Whittaker Report
Blog & Podcast
Target Industry Study Leveraging the Power of Generative AI
Over the past month, I had the opportunity to work on an in-depth target industry analysis for an economic development client. The goal was to assess the continued viability and potential of their existing and emerging industry targets considering economic shifts at...
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
Finding Pleasure in the Little Things
By Jami Gibson Sometimes I need a reminder to slow down. I’m grateful for the busyness of work, but over the summer, I have volunteered to be part of a planning committee for a fundraising event taking place in September. It’s a cause I’m passionate about, but it’s...
Welcome to Lakeside, Pokhara! Feeling hungry?
By Sharad KC If you ever have a chance to visit Nepal, then Pokhara will probably be on your itinerary. If not, it should be. You can come here to access the mountainous trails of the Annapurna region or just relax lakeside (there are seven lakes surrounding the city)...
Big Data Trends
By Saurav Rajbhandari Big Data has come into the limelight recently, with large companies analyzing data to study customer behavior and to come up with new products. Companies have found use for it in expanding their businesses as well as strategizing their next move....
Selling The Seed Corn
By Dean Whittaker We are living in interesting times. Many may not know what it means to sell the seed corn. Basically, the farmer retains a portion of each year’s crop to plant the next year. When we sell the seed corn, we have become dependent on borrowing money to...
The Growing Pet Food Industry
By Jami Gibson Day spas, playdates, luxury beds, and the finest organic, gluten-free cuisine. This has become the norm for many pampered pets around the world. Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? Today, more than ever before, pets are treated like humans. They are our...
Featured Website: BuzzSumo
By Sharad KC Do you need an innovative marketing tool in this age of social media? One that gives you insights based on real time data from various social media websites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Pinterest? Then BuzzSumo is the right tool to improve the...
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Latest
The New World of Recruiting Talent
We hear repeatedly that attracting and retaining talent is a major issue for economic development organizations today. Often, the HR department is looked to as being the responsible entity for carrying out this task. However, it is more of a marketing assignment to...
Why Companies are Switching to TikTok for Marketing
A swift change in the app ecosystem can be seen as TikTok has become one of the most effective marketing apps giving others a run for their money. Brands have switched to TikTok to attract its target audience. Musical.ly, the video-sharing app, first gained popularity...
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