –Michael Harvey Walmart, Tyson Foods, JB Hunt. Number 4 on the “Best Places to Live” list by US News. One of…

“Training the labor force to meet the future needs is now more important than ever.” –Eileen Cai Workforce. Chances are that this will come up in industry-related conversation within five minutes. And for good reason; communities everywhere are putting their best and brightest brains together to attempt to solve the labor shortage. So what does…

“I worked passionately both personally and professionally to support the flag change along with economic developers from across the state. We have a lot of work to do to better our state, but this change was a big step in the right direction and an accomplishment that will be felt for generations to come.” –Mitch…

“The goal is to build relationships. Both site consultants and economic developers are hungry for relationships with one another, not just learning from one another but really feeling connected.” –Carla Sones Are you traveling to a site consultant’s market soon? What are the rules of engagement around inviting site consultants for a meal while on…

“Rather than feeling bad about limited resources, the conversation became about forming partnerships to create more opportunities for a rural county.” –Cathy Knapp Economic development can look vastly different for rural areas; often, the local organization is a one-person shop. Challenges around needing to prioritize time for projects with office management tasks can be huge…

“Site consultants want to come out and build relationships and learn. As you’re planning your visit, it’s really important to think about what the goal is of the tour.” –Carla Sones So, you’re thinking about inviting some site consultant friends to learn more about your region. Do you know where to start? Have you thought…

“The regions that can adapt to change by producing the next generation of talent, along with addressing equity and inclusion, will have more balanced and prosperous economies.” –Chris Camacho Economic recovery is on a fast track, and the greater Phoenix area is running full steam ahead. Having recovered over 80% of the jobs lost in…

“Having experience in most of the roles I now oversee, I have become a player-coach to my team.” –Jayson Knott How will your experiences today play into your future? Have you ever tried to reframe your perception of your role today in terms of how the skills you’re learning now will shape the career path…

“Economic development, at its best, brings people together” –Quentin Messer, Jr. Do you step into opportunities with enthusiasm and passion? Do you allow your unique attributes to play into your daily leadership and work? On this episode, Carla Sones talks with Quentin Messer, Jr. about personal qualities that drive you professionally. Quentin lets us in…