Podcasts about Economic development

Patrick Tuohey, Show-Me Institute, On Economic Development Plans Through Port KC | 8-26-26See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we explore the journey of Super Dave Quinn, founder of Day One Experts, as he shares insights on economic development, building trust, and scaling a business in the Texas market. Discover practical strategies for networking, marketing, and leadership that can help entrepreneurs grow and succeed.   Professional Real Estate Investors - How we can help you: Investor Fuel Mastermind:  Learn more about the Investor Fuel Mastermind, including 100% deal financing, massive discounts from vendors and sponsors you're already using, our world class community of over 150 members, and SO much more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/apply   Investor Machine Marketing Partnership:  Are you looking for consistent, high quality lead generation? Investor Machine is America's #1 lead generation service professional investors. Investor Machine provides true 'white glove' support to help you build the perfect marketing plan, then we'll execute it for you…talking and working together on an ongoing basis to help you hit YOUR goals! Learn more here: http://www.investormachine.com   Coaching with Mike Hambright:  Interested in 1 on 1 coaching with Mike Hambright? Mike coaches entrepreneurs looking to level up, build coaching or service based businesses (Mike runs multiple 7 and 8 figure a year businesses), building a coaching program and more. Learn more here: https://investorfuel.com/coachingwithmike   Attend a Vacation/Mastermind Retreat with Mike Hambright: Interested in joining a "mini-mastermind" with Mike and his private clients on an upcoming "Retreat", either at locations like Cabo San Lucas, Napa, Park City ski trip, Yellowstone, or even at Mike's East Texas "Big H Ranch"? Learn more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/retreat   Property Insurance: Join the largest and most investor friendly property insurance provider in 2 minutes. Free to join, and insure all your flips and rentals within minutes! There is NO easier insurance provider on the planet (turn insurance on or off in 1 minute without talking to anyone!), and there's no 15-30% agent mark up through this platform!  Register here: https://myinvestorinsurance.com/   New Real Estate Investors - How we can work together: Investor Fuel Club (Coaching and Deal Partner Community): Looking to kickstart your real estate investing career? Join our one of a kind Coaching Community, Investor Fuel Club, where you'll get trained by some of the best real estate investors in America, and partner with them on deals! You don't need $ for deals…we'll partner with you and hold your hand along the way! Learn More here: http://www.investorfuel.com/club   —--------------------

Debbie Monterrey chats with Bakari Olatunji learns about the new Uhuru Bakery Cafe set to open on Saturday. The cafe is located at the corner of John and West Florissant.

Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) Director James Tokioka discusses the state’s economic landscape, addressing the softening tourism industry, updates on the Hawaiʻi Convention Center repairs, and the latest on the Aloha Stadium redevelopment — including potential delays caused by a Kakaʻako power station. Tokioka also details the state's exploratory efforts in sports tourism, film industry tax credits, and a forthcoming legalized gambling feasibility report. Then Hawaii News Now political analyst Colin Moore joins the show to break down the primary election results, analyzing the ongoing high-stakes recounts in two Republican primary contests, the power of union spending, key progressive defeats, and the general election outlook.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jill Bland, Executive Vice President of Economic Development with details on a MIX event for designers and creative professionals.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is local leadership declining, even in America's fastest-growing cities? Aaron Renn sits down with Mark Barbash, a longtime economic development professional in Columbus, Ohio, to examine the quiet crisis of civic and corporate leadership.  They discuss how generational change, corporate consolidation, shifting philanthropy, and a K-shaped economy are weakening the institutions that once held cities together—while headline growth continues. Using Columbus, Ohio as a case study, they explore what it will take to rebuild commitment to the common good.  Topics include the decline of place-based corporate leaders, the rise of donor-advised funds, workforce and housing constraints, the limits of economic development incentives, and whether there's still a “burning platform” for meaningful change.  CHAPTERS:(00:00 Introduction: The Leadership Crisis in American Cities)(02:05 How Civic and Corporate Leadership Has Changed Over the Decades)(08:15 Generational Shifts and the Decline of Place-Based Leadership)(15:00 Economic Development in a Globalized, Industry-Focused World)(17:00 The K-Shaped Economy, Workforce Shortages & Housing Stress)(24:00 The Transformation of Local Philanthropy and Community Foundations)(31:40 Is There a Burning Platform for Change in Booming Cities?)(37:00 What Should We Do? Rebuilding Consensus and Engagement) ARTICLES DISCUSSED:

