Whittaker Report
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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....
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
A Word From the Road: Takeaways From My Time at SEDC’s Conference
By Dean Whittaker This month’s story is from Memphis, IN where I attended the annual meeting of the Southern Economic Development Council on August 3-5 at the famous Peabody Hotel. In my work, I attend many conferences. However, this one was outstanding both in terms...
Why October is the Best Month of the Year
By Sharad KC The month of October is here, and it is, undoubtedly, my favorite month of the year! The festivals, exquisite weather, and harvests are some of the things that make it the best. This year, as always, I am looking forward to make the most of this...
Business & Professional Associations: Industry Overview
By Jami Gibson It seems as though there is an association for just about any profession, industry, cause, and hobby of which one could think. Whether loosely organized or well-coordinated, these groups are an outlet for like-minded individuals with similar goals and...
Tactics, Strategy, & the Future
By Dean Whittaker What became apparent to me this month was that we spend 90% of our time doing tactical things, 9% of our time doing strategic things, and 1% of our time thinking about the future beyond 3 years. However, this was not the case while attending the...
Running 638 Miles for a Cause
By Sudeep Kandel Running is a profound act which transcends personal boundaries, cultures, and social dogmas. It is as primitive as the history of humankind. But in present day it is considered more of an exercise than a natural act. People have different reasons for...
My Three Strategies to Give Technology a Break
By Sharad KC Most of the time, in this technological era, a lot of us are buried in some kind of digital screen, and I’m no exception to that. In fact, I have developed habits that are completely out of my character, such as waking up around 4:00am to check my emails...
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Latest
Empathy: A Leadership Skill The World Needs Right Now
Successful organizations are the results of successful leadership. With the world welcoming Gen Z (the most sensitive generation) to the marketplace, leadership trends are inclining towards employee sentiments more than ever. Different organizations have flourished...
On the Hard
Pearl is on the hard – that’s the nautical term meaning my boat has been hauled out of the water and is on dry land for repairs and winter storage. It’s been a great sailing summer, and I accomplished some “firsts.” I completed the American Sailing Association...
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