Whittaker Report
Blog & Podcast
AI in Economic Development – Issue 34.0
From Answers to Action: Where AI Is Headed and Why It Matters to Economic Developers Every so often I like to step back and ask a bigger question: where is all this going? In more than 40 years of economic development I have seen many technology cycles, and this one...
Recent Podcasts
Episode 32 An Interview with Ron Kitchens - Managing Partner of Greater St. Louis, Inc.
Mar 25, 2026 • 00:30:43
In this episode, you will hear from Ron Kitchens, Managing Partner of Greater St. Louis, Inc. You will learn how Ron began his 30-year career in economic development as an entrepreneur with a passion for creating jobs, a passion that became a lifelong commitment to helping communities grow and prosper.…
The Whittaker Report Episode 31 An Interview with Vern Schultz
Dec 31, 2025 • 00:28:44
Vern Schultz, SIOR, has been active in Chicago-area commercial real estate for more than 35 years. He joined Colliers in 1977 and currently serves as an Executive Vice President in the Industrial Advisory Group, representing tenants and owners throughout the Chicago market. Since joining Colliers, Vern has completed more than…
The Whittaker Report Podcast Episode 30 - An Interview with Ashley & Eric Canada of Blane Canada AI
Sep 11, 2025 • 00:35:30
Eric has been a pioneer in applying technology to economic development for over 30 years, and together with Ashley—who brings deep expertise in sales and marketing—they’ve transformed Blane Canada into a leader in AI and automation for business development. We’re going to talk about where economic development is headed, how…
The Whittaker Report Podcast Episode 29 An Interview with Dennis Pruitt, Senior Vice President of Economic Development for the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce
Apr 29, 2025 • 00:33:16
Dennis Pruitt, SVP, is the Senior Vice President of Economic Development at the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber. He leads the Chamber’s business recruitment and expansion efforts, economic research, industry sector development, and destination retail initiatives. He also oversees the Greater Oklahoma City Partnership, a 10-county regional economic development alliance. With…
The Whittaker Report Podcast Episode 28 - An Interview with Jen Wakefield, APR, President and CEO at Greater Richmond Partnership
Mar 12, 2025 • 00:27:24
Jennifer Wakefield. Jen is the President and CEO of the Greater Richmond Partnership, where she’s been driving strategic growth and investment in the region since 2021. With over two decades of experience in economic development, marketing, and strategic planning, she’s led transformative projects in both Richmond and Orlando, boosting business…
The Whittaker Report Podcast Episode 27 - An Interview with Barry Matherly, CEcD
Jan 29, 2025 • 00:20:52
In this episode, we hear from Barry Matherly, CEcD, President and CEO of Hickey Global, a full service economic development consulting firm. With over 28 years in economic development, Barry has been helping communities to prosper by creating opportunities for new investment and job growth. As a certified economic development…
The Whittaker Report Podcast Episode 26 an Interview with Kate Engel, Executive Director of the Nebraska Innovation Campus
Apr 26, 2024 • 00:17:26
In this episode we hear from Kate Engel, Managing Director of the Nebraska Innovation Campus. Kate Engel. Kate is the interim executive director of the Nebraska Innovation Campus Development Corporation owned by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. Kate’s primary responsibility is to supervise NICDC staff, direct business operations…
The Whittaker Report Podcast Episode 25 - An Interview with Dr. Donald T. Iannone.
Jan 14, 2024 • 00:35:49
In this episode we hear from Dr. Donald T. Iannone, a poet, author, philosopher, and professor of theology. Don shares with us his view of the future of Economic Development and trends impacting the profession. He discusses the longterm impace of COVID on our mind, body and spirit. Do has…
The Whittaker Report Podcast Episode 24 An Interview with Mark James, CEcD, Utility Practice Lead, Hickey Global
Dec 14, 2023 • 00:37:11
In this episode, Mark James discusses the electric utility industry role in site selection, current trends within the industry, electrical capacity, supply chain issues and the need to dramatically invest in the expansion of the grid. Mark also shares with us the future of economic development as seen from his…
The Whittaker Report Podcast Episode 23 - An Interview with Karl Dye, President/CEO of TRIDEC
Nov 24, 2023 • 00:28:59
In this episode, we have a conversation with Karl Dye, President/CEO of TRIDEC (Tri Cities Development Council) serving Benton and Franklin Counties in Washington State. Karl discusses the opportunities for economic development organizations in decarbonization, climate change, and the electric power shortage. He also describers where he sees the economic…
Recent Posts
Tips for Traveling with Pets
I just returned from an extended cross-country trip with my 13 year old dog, Ari. She is, after all, my favorite travel companion. However, traveling with a pet requires some pre-planning, but it always makes the trip less stressful when a good plan is in place. Here...
What a Little Blue-and-Yellow House Taught Me About Economic Development
Each month I try to share something I learned. This month the lesson did not come from a data set or a client engagement. It came from a small wooden house full of children's books. Since 2018, Holland's two Rotary clubs have partnered with Herrick District Library on...
AI in Economic Development – Issue 33.0
Don't Overthink It: Building Your First AI Agent in Claude Cowork This month Andy Bass of InnovateAI led a hands-on lunch and learn on building AI agents in the SURGE Training Room at The Next Center in Holland. It drew such interest that he gave it twice, on...
Best of Jackson, Wyoming
Every September my husband and I take a few weeks to travel out West. We’ve extensively traveled the country, but we keep coming back to the one state we love most: Wyoming, and in particular, the town of Jackson and the greater Jackson Hole valley area. Not only does...
What Is Agentic AI, and Why Should We Care?
For the past couple of years, most of us have gotten used to a certain rhythm with AI: you ask it a question, it gives you an answer, and the exchange ends there. That is the chatbot model, and it has already changed how I research and write. But a newer term is...
AI in Economic Development – Issue 32.0
What a 1977 Science Fiction Novel Can Teach Economic Developers Today Nearly fifty years ago, author Thomas J. Ryan imagined a computer program that escaped the boundaries its creator intended for it. In his 1977 novel, The Adolescence of P-1, Ryan introduced P-1, a...
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Latest
Twice the Speed at Half the Cost: What Holland’s Fiber Network Taught Me
Each month I try to share something I learned. This month the lesson came from a project I have been close to for years. In 2022, Holland voters approved a bond of up to $30 million, repaid through a millage, to run fiber past every address in the city. I helped make...
AI in Economic Development – Issue 34.0
From Answers to Action: Where AI Is Headed and Why It Matters to Economic Developers Every so often I like to step back and ask a bigger question: where is all this going? In more than 40 years of economic development I have seen many technology cycles, and this one...
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