Episode 77: Featuring Julie Gondzar, Director of Development, Greater Portland Landmarks On this episode of The Boulos Beat, Greg Boulos sits down with Julie Gondzar, Director of Development at Greater Portland Landmarks, to discuss her passion for historic preservation, and the importance of protecting Portland's architectural legacy while embracing thoughtful growth. Greg and Julie discuss the balance between preserving Portland's historic character and meeting the demands of modern development, the importance of educating the public about preservation, and Greater Portland Landmarks' initiatives to engage the next generation of advocates. Julie concludes by sharing the organization's vision for the future, including a fresh approach to its longstanding "Places in Peril" program.

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show Dane Carlson talks with Mike Swesey, president and CEO of the St. Petersburg Area Economic Development Corporation, about how St. Pete has worked to become known as a business destination as well as a place with beaches, culture, and quality of life. Mike shares lessons from recruiting companies from markets like New York and Europe, explains why responsiveness can determine whether a community even stays on a site selector's list, and makes the case for targeting companies that genuinely fit your workforce and community. He also discusses using existing companies as your best salespeople, taking every project lead seriously, resisting the pressure to chase bad-fit wins, knowing your market deeply, and communicating constantly with your board so they understand the work happening before the announcements arrive. Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! 10 Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers Make responsiveness part of your competitive strategy. Mike argues that companies are making decisions faster and communities may be shortlisted before they even know a project exists. Have your data, website, property information, and team ready so you can respond accurately within hours or days rather than scrambling after the request arrives. Treat every legitimate-looking lead seriously until you know otherwise. Mike tells the story of nearly dismissing what sounded like a questionable data-center inquiry that turned out to be Google. Unknown company names, informal inquiries, or unusual approaches should be investigated rather than automatically discarded. Target companies that fit the workforce you actually have. St. Pete focuses on industries and companies that align with its existing workforce rather than simply pursuing any company willing to listen. Build recruitment targets around the skills, occupations, graduates, and industry experience already present in your market. Use existing companies as third-party validators. Successful companies can become some of your strongest recruiters. Mike describes connecting prospects with executives who have already relocated or expanded in St. Pete and letting those executives talk candidly about their experience without the EDC in the room. Look beyond complete headquarters relocations. A company does not have to abandon its existing headquarters for your community to win. Expansion operations, new growth, regional offices, and future hiring can produce substantial economic impact even when the original location remains open. Know your product well enough to answer hard questions without bluffing. Companies and consultants often already know the answer when they ask about your workforce, education system, demographics, or costs. Know the numbers well enough to respond confidently and accurately instead of trying to “fake it till you make it.” Don't oversell your community just to get an announcement. A recruitment win becomes a problem if the company arrives and discovers that the promised workforce, costs, or operating conditions do not exist. Focus on creating successful long-term customers rather than maximizing short-term announcements. Understand who is actually moving into your community. Population growth alone is not enough. Mike recommends knowing the ages, skills, education levels, graduation pipeline, and workforce characteristics of the people entering your market so you understand whether your growth supports your business recruitment strategy. Communicate activity to your board before they have to ask about results. Economic development is a long game, and announcements do not happen on a predictable schedule. Keep board members informed about marketing campaigns, prospect activity, outreach, and other leading indicators so they understand the work underway even during quiet periods. Build trust through authenticity and consistency. Mike emphasizes being real, professional, transparent, and trustworthy. Economic developers are asking executives and site-selection professionals to make decisions with long-term consequences, so credibility matters as much as salesmanship.

