Whittaker Report
Blog & Podcast
The Environmental Impact of Skin Care and Beauty Products
The beauty industry has grown substantially over the years, making it one of the biggest industries in the world. With this growing industry comes a lot of baggage, literally. It has been one of the huge contributors towards pollution and environmental hazards. The...
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
What’s in Store for Retail Supply Chains?
By Jami Gibson Mobile apps and online purchasing are making it easier than ever to acquire the goods we want and need. However, once we submit our orders, it turns into a waiting game. Retailers are now competing based on delivery time, with many attempting...
The Resilient People of Nepal
By Dean Whittaker Thank you for your thoughts and prayers for the people of Nepal. Amidst the death and destruction, the resilient people of Kathmandu, Nepal have begun to rebuild following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that occurred on April 25th at 11:40 AM. As many...
Update: On the Road to Recovery in Nepal
By Dean Whittaker The five-day news cycle of media has passed for the earthquake in Nepal, and our attention has moved on to other issues. However, the recovery from the April 25th earthquake continues and will do so for decades. Over 400,000 homes were destroyed...
“Wake up!!” – says Quake
By Sharad KC It was just another lazy Saturday afternoon when all of a sudden there was a wake up call. A call we Nepalese have been dreading for quite some time, although, we were never prepared for it. A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck at the heart of the country,...
Income Inequality – One CEO’s Approach
By Dean Whittaker Today, I attended a leadership event held by our local chamber of commerce. The speaker was Dan Price, CEO of Gravity Payments, a 120-employee credit card processing company headquartered in Seattle, Washington. You may have heard of Dan as he is the...
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Latest
The Month of July 2021
Periodically, we go through this existential moment when working on the Whittaker Report wondering does anyone read it? So, if you enjoy reading it, please drop us a note. We would love to hear from you. Whew, what a month it has been. After celebrating the Fourth...
Waves of the Pandemic
As we walk in the second year of the global pandemic, the gravity of its ripple effect on the economy and humanity has induced a damage that might take us longer to recover than was expected. While most of the developed nations have somewhat recovered from the...
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