Kenny McDonald

Episode 093: What Do You Know About Infrastructure-led Economic Development? | Clyde Higgs, Atlanta BeltLine Inc.
Episode 093: What Do You Know About Infrastructure-led Economic Development? | Clyde Higgs, Atlanta BeltLine Inc. 150 150 America's Jobs Team

“Being explicit and intentional about telling people who you are, it helps to add comfort for people who aren’t built like you.” —Clyde Higgs

Economic development is evolving into an industry with subspecialties. Clyde Higgs talks about how his initial goal to be a hospital CEO and his current role in economic development are really not so different; the emergence of all the subspecialties has allowed him to take a more surgical approach with executing the Atlanta BeltLine vision.

Clyde is at the helm of Atlanta BeltLine Inc, which oversees one of the most comprehensive and massive revitalization efforts of our time. He talks about the power of this project and how he is inspired to grow and develop his leadership muscles every day so he can put his people first and keep driving this tremendous effort forward.

Early on in the pandemic, it was unknown how exactly the virus spread. People were flocking to the BeltLine at that time, and Clyde talks about being faced with public scrutiny for keeping these trails open during that controversial period, and how deferring to the experts rather than jump into defense mode was critical to pulling through.

Tune in now to hear all this and much more from Clyde!

Bio:

Clyde Higgs was named President and CEO of Atlanta BeltLine Inc. in February 2019 after serving in an interim capacity for a year and a half and as Chief Operating Officer for three years. In addition to overseeing the company, Higgs works to expand ABI’s strong working relationships with private and public partners across the region, state and nation.

Higgs brings 20 years’ experience in economic development, real estate, intellectual property, technology, strategic planning, design, real estate development, grant and donor funding, and government relations, with a diversity of projects including those that specialize in urban innovation, science and technology. He is a graduate of the University of South Alabama and holds a Master of Public Administration from East Carolina University.

America’s Jobs Team is sponsored by Research on Investment / Gazelle.ai

Episode 092: Why Should You Have a Startup and Entrepreneurialism Strategy? | Carolyn Rowley, Lubbock Economic Development Alliance
Episode 092: Why Should You Have a Startup and Entrepreneurialism Strategy? | Carolyn Rowley, Lubbock Economic Development Alliance 150 150 America's Jobs Team

“Work humble. I never ask others to do a task I wouldn’t do myself.” —Carolyn Rowley

To say that Carolyn Rowley was born into the economic development world is by no means an overstatement. Her father was an early pioneer in the industry, back when it was called industrial development, and she has had a long runway into economic development.

Welcome to episode 092! Carolyn shares candidly how her organization added a focus on innovation and entrepreneurship to their strategic plan a little over 10 years ago, and how they partner with educational institutions in the region.

She dives into what she’s seeing today and the various amazing ideas which she was able to judge for an innovation award. Carolyn’s insights on the serial nature of many entrepreneurs is a great reminder why supporting startups is so important.

Carolyn is one of the North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers, specifically recognized by her peers for her thoughtful and pragmatic approach to economic development, especially with her efforts to recruit new business and support startup businesses. Tune in now to hear more from this dynamite woman!

Bio:

Carolyn Rowley is the director of business recruitment and innovation at the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance (LEDA). Throughout her tenure in the industry, Carolyn provides the highest quality service, going above and beyond with each prospect. During the nearly nine years on LEDA’s team, she has worked with 14 companies, which has collectively created 898 jobs and invested $168.5 million in building and equipment into the Lubbock economy. Carolyn has shared her expertise in roles such as the vice-chair of Team Texas, which she currently holds. She is also a member of the Texas Economic Development Council Board of Directors and is a certified economic developer.

America’s Jobs Team is sponsored by Research on Investment / Gazelle.ai

Episode 091: How Honesty and Vulnerability Enhance a Team’s Commitment with Steven Jast (Research on Investment & Gazelle AI)
Episode 091: How Honesty and Vulnerability Enhance a Team’s Commitment with Steven Jast (Research on Investment & Gazelle AI) 150 150 America's Jobs Team

“We continue to try to create opportunities for everyone on the team to share, but we make it very clear: if you need time for yourself or speak to senior leadership, it’s a given, don’t even think twice about it.” —Steven Jast

Sometimes we make a decision based on a seemingly small motivation, which launches our life down a completely different trajectory. Steven Jast (President at Research on Investment and Gazelle AI) talks about how a job he took just to make a little money to go travel wound up leading him down his path into the economic development industry.

Welcome to episode 091 of the America’s Jobs Team podcast! Steven shares some really important lessons he learned from  his grandfather, who survived internment at a Polish concentration camp during World War II, as well as his father who always put his family first, knowing that any effort he put in would pay dividends in the future.

Steven also gets really honest about how 2020 affected him, how some days it was all he could do to drag himself out of bed and to his computer, and how that experience and his battle out of it subsequently impacted the way he leads his team.

We are so glad you’re here tuning in for another dose of leadership and economic development insights, and we can’t wait for you to hear from Steven about what he’s seeing in terms of leads and trends, and which industries are gearing up for growth and impact. Click the play button on the audio player below to tune in now!

Bio:

Steven Jast has over 20 years’ experience in all aspects of economic development. He began his career at boutique advisory firm CAI Corporate Affairs International, where he specialized in site selection analysis, jurisdictional marketing, and industrial clustering.

