Whittaker Report

Blog & Podcast

Curiosity

Are you a curious person? If you’re reading this, my guess is you are. Curiosity leads us to ask, "What if?" It drives us to explore, to discover, and to grow. It nudges us out of our routines and into the unknown, where learning and transformation happen. For me, curiosity started early. My grandmother was endlessly curious about people and the world around her, and she passed that spark on to...

AI in Economic Development – Issue 12.0

Agents – AI Acting on Your Behalf What are agents, and why should you care? Agents are software AI programs that act autonomously on your behalf. Once deployed, they require minimal human input to function. These systems can perceive their environment, make decisions, and take action based on predefined goals. Agents use sensors—physical or virtual—to gather information. For instance, cameras...

Rocky Mountain National Park

My National Park Series, so far, has taken us through the splendor of some of the U.S.’s most treasured spaces, including Badlands, Zion, Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef. But does it get any better than the Rocky Mountains? My visit in October of this year to Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado had me seeing my first snowfall of the season against the backdrop of sweeping mountain views and...
Seeing More Through Urban Sketching

Seeing More Through Urban Sketching

Recently, at the urging of some friends, I attended a Saturday morning Urban Sketching class. Over the course of 90 minutes, our instructor, Marcia Schrotenboer, introduced us to the essentials of sketching, delivering a well-organized and inspiring session. Her...

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Recent Podcasts

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The Whittaker Report Podcast Episode 26 an Interview with Kate Engel, Executive Director of the Nebraska Innovation Campus
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  • The Whittaker Report Podcast Episode 26 an Interview with Kate Engel, Executive Director of the Nebraska Innovation Campus

    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.

    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

    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

    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

    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.

  • The Whittaker Report Podcast Episode 21 - An Interview with Alia Abbas,  Founder and President of Alia Consulting

    The Whittaker Report Podcast Episode 21 - An Interview with Alia Abbas, Founder and President of Alia Consulting

    May 20, 2023 • 01:13:15

    In Episode 21, Alia Abbas shares with us her experience as a first-time attendee at the Select USA Conference, an investment summit in Washington DC annually. It provides an opportunity for economic development organization to meet with potential international investors considering establishing business operations in the United States. Alia Abbas…

  • Whittaker Report Podcast Episode 20 - An Interview with Nathan Ohle, President/CEO of the International Economic Development Council

    Whittaker Report Podcast Episode 20 - An Interview with Nathan Ohle, President/CEO of the International Economic Development Council

    Mar 24, 2023 • 00:30:13

    Nathan Ohle has been recently appointed as the President/CEO of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). Under his leadership, several initiatives are underway, including a comprehensive strategic plan that involves a thorough review of all IEDC membership services. Nathan emphasizes the importance of collaboration in economic development as opposed to…

  • Whittaker Associates Podcast Episode 19 - An Interview with Andy Bass, CEO NetNerd Ventures

    Whittaker Associates Podcast Episode 19 - An Interview with Andy Bass, CEO NetNerd Ventures

    Jan 14, 2023 • 00:40:07

    Andy Bass is a long-time tech entrepreneur in West Michigan, having founded a variety of companies in the e-commerce and supply chain space over the past 30 years. He is the CEO of NetNerd Ventures, providing startup and technology strategy and software development services throughout Michigan. With a background in…

  • Whittaker Associates Podcast Episode 18 - An Interview with Matt McQuade, Managing Director, Business Development One Columbus

    Whittaker Associates Podcast Episode 18 - An Interview with Matt McQuade, Managing Director, Business Development One Columbus

    Oct 30, 2022 • 00:25:51

    Matt McQuade, Managing Director, Business Development One Columbus shares with us his view of the future of economic development. As a millennial (born between 1981 and 1996) Matt brings a perspective on the future of economic development from a younger generation than several of our previous guests. With 12 years…

  • Whittaker Associates Podcast Episode 17 - An Interview with Julie Curtin, President Economic Development Practice,  Development Counsellors International

    Whittaker Associates Podcast Episode 17 - An Interview with Julie Curtin, President Economic Development Practice, Development Counsellors International

    Jul 8, 2022 • 00:21:32

    Julie Curtin, President of the Economic Development Practice of Development Counsellors International (DCI) shares with us her insight into the future of economic development. In her role as a board member of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), she worked directly with IEDC to support the launch of the Diversity…

Recent Posts

Your Time

Your Time

When someone asks for a moment of your time, they are asking for the most precious thing you have. Time is an irreplaceable asset, and once spent, it can never be reclaimed. What if our lifespan was eight days instead of eighty years? What value would we place on each...

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Evaluating Generative AI Tools

Evaluating Generative AI Tools

In the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence, large language models have emerged as powerful tools for a myriad of applications. Among these, ChatGPT, GPT-3.5, Perplexity, and Claude.AI stand out due to their distinct features and capabilities. Each of...

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Don’t Fall for Fake News

Don’t Fall for Fake News

Fake news is everywhere, yet social media seems to take the cake when it comes to fabricating and disseminating false information. And now with AI and other tools, it’s become quite easy to make images and videos look real and attribute quotes and actions to people in...

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Sounding the Alarm About Skin Cancer

Sounding the Alarm About Skin Cancer

A recent Rotary meeting featured an enlightening presentation on skin cancer, highlighting the three main types: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. The primary culprit behind these cancers is ultraviolet (UV) light, which we're exposed to...

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AI in Economic Development – Issue 8.0

AI in Economic Development – Issue 8.0

AI and Your Digital Twin...Continued Recent news highlights the growing impact of AI-powered digital twins. A notable example involves social media influencer Caryn Marjorie, whose content garners over a billion views monthly on Snapchat. Last year, her AI clone,...

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The Future of Technology

The Future of Technology

Entrepreneur and investor, Vinod Khosla, is known as a techno-optimist, pioneering open systems and helping shape the tech industry over several decades. As the founder of Khosla Ventures, his company has invested in numerous early-stage companies, most notably...

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Latest

AI in Economic Development – Issue 11.0

How to Use Google NotebookLM  Artificial intelligence (AI) has quietly worked its way into many industries, and economic development is no exception. One tool that’s particularly useful for professionals in this field is Google NotebookLM—a powerful AI-driven research...

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Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef National Parks

Did you know that Utah is home to five National Parks? Only California and Alaska contain more national parks; however, the close proximity of the parks in Utah makes it easy to visit several during the same trip. Last month, I wrote about my time at Zion National...

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