Various rankings compare how states are doing in economic development and quality of life. Dr. Robert Dauffenbach analyzes the ratings and where Oklahoma stands.

The Colorado Sun's rural reporter Tracy Ross is talking to Ame Warner, Executive Director of Saguache County Sustainable Environment & Economic Development in the San Luis Valley about the joys and perils of living in a remote area where resources can be scarce but the community more than makes up for it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us Fan MailExplaining the New Housing Act with Mike Wallace and Jason JordanIn this episode, Lauren Lowery, Director, Housing and Community Development, National League of Cities, is in conversation with Mike Wallace, Legislative Director, Housing, Community and Economic Development, National League of Cities, and Jason Jordan, Public Affairs Director, American Planning Association, on the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. The first comprehensive housing package to pass Congress in decades passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act aims to boost housing supply by improving existing programs, unlocking private capital, and reducing federal regulatory barriers.For more information, visit us at nlc.org.

A western Ohio glass plant that was slated to close by the end of this year will not only remain open, but also expand its production and add jobs, company and economic development officials said last week.Vitro, a producer of glass for automotive, architectural and consumer goods companies, announced in the fall of 2024 that it would close its facility in Crestline, Ohio, which makes glass for automotive OEMs. State officials said that the decision came amid “sharp headwinds” in the industry and was part of a broader plan to reshuffle Vitro's manufacturing footprint, but over the following months, improving macroeconomic conditions and “new business opportunities” prompted Vitro to weigh other options to meet demand — including, potentially, modernizing, rather than shuttering, the Crestline plant.State economic development agency JobsOhio, also with other state officials and local economic development groups, said that it lobbied company executives to invest in Crestline instead of its other U.S. facilities, and officials announced last Monday that Vitro would move forward with a project to improve efficiency and bolster production capacity at the Ohio location. The move would retain its current workforce of 265, as well as add another 53 new jobs.Carlos Bernal, the president of Vitro Automotive Glass, called the announcement “an important step” in strengthening the company's competitiveness, and that it remains “committed to continuously evaluating opportunities to improve our manufacturing network.”The Ohio Tax Credit Authority approved an eight-year tax incentive package to support the project, which includes a 1.302% tax credit over that span.

The Economic Development Subcommittee met on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 as scheduled. Committee Chair LeBlanc, members Morrongiello, Malloy & Griffith were present for this session.Quick recap:Discussion and update on the UMass Boston study of downtown to be conducted over 2 semesters of the college year. Final number of students involved to be determined when classes begin in September. Coordinate to have them meet the Committee (either in person, or virtually) early one (Sept or October).update: the Depot Plaza hearing at the Planning Board has changed from 8/10 to 8/24. the application was withdrawn for a technical change and resubmitted, hence the date changeNext up the 40b policy revisionlikely for Morrongiello and LeBlanc to meet with Jamie and Morena to review the items in more detail to bring back a version for further discussionnext up, Sustainability CommitteeJamie and staff can draft a charter for the committee to review before bringing to the Councilnext up, GATRA updateWorld Cup was big for them, transported a bunch of folksfunded by State, so we didn't lose anything from other servers to compensate 38,385 riders in Franklin during the past year (demand response) approx 3,000/monthGATRA had a fixed route once upon a time https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/03/on-this-date-mar-5-2010-franklin-area.html What would a study for the GATRA fixed route cost? What would it cost for GATRA to do so? We can't finance the route on our own. The pipeline to the Planning Board is minimal, they are cancelling meetings as they don't have work to reviewThe meeting runs about 2 hours & 35 minutes. —-----------The Franklin TV video can be viewed here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ8h5WC8rP0 The agenda and released docs can be found - https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08042026-2434 My full set of notes captured during the meetinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1cKNSbTXGpP-s3395o_i52zDkPXuPn4tJ/view?usp=drive_link --------------We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial. This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.How can you help?If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighborsIf you don't like something here, please let me knowAnd if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach out. We'll share and show you what and how we do what we doThrough this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.For additional information, please visit www.franklin.news/ or www.Franklinmatters.org/ If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot comThe music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.I hope you enjoy!------------------You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

