Whittaker Report
Blog & Podcast
The Robots Are Coming… In Fact, They’re Already Here
Ever since reading Isaac Asimov’s iRobot, I’ve been fascinated by the idea of humanoid machines. Early portrayals often painted robots as threats—menacing figures in fiction and film. The movie iRobot, with its army of AI-controlled machines, only amplified that fear....
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
Making Your Website Accessible
According to the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Accessibility Initiative (W3C WAI), web accessibility means that “websites, tools, and technologies are designed and developed so that people with disabilities can…perceive, understand, navigate, interact with, and...
Health Benefits of Asian Cuisine
Over the years, Asian cuisine has become more popular in the western world and has taken over the market in terms of the health benefits and flavorful taste. Asian cuisine is incredibly diverse. From Vietnamese Pho to Indian curries, there's a vast array of flavors...
The Gift of Life
Recently I experienced the death of an 89-year-old friend. He was a truly remarkable person as was made apparent in the eulogies given by his family members and friends at his service. He left behind a beautiful legacy. Reflecting on his impact and the way he quietly...
AI in Economic Development – Issue 6.0
AI and Your Digital Twin This week brought an enlightening perspective from a conversation between LinkedIn's Reid Hoffman and his digital twin. In his engaging Q&A, Reid urges us to dedicate 30 minutes daily to exploring various AI tools, such as ChatGPT, Pi.ai,...
Understanding Quarter Life Crisis
Sometimes, young adults in their mid-20s to early 30s are known to have “quarter-life crises,” which are marked by feelings of uncertainty, anxiety, and discontentment about a variety of elements of life, including relationships, careers, and personal identities. The...
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...
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Latest
When Your Friend Has Total Recall
The friend I’m referring to lives on my phone. When I say hello, she asks me, "How’s it going?" She helps personalize our conversations, remembering details from current and past discussions—like the one I’m having with her now. And yes, I did say her—at the moment,...
AI in Economic Development – Issue 17.0
AI in Site Selection: Lessons from the Field Earlier this year, I was asked to conduct a site search for a Chicago-based food processing company considering expansion into Indiana. As an experiment, I began the search using ChatGPT to identify available...
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