Develop This: Economic and Community Development

Broadband is the currency of the future for many communities. Economic Developers need to understand how to speak the language of broadband to become part of the connectivity solution in their communities. Dave Duncan, CEO of the Iowa Communications Alliance, and Tim Fencil, General Manager & CEO, of Danville Mutual Telephone company, join Dennis for a wide-ranging discussion on broadband service in America. 

• The three categories of broadband customers
• What's the issue with broadband service maps in the United States?
• Broadband Jeopardy!
• Dark fiber - what is that?

Mark Perna joins Dennis after a summer of traveling the United States, speaking to national, state, regional, and local organizations on the importance of understanding the difference in generations and their impact on workforce issues. 

• How to go beyond the rhetoric and create action
• Turning enthusiasm into progress by building working coalitions of the willing
• Avoiding the dreaded pinch point where nothing happens

Dennis is joined by Joi Cuatero Austin, Senior Program Officer, Economic  Vitality - Main Street America. Dennis and Joi discuss the Transformation Strategy of Main Street America.

• Main Street America Four Points Approach
• What is a transformation strategy?
• Measurable outcomes 

In this episode, Dennis is joined by Angee Shaker, Economic  Development  Director for the City of Solon, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. Dennis and Angee discuss improving the public transit experience for bus riders. 

• Paying attention to the obvious
• What you can learn by listening 
• How to build a coalition to solve a problem
• Making a difference in your community 

Dennis is joined by famous pie baker, entrepreneur, adventurer, and author Beth Howard. Beth is the author of four books, including Making Piece: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Pie and the cookbook Ms. American Pie. Join us for a discussion of life, love, loss, and the healing powers of pie. Beth talks about starting a pie-baking business inside the iconic American Gothic House in Eldon, IA.

Beth also discusses her new book, WORLD Piece: A Pie Baker's Global Quest for Peace, Love, and Understanding https://bethmhoward.com/.  a demanding three-month, 30,000-mile journey full of pie baking, charming characters, and kindness. 

Dennis is joined by Nicole Sedlacek from the Mid-America Economic Development Council to discuss the 2022 Mid-America EDC Competitiveness Conference held November 30 - December 2nd in downtown Chicago

Dennis is joined by co-host candidate #3, Sean Maguire, from Albany, New York. Dennis and Sean discuss building your professional brand.

• Being intentional about your career
• How to build your personal brand
• What to do when you feel stuck in your career

In this episode, Dennis welcomes co-host candidate #2 Broderick Green Executive Director of the Economic Development Corporation of Arlington, TX. Dennis and Broderick discuss placemaking as an economic development strategy.

• Economic development is no longer "chasing smokestacks"
• Placemaking is a strategy that utilizes a local community's assets 
• Sustainability has become an important topic for communities

In this episode, Dennis is joined by co-host candidate #1 Lindsay Miller from Colorado. Lindsay and Dennis discuss naturally occurring affordable housing.

• What is naturally occurring affordable housing? 
• typical characteristics of NOAH
• Preserving NOAH 

About Lindsay: Lindsay Miller is an economic and community development professional and interdisciplinary researcher, writer, and teacher. She works as a consultant in urban and rural Colorado, helping local leaders create community-based economic development strategies to foster widespread and equitable prosperity while mitigating the negative consequences of unfettered growth.

Lindsay is a Senior Fellow at the National Civic League, an organization whose mission is to advance civic engagement to create equitable, thriving communities. She has also worked in real estate development for Urban Ventures LLC, a private real estate development company that focuses on affordable housing, adaptive reuse, and health-informed design. Before Urban Ventures, Lindsay taught writing courses and served as a research assistant at the University of Colorado, Denver.

Lindsay holds a Master of Public Administration and a Master of Social Sciences from the University of Colorado Denver and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and International Studies from the University of Missouri-Columbia.  

In this episode, Dennis discusses change both good and bad along with some of the reasons most of us fear change. In a time of great change, you can find clarity as long as you keep an open mind.

• Change is both electrifying and terrifying
• Resistance to change is a normal human reaction
• Don't be afraid to change legacy programs
• Communicate, communicate, communicate
• Change must be a team sport