WSJM Afternoon News for 08-03-26See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

8/3/26: Co-Host Megan Zinn. Meg Ryan, Public Health Nurse with FRCOG, on you v. mosquitos and tics; what you don't know can hurt you. Whatcha readin'? Sister talk with Megan Zinn and Joanna Ryan. Sen Jo Comerford on the Freedom to Read bill, the Protect Act, long-term care legislation, data privacy, workplace violence, energy affordability, economic development, funding for higher ed, and more. SportsMan Scott Coen on the Red Sox rebound and what they'll do today-- the trade deadline. Joanna Rubiner, Voiceover Artist: the real and the reel.

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show Andrew Sloss discusses his transition to independent consulting and the lessons he has learned from nearly two decades in site selection and incentive negotiations. He explains why an initial “no” from a community may reflect a misunderstanding, a lack of available tools, or simply bad timing, and how better communication and persistence can create new possibilities. Andrew also shares a retention project involving a struggling retailer, including how communities used job grants, workforce funds, and university tuition benefits to help keep locations open. The conversation covers demonstrating a company's broader community value, building flexible incentive programs, avoiding compliance failures, maintaining long-term relationships, and using AI carefully in site selection work. Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! 10 Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers Treat an initial “no” as a signal to clarify the request, not necessarily as the final decision. When a project does not create new jobs or investment, look for ways to demonstrate its broader community value. Assess whether a business provides essential services that residents would have to travel significantly farther to access. Review existing programs—such as workforce, façade, landscaping, or downtown grants—for unused funds and possible flexibility. Discuss unusual retention requests internally with elected officials and local leadership before dismissing them. Be transparent about what you can and cannot provide, and explain the limits of your authority clearly. Maintain strong relationships with site selectors, consultants, and company representatives before a project arrives. When negotiating incentives, discuss whether the answer is a hard no, a temporary no, or a maybe that could change with a stronger business case. Build incentive compliance responsibilities into multiple people's roles so the process does not disappear when one employee leaves. Use AI for administrative support and high-level research, but double- and triple-check buildings, people, and other site-selection facts before relying on them. Special Guest: Andrew Sloss.

The U.S. Forest Service says wildfires have burned nearly 73,000 acres in the U.S. and Canada. The agency says about 1,000 personnel are working on the fires, which are about 60 percent contained. Officials say crews are monitoring the Chub Fire southwest of Crane Lake and the Camp Fire northeast of Ely. They're also watching for new fires that may have started from recent lightning strikes.Minnesota economic development officials say the tax that funds the state's paid family and medical leave program will stay flat for 2027. The Department of Employment and Economic Development says the existing 0.88 percent payroll tax should be enough to cover claims next year. The tax is split between workers and employers. The department says 75,000 people have used the program so far this year, with benefits costing about $600 million.The Minnesota Department of Health says a large multistate outbreak of gastrointestinal illness caused by the cyclospora parasite has not been linked to Minnesota. Health officials say Minnesota has reported 98 cases of cyclosporiasis since early May, which is in line with what the state typically sees during the summer. The department says it is not observing any concerning trends. There is currently no indication that contaminated items tied to the outbreak were distributed in Minnesota.A St. Paul iron foundry is shutting down after years of pressure from community members and regulators. Northern Iron, in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood, has faced fines from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency over excessive air pollution. Regulators took the foundry to court to try to revoke its permit. Northern Iron says uncertainty over whether it would be allowed to keep operating forced it to close, and foundry leaders say they plan to fully close the facility by the end of the year.

