The Economic Development Shift

The Economic Development Shift

By Dean Whittaker A shift is underway in the mission of economic development organizations. Growth has always been the mantra, but now it is becoming about sustainability. Loss of population is now becoming a major economic issue for many cities, regions, and states....
Best Practices Conference

Best Practices Conference

By Dean Whittaker This month I had the opportunity to participate in the Mid-America Economic Development Council/Indiana Economic Development Association joint Best Practices Conference in Ft. Wayne, IN. It was a great conference, well organized, held at an...
Gardening – The Seasons of Our Lives

Gardening – The Seasons of Our Lives

By Dean Whittaker There is a season for most things. Currently, it is the season of cultivating and planting. Gardening is a great metaphor for what we do in economic development and throughout life. Much of gardening requires preparing the soil, making sure it has...
Ride-Sharing Drivers as City Ambassadors

Ride-Sharing Drivers as City Ambassadors

By Jami Gibson I’ve done a bit of traveling over the past month, from the East Coast to the West Coast, the Gulf Coast and back to Michigan. During my time away, I exclusively used Uber to get where I needed to go in an inexpensive and timely manner – to and...