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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 079: Linda DiMario | Greater Irvine Chamber
 Episode 079: Linda DiMario | Greater Irvine Chamber 150 150 America's Jobs Team

On This Week’s Podcast: Linda DiMario talks with Ron Kitchens. The two dive into the value of integrating tourism and economic development, and Linda shares how the Greater Irvine Chamber is helping businesses of all sizes be better prepared for future crises after witnessing that most businesses were not prepared to handle a small crisis…

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Episode 078: Ean Johnson | OmniTRAX
 Episode 078: Ean Johnson | OmniTRAX 150 150 America's Jobs Team

On This Week’s Podcast: Ean Johnson joins Ron Kitchens and the two of them dive into the roles that economic developers can (and should) play in today’s accelerated change track. Ean’s team is always a remote team, and as such he is able to share invaluable insights on leading remotely. He talks about how his…

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Episode 077: Daniel Silverman | Invest Quebec
 Episode 077: Daniel Silverman | Invest Quebec 150 150 America's Jobs Team

On This Week’s Podcast: Ron Kitchens interviews Daniel Silverman. Right out the gates, they dive into the very intentional immigration Quebec has. Daniel shares how he navigated hurdles on his onboarding journey as the pandemic shut down any in-person strategies, and talks about the crash course he got in managing up as well as managing…

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Episode 076: Annemarie Henton | Albuquerque Economic Development
 Episode 076: Annemarie Henton | Albuquerque Economic Development 150 150 America's Jobs Team

On This Week’s Podcast: Annemarie Henton joins Ron Kitchens for a conversation centered on the importance of rallying around realistic positivity. Annemarie has a background in branding and communications, and she dives into how communities can leverage their own unique selling points and getting their residents to be part of that messaging. Annemarie shares her…

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Episode 075: Bethany J. Miller | Greater Houston Partnership
 Episode 075: Bethany J. Miller | Greater Houston Partnership 150 150 America's Jobs Team

On This Week’s Podcast: Bethany Miller talks with Ron Kitchens about her journey into economic development (spoiler alert: mentors played a huge role!). Bethany dives into Houston’s status as the most diverse city in the USA and how economic development is affected. She shares insights on the importance of assessing your own disposition on a…

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Episode 074: Chris Camacho | Greater Phoenix Economic Council
 Episode 074: Chris Camacho | Greater Phoenix Economic Council 150 150 America's Jobs Team

On This Week’s Podcast: Chris Camacho joins Ron Kitchens to talk economic development and leadership. Chris shares how he evaluated and strategically chose his career moves, which in the moment may have looked like a step backward but in reality gave him the platform to catapult forward. He talks about the qualities which built the…

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Episode 073: Barry Broome | Greater Sacramento Economic Council
 Episode 073: Barry Broome | Greater Sacramento Economic Council 150 150 America's Jobs Team

On This Week’s Podcast: Barry Broome joins Ron Kitchens for a dynamite interview. Barry talks bout letting multiple experiences in life create good leadership within one’s self and allowing that to bring a fresh approach to new challenges. He dives into the importance of connecting to your community’s culture and attaching people to the dream…

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Episode 072: Barbra Coffee | City of Tucson
 Episode 072: Barbra Coffee | City of Tucson 150 150 America's Jobs Team

On This Week’s Podcast: Barbra Coffee joins us to talk about connection, inspiration and building relationships. She shares a few of the things that she looks for during interviews which have enabled her to build a strong team. Barbra dives into her need for analytical thinkers to balance out her big-picture thinking, and she hits…

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Episode 071: Mike Neal | Tulsa Regional Chamber
 Episode 071: Mike Neal | Tulsa Regional Chamber 150 150 America's Jobs Team

On This Week’s Podcast: Mike Neal joins Nick Riashi for an energetic interview, where Mike dives into how he went from accounting to banking to political staffer to economic developer. Mike talks about the speed of change throughout this year, and how he is continuing to find joy and reward in the dance. He gives…

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Episode 070: Timothy Downs | Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce
 Episode 070: Timothy Downs | Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce 150 150 America's Jobs Team

On This Week’s Podcast: Timothy Downs joins Faye Davis to talk shop. Timothy shares his biggest personal leadership challenge as this year keeps going at its relentless pace. He dives into the perceived reasons for the current deal flow trends in the greater Durham region, particularly touching on the specific industries affected. As a former…

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