Hello and welcome to That's So Auburn! I'm Nancy Backus, Mayor of the City of Auburn. One of the things I love most about local government is just how many different ways there are to serve a community. You can help support local businesses, connect residents with important services, design parks, maintain streets, plan for Auburn's future and that barely scratches the surface. This summer, like the ones before it, more than a dozen interns have been discovering that firsthand through Next Step Auburn. Our interns are working in departments across the City, learning from our employees and contributing to real projects that matter to our community. They've brought energy and some great new perspectives to City Hall and beyond, and we are very happy to have them here. I recently had the chance to spend some time with the group and answer their questions about my own path into public service, what it's like to serve as mayor and some of the experiences this work has given me over the years. But today, I get to turn the questions around and hear more about their experiences, with two interns – and their manager – in particular. Joining me are Jillian Orm, who is working with our Economic Development team, and Narina Pogosian, who is working with Human Services. We are also joined by Human Resources Manager Melissa Medisch, who has helped guide Next Step Auburn and support our interns and departments throughout the summer. The program will continue through late August, so this is a perfect time to talk about what Jillian and Narina have worked on, what they've learned and what they hope to accomplish before the summer wraps up!

More and more state officials and politicians have signed NDAs amid economic development talks…but some are backing out now. Is it a good practice to land business, or does it just make government less accountable and transparent? Steven Procopio, President of the Public Affairs Research Council (PAR), joins us.

Sean Reel, Executive Director of Ignite Bermuda, joins host KJ to break down why traditional startup accelerators have a fundamentally broken model and what it actually takes to help businesses survive. Over seven years, Sean has built an ecosystem that flips the standard 80% failure rate into an 80% success rate by focusing on mindset over money and skills. He shares how startup principles including MVPs, enablement coaching, and AI-powered language models are now directly relevant to mid and large-size companies forced to innovate faster than ever. The conversation spans AI panel testing, social entrepreneurship, and what it means to build great people, not just great businesses. Key Takeaways: 7:50 — What is actually killing startups that have money and skills? 8:39 — How does the enablement model differ from traditional coaching? 13:05 – When does AI-powered product testing become a viable alternative to expensive focus groups? 27:18 — Who is the real output of a high-performing accelerator? Quote of the Show (31:01):"The three things we're missing or short of is time, money, and health. Don't trade them in the wrong order." – Sean Reel Join our Anti-PR newsletter where we’re keeping a watchful and clever eye on PR trends, PR fails, and interesting news in tech so you don't have to. You're welcome. Want PR that actually matters? Get 30 minutes of expert advice in a fast-paced, zero-nonsense session from Karla Jo Helms, a veteran Crisis PR and Anti-PR Strategist who knows how to tell your story in the best possible light and get the exposure you need to disrupt your industry. Click here to book your call: https://info.jotopr.com/free-anti-pr-eval Ways to connect with Sean Reel:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanreelukCompany Website: http://www.ignitebermuda.com How to get more Disruption/Interruption: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/eccda84d-4d5b-4c52-ba54-7fd8af3cbe87/disruption-interruption Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disruption-interruption/id1581985755 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6yGSwcSp8J354awJkCmJlD YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=disruption+%2F+interuuptionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Layoffs have become a recurring headline this year, with companies in technology, finance, manufacturing and other industries announcing job cuts.But at the same time, unemployment remains relatively low, applications for unemployment benefits are near historic lows and Minnesota recently added jobs, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. So what's really happening in the job market? MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talk about what's driving recent layoffs, where job opportunities might be, and what it all says about the economy.Guests:Chris Farrell is a senior economics contributor for MPR News and Marketplace. Angelina Nguyen is the director of the Labor Market Information Office at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.Kyle O'Keefe is a district president at Robert Half, a recruiting and business consulting firm. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.    

