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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!

April 22: Brett Bayduss | Site Selection Group | COVID-19 MINISERIES
 April 22: Brett Bayduss | Site Selection Group | COVID-19 MINISERIES 150 150 America's Jobs Team

Brett Bayduss talks with Carla Sones about what the longterm effects of COVID-19 may be. He dives into whether the work-from-home culture is here to stay or if people will naturally gravitate to office environments again, and reminds us that it’s okay to just be there to listen to your community. Brett is executive vice…

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April 21: Courtney Ross | Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce | COVID-19 MINISERIES
 April 21: Courtney Ross | Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce | COVID-19 MINISERIES 150 150 America's Jobs Team

Courtney Ross joins Ron Kitchens to talk about how Nashville is faring through not only COVID-19 impacts, but also from the tornado which destroyed parts of downtown in early March. Courtney shares insight on the healthcare industry getting hit hard by the cancelations of almost all elective surgeries, and talks about finding joy and laughter…

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April 20: Rodrick Miller | Invest Puerto Rico | COVID-19 MINISERIES
 April 20: Rodrick Miller | Invest Puerto Rico | COVID-19 MINISERIES 150 150 America's Jobs Team

Rodrick Miller joins Ron Kitchens to talk about Puerto Rico’s response to COVID-19. Rod talks about how his region’s muscle memory from previous crisis responses has helped it to respond quickly. He dives into the need to underscore a message of resilience and acknowledging that no one is immune to outside risk. Rod is president…

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April 17: Kenny McDonald | One Columbus | COVID-19 MINISERIES
 April 17: Kenny McDonald | One Columbus | COVID-19 MINISERIES 150 150 America's Jobs Team

Carla Sones has a conversation with Kenny McDonald. Kenny talks about the importance of identifying which companies and industries are going to be an anchor in this storm, and why having strong relationships with existing industries in the community is crucial. He shares that two questions are driving his and his team’s decisions: How do…

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April 16: Misti Martin | Cherokee Office of Economic Development | COVID-19 MINISERIES
 April 16: Misti Martin | Cherokee Office of Economic Development | COVID-19 MINISERIES 150 150 America's Jobs Team

Ron Kitchens talks with Misti Martin, who shares the unexpected businesses that are doing well in this crisis. Misti talks candidly about the concerns for public-private partnerships, divulges excellent advice about how to reach out to existing businesses, and dives into the inevitable changes for economic development. Misti is the president of the Cherokee Office…

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April 15: Tim Eckerle and Mikayla Marazzi | Grant County Economic Growth Council | COVID-19 MINISERIES
 April 15: Tim Eckerle and Mikayla Marazzi | Grant County Economic Growth Council | COVID-19 MINISERIES 150 150 America's Jobs Team

Tim Eckerle and Mikayla Marazzi team up with Carla Sones on today’s podcast to talk about the initiatives they’re implementing in Grant County, Indiana to help cushion the effects of COVID-19 on the business community. Tim and Mikayla share insight on the funding programs put in place, as well as how much this crisis is…

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April 14: Quentin L. Messer, Jr. | New Orleans Business Alliance | COVID-19 MINISERIES
 April 14: Quentin L. Messer, Jr. | New Orleans Business Alliance | COVID-19 MINISERIES 150 150 America's Jobs Team

Quentin L. Messer, Jr. joins Ron Kitchens and shares insight on why New Orleans became a hotspot for the virus and how the city is fighting back by making fast, tough decisions. He emphasizes the resiliency of the city and talks about three ways that economic development will change in the future. Quentin is the…

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April 13: Greg Wathen | Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana | COVID-19 MINISERIES
 April 13: Greg Wathen | Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana | COVID-19 MINISERIES 150 150 America's Jobs Team

Carla Sones talks with Greg Wathen about how COVID-19 is affecting his region. Greg shares insight into what he’s seeing in terms of deal flow and how businesses are reacting. Greg has served as the president and CEO of the Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana since 2007. During his tenure, he has helped garner…

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April 10: Gray Swoope | VisionFirst Advisors | COVID-19 MINISERIES
 April 10: Gray Swoope | VisionFirst Advisors | COVID-19 MINISERIES 150 150 America's Jobs Team

Gray Swoope joins Faye Davis to talk about what trends he’s seeing in the COVID-19 response and how he believes it will affect the economic development industry. Gray is president and CEO of VisionFirst Advisors and a recognized leader in economic development and site selection. After a successful 30-year career in economic development, Gray launched…

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April 9: Kimm Lauterbach | REDI Cincinnati | COVID-19 MINISERIES
 April 9: Kimm Lauterbach | REDI Cincinnati | COVID-19 MINISERIES 150 150 America's Jobs Team

Kimm Lauterbach, president and CEO at REDI Cincinnati, talks with Ron Kitchens about how her three-state region is reacting to the pandemic impacts, and how her organization is navigating governmental direction from those three states. A founding member of the REDI Cincinnati leadership team, Kimm engineers practices and strategies that strengthen the three-state, 16-county Greater…

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