Whittaker Report
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AI in Economic Development – Issue 20.0
Site Location Trends in the World of AI: 2025 The following is a Perplexity generated report on the AI site selection trends in 2025. It is worth looking at to see where things are headed and how these trends will impact how you go about presenting your location to...
Recent Podcasts
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.
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…
Recent Posts
InnovateAI
Artificial Intelligence is rapidly reshaping the economic landscape, creating new opportunities for communities ready to embrace innovation. For our community to thrive economically, integrating AI into local businesses, government operations, educational...
When AI Becomes Smarter Than We Are
What do you do when you realize the chatbot you’ve been using might be smarter than you? That moment hit me today while using Grok3. I asked it to write an article for The Whittaker Report—covering its own development, the Memphis data center where it lives, its...
AI in Economic Development – Issue 15.0
Below is an article written for The Whittaker Report about Grok and Grok 3, including details about the Memphis data center where Grok3 lives, its development history, and its water and power consumption. As an experiment, this story was written by Grok3 and Prompted...
Drama – What Is It and Why You Should Care!
A friend reminded me this month of the drama we’re all experiencing across the country. That got me thinking, and instead of reaching for my trusty Webster’s Dictionary, I turned to ChatGPT for a definition. Here’s what it came back with: “In the world, drama can take...
AI in Economic Development – Issue 14.0
Exploring Grok: The New Frontier in Conversational AI In the fast-evolving world of artificial intelligence, xAI's Grok stands out as a revolutionary tool that's reshaping how we interact with AI. Here's an in-depth look at what Grok is, its unique features, and how...
A Look Ahead to 2025
As we move into 2025, three key areas demand our attention: our evolving relationship with China, the ever-expanding capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI), and the implications of political transitions in the United States. Each of these factors holds...
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Latest
How Climate Change Is Reshaping Business Site Location Decisions
As economic developers and site selectors, we’re no strangers to evaluating the usual suspects: labor availability, logistics, utilities, taxes, and incentives. But increasingly, climate change is reshaping how and where businesses—especially manufacturers—choose to...
Lessons From the Garden
This month’s lesson from my three raised-bed community garden plots centers on discovery. For a few weeks, I noticed the tips of my tomato plants were disappearing. I assumed the neighborhood deer had stopped by for a snack, so I sprayed deer repellent. But the...
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