Whittaker Report
Blog & Podcast
Site Selection: Building the AI Infrastructure
We marvel at the ability of AI to provide useful information and advice when prompted well. With the emergence of Agentic AI, we’re on the verge of having personal assistants capable of carrying out complex tasks on our behalf. All of this depends on a massive...
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
AI in Economic Development – Issue 10.0
Insights from the Latest Webcast Welcome back to The Whittaker Report. This month, I had the pleasure of hosting a webcast titled “Leverage Artificial Intelligence in Economic Development”. We dove into the exciting—and sometimes intimidating—world of AI and explored...
Art of Minimalism
The creative, design, and lifestyle philosophy of minimalism places a strong emphasis on elements' simplicity, clarity, and reduction to their most basic form. Although it began as an art movement in the late 1960s, it has since impacted design, music, architecture,...
Zion National Park
Last month, I wrote about my trip to Badlands National Park. As a continuation of what I’ll call my “National Park Series,”, I want to share some highlights from my time in Zion National Park. Located in southwestern Utah, Zion is one of many national parks within the...
Lessons from the Garden
Weeding and thinning is often one of the last things I'd like to do. Life's clutter can feel the same—we need to take time to weed through our stuff, thin it out, and let go of unnecessary things. Letting go has always been hard for me, though I’m not sure why. Even...
AI in Economic Development – Issue 9.0
Artificial Intelligence (AI) requires a carefully constructed prompt to perform effectively. There are a few key elements to a strong prompt. First, assign the AI a role—decide what kind of expert you want it to be and what type of recommendations you’re looking for....
Visting Badlands National Park
If you ever want to feel like you’re on another planet without leaving Earth, visit Badlands National Park. Nestled in southwestern South Dakota, its sprawling prairies, geologic formations, and wildlife are a sight to behold. While visiting the park, you’ll most...
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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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