Whittaker Report
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A Lost Companion
I never understood the true relationship between me and my dog until very recent. I have a vague memory of my mom bringing a small white fluffy puppy home in the summer of 2007. I was really not fond of the idea of owning a dog and having to stay under the same roof....
Recent Podcasts
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…
The Whittaker Report Podcast Episode 22 - An Interview with Lee Crume, President & CEO of BE NKY
Jul 20, 2023 • 00:19:11
Learn about BE NKY, a regional economic development organization and hear from Lee Crume, President & CEO of the organization as he describes the success they are having and his view of the changing nature of economic development.
Recent Posts
Cellular Phones' Future: 3G
by David Chang Do you use a cellphone? - Who doesn't? Do you know your cellphone service carrier? - Probably. Do you understand the technologies built into your cellphone? - Maybe. Do you know what's coming next? - Probably not! Cingular, T-Mobile, Sprint PCS and...
Featured Website: CorporateInformation.com
By Jeff Vedders Stumped when it comes to international company information? We actually stumbled on a site that may help. It’s called Corporate Information and it’s at www.corporateinformation.com. Corporate Information allows you to research by company, industry,...
Nanotechnology – the reality minus the hype
By Leigh Howe “There’s plenty of room at the bottom” – physicist Richard Feynman, 1959. The beginnings of nanotechnology occurred as early as 1959 but wouldn’t become an accepted scientific pursuit until the 1980’s. Nanotechnology is the art of manipulating matter...
Marketing for Success
by Pete Julius Need to improve the success of your marketing program? I hope that all of you answered yes to this question. Every organization needs to improve, no matter how much success it has experienced. A tremendous amount of increased competition from new,...
News That Matters Through Communal Blogging
by Josh Morse In this age of overwhelming amounts of information, it often seems near-impossible to follow the latest trends, especially in the fast-paced technology industry. Traditional paper-based media, such as weekly magazines, often report information that has...
2001 U.S. Rural New & Expanded Activity
By Pete Julius In order to successfully attract businesses to rural communities, it is imperative to understand which industries gravitate to less populated areas. For most communities, it is extremely challenging to attract businesses. For rural communities which...
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Latest
Innovation in Government?
By Dean Whittaker The Bloomberg Philanthropies, to stimulate innovation in government, conducted an Idea Accelerator Workshop for our community, Holland, Michigan, on how to take an idea and turn it into a reality. The workshop was preparation to apply for the Mayor’s...
“be nice.” Update
By Jami Gibson I’ve previously written about the “be nice.” mental health initiative, but as I’m gearing up for a fundraiser event next week, I want to update our readers on the cause and the role our community plays in helping movements like this gain traction. To...
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