Whittaker Report

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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...
Reverse Mentorship

Reverse Mentorship

Mentorship can be an essential tool for anyone seeking guidance from someone more experienced in a particular aspect of life, whether personal or professional. While there are numerous techniques to provide direction, mentorship is ultimately based on communication....

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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

Why I Chose a Career in Data Analytics

Why I Chose a Career in Data Analytics

By Yang Fu I was born in China and my family has passed down the tradition of practicing medicine for generations. I received my Bachelors degree in China from Xiangya School of Medicine which has a long-standing reputation for medical education in China. My junior...

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Making Better Decisions with Al

Created by Laura Leenhouts By Dean Whittaker  This month I had the privilege of presenting at the Great Lakes Software Excellence Conference. The theme of the conference this year was "AI." We focused on ways industries are embracing artificial intelligence to...

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Positive Psychology

Positive Psychology

By Brittany Gebben I recently watched a TED talk given by psychologist, Shawn Achor, that was fast-paced and hilariously inviting while covering an interesting concept.  Achor focuses on the idea that it is not necessarily the external world that shapes our happiness...

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Ocean: Home for Aquatic or Plastic?

Ocean: Home for Aquatic or Plastic?

By Sambridhi Shrestha Ever since we were kids we have been studying plastic pollution in our textbooks. It’s been quite a while since we heard that the pollution is increasing every year but we have not heard that it is decreasing and this is very sad. We are aware...

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Choosing Sustainability in a Developing Nation

Choosing Sustainability in a Developing Nation

By Ayush Dev Pant I am writing this article from Kathmandu Nepal. It’s 23rd of May, 6 P.M and it is very gloomy outside. Half an hour ago there was a bright blue sky. By the time I finish writing this article, I expect a thunderstorm. I’ve lived my entire life in...

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The Renaissance of the South Bend, Indiana Region

The Renaissance of the South Bend, Indiana Region

By Dean Whittaker An economic renaissance is underway in South Bend, Indiana, a community of 100,000 on the Indiana/Michigan border.  Recently South Bend started an effort to re-invent itself from a declining old manufacturing city with population out-migration...

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Latest

Takeaways from the IAMC Forum

This month, I attended the Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC) 2022 Fall Forum. The welcome reception and dinner were held at the Henry Ford Museum, hosted by the Detroit Regional Partnership (DRP) and several other sponsors. Maureen Krauss, President/CEO of...

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October Learning

October was a fascinating month with several new initiatives underway. We began working with our first agile business development client using a process called Kanban.  The intention is to accelerate the business development process significantly by using a Kanban...

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