He was appointed Executive Vice President at CAI in 2001, and oversaw the creation of CAI’s ROI Research on Investment company, which he then spun off into an independent company, of which he is now president. Since then, ROI has grown from a staff of two, to an international company of 60 professionals, with offices in four countries.

Steve is a thought leader in the field of modern economic development and investment attraction, and has been published in the prestigious fDi magazine, he’s a regular speaker at international conferences and provides training and coaching to economic development leaders around the world.

America’s Jobs Team is sponsored by Research on Investment / Gazelle.ai

Episode 090: What Is the Impact of Politics and Media on Business Attraction?
Episode 090: What Is the Impact of Politics and Media on Business Attraction? 150 150 America's Jobs Team

What is the role that politics and media play in business attraction and how can these impact a community’s chances to land new projects? It’s a question we’ve been hearing increasingly more often in our industry. Last week, we talked with Kenny McDonald and dove into that conversation from an economic developer’s point of view.

This week, we will hear the site consultant’s side of the story. During ECONOMIX, our annual conference, we hosted a panel to talk about these impacts. Welcome to episode 090, we’re thrilled you’re listening in today!

Chris Schastok (CBRE) and Scott Kupperman (Kupperman Location Solutions) join Ron Kitchens to talk about the increased scrutiny and the amount of atypical things being taken into consideration in site selection over the past year. In their discussion, Scott and Chris dive into how an increase in anxiety about alignment between corporate values and community values, especially with the divisiveness in politics and renewed drive for social justice, is affecting the community selection process. They talk about the importance of being aware of anti-business legislation and making sure local elected officials know why economic development is crucial to a thriving community.

So, what can communities do to make sure their community is as attractive as possible to prospective businesses? What is the importance of educating elected officials? How can economic developers make sure that they aren’t hampered by anti-business legislation and toxic politics in their community? Tune in now to hear from Chris and Scott!

Chris is one of the national leaders of CBRE’s Location Strategy & Incentives practice. This advisory group assists clients globally with site selection and economic incentive negotiations, in conjunction with the overall strategy and execution of corporate real estate initiatives. With 15 years of aligning location decisions with business strategy, he has negotiated more than $1.5B in incentives and has vast experience representing clients on corporate headquarters, back-office strategy, food production/processing, manufacturing and distribution center projects.

Scott Kupperman formed Kupperman Location Services “KLS”, a corporate consulting entity providing site-selection and associated facility-acquisition services across the U.S, in 2011. KLS focuses on providing site consulting services designed to maximize the long-term value of a well-informed facility location decision. This initiative was driven by the desire to independently utilize 12 years of site- selection experience, client relationships and nationwide contacts and resources. Scott’s capabilities make him particularly well-suited to provide a strong value proposition for clients in need of warehouse, distribution and light manufacturing facility solutions. Scott has a history of serving clients with a variety of product types with specific manufacturing and distribution needs, including many in the food industry.

America’s Jobs Team is sponsored by Research on Investment / Gazelle.ai

Episode 089: Kenny McDonald | One Columbus
Episode 089: Kenny McDonald | One Columbus 150 150 America's Jobs Team

“Falling behind is not an option.” —Kenny McDonald

Industry titan Kenny McDonald had a unique vantage point in 2020 as the chair of the IEDC Board of Directors. Today, he talks about the lessons he learned in the midst of a pandemic over which no one had significant control, learning to let go and allow his team to execute and respond to the needs at hand.

As economic developers, we often have to communicate with the media. Kenny talks about how he honed his skills in navigating the press, and shares a crucial discovery exercise to do prior to making statements as an organization.

The new year is also brings with it the transition of many local elected leadership positions. How does One Columbus go about immersing new public servants into the world of economic development, and why is it so important to share the importance of economic development with these folks? Tune in now to hear this (and so much more) from Kenny.

Kenny McDonald is the president and chief economic officer of One Columbus since the organization’s inception in 2010. He is a leader and a visionary in the economic development space, and he has recently wrapped up his time as the chair of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC)‘s Board of Directors. He has helped lead the execution of the One Columbus Regional Growth Strategy and development of the Columbus Region’s competitiveness agenda, and he has also built local and national partnerships that have accelerated the area’s development. Kenny has over 20 years of regional economic development and management consulting experience focused on helping companies develop and execute their location strategies and helping communities achieve their goals.

America’s Jobs Team is sponsored by Research on Investment / Gazelle.ai

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 we add value? And how do we build trust?

Kenny is the president and chief economic officer of One Columbus, formerly Columbus 2020, since the organization’s inception in 2010, and he is also the chair of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) Governance Committee. He has helped lead the execution of the One Columbus Regional Growth Strategy and development of the Columbus Region’s competitiveness agenda, and he has also built local and national partnerships that have accelerated the area’s development. Kenny has over 20 years of regional economic development and management consulting experience focused on helping companies develop and execute their location strategies and helping communities achieve their goals.

COVID-19 RESPONSE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Every weekday America’s Jobs Team will be airing a new episode focusing on the response to the coronavirus pandemic from the perspective of economic developers and site consultants alike. We have gathered that our listening audience has a deep desire to hear from other economic development professionals about how they are handling this crisis. Due to the frequency of podcast releases, we will not be sending a daily email with the new episodes. To get each episode as it is released, please search “America’s Jobs Team” on your preferred podcast app and subscribe.