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson talks with Lavera Alexander about how the Monterey Bay region is positioning itself at the forefront of advanced air mobility. Lavera explains how four public-use airports, aircraft manufacturers, research institutions, workforce partners, and community leaders are being brought together into a coordinated flight network designed to accelerate testing and commercialization. The conversation explores the importance of airport infrastructure, public-private partnerships, community participation, and certification-based career pathways that can lead to high-paying jobs without requiring a four-year degree. For economic developers, the Monterey Bay story demonstrates how smaller and rural regions can compete in emerging industries by recognizing their existing assets, convening the right partners, preparing before funding becomes available, and making public benefit central to the strategy. Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers Inventory what is already happening. Identify existing employers, airports, research institutions, training programs, infrastructure, and geographic advantages before trying to create a new industry cluster. Connect isolated activities into a regional strategy. Separate companies, airports, and institutions become more competitive when their work is coordinated around a shared goal. Prepare before funding becomes available. Use regional planning processes to develop relationships, document opportunities, and create an implementation plan so the region can move quickly when state or federal funding opens. Lead with your region's distinct advantages. Smaller regions do not need to imitate major technology hubs. They can compete by offering specialized assets, terrain, facilities, partnerships, or capabilities that larger metros cannot easily reproduce. Explain the public benefit early. Do not focus solely on how impressive a new technology is. Show residents how it could improve transportation, healthcare access, logistics, employment, or quality of life. Bring the community into the process before commercialization. Give residents opportunities to ask questions, influence priorities, and understand how they can participate instead of expecting them to catch up later. Create workforce pathways that do not require four-year degrees. Work with community colleges, universities, employers, philanthropies, and grantmakers to develop affordable certification programs connected to real jobs. Assess infrastructure readiness honestly. Evaluate what local airports and other public assets need in terms of upgrades, capacity, equipment, and supporting infrastructure before recruiting additional activity. Treat questions and resistance as opportunities for education. Concerns about change often reflect uncertainty. Respond with practical information, specific use cases, and clear explanations of what is known and what is still being developed. Combine sector expertise with economic development expertise. Technical consultants understand the industry, but economic developers bring convening, partnership-building, funding, workforce, inclusion, and community implementation skills that are essential to success. Special Guest: Lavera Alexander.

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, a Manhattan Democrat, joined the show to discuss economic development, the city's handling of a Legionnaires' disease outbreak, a pay boost for school aides, a potential ban on horse carriages in the city, and more. (Ep 606)

About 100 different industry, government and academic organizations are part of the consortium that will spend 160 million over the next 10 years to increase research on and production of semiconductors. These components are vital to virtually every electronic device you are likely to use, from mobile phones to home appliances. Industry and government leaders say it’s vital that the U.S. keep up with demand and support its semiconductor research, development and production.    That’s the intention behind the Frontiers of Advanced Semiconductor Technology, or FAST, grant. Oregon State University  is coordinating the consortium’s efforts. Rob Stone is a Professor of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at OSU, and the interim CEO and principal investigator of FAST. He joins us to share more about how the money will be used and its effect on Oregon’s economy.     

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson talks with Liz Maxwell, chief of staff at the Idea Village, about how communities can support high-growth startups as part of a broader economic development strategy. Liz explains what accelerators actually do, how they differ from incubators and traditional small-business programs, and why capital is often not the real bottleneck for emerging companies. They explore the four ingredients of a healthy venture ecosystem, talent, capital, customers, and access to interesting problems, and discuss how the Gulf South can build globally relevant companies around energy, manufacturing, ports, coastal resilience, and other real-world challenges. Liz also shares how communities can avoid “startup theater,” measure meaningful results through revenue, capital, and jobs, and make a practical case for homegrown innovation to local boards and stakeholders. Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Special Guest: Liz Maxwell.

Debate on H.R.2317, the Northern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act of 2025 by Indianz.Com

Votes on H.R.2317, the Northern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act of 2025 by Indianz.Com

Sesh looks like a consumer brand. 8VC looks like the last fund that would back it. That mismatch is the fastest way to see what Austin is becoming.Sesh founder Max Cunningham and 8VC's Jake Medwell start with the logic that makes the deal make sense. Sesh holds a legal moat most competitors can't cross for years, and it earns software-like margins on a physical product. From there the conversation opens into a bigger question about where ambitious companies belong, and why more of them are choosing a city that now draws the founders and families betting on that future.Agenda00:00 What Sesh is06:05 Why 8VC backed a nicotine company10:44 Regulatory timing and the six-year door16:37 Software margins and owning the factory22:01 Who buys this and why the market is growing29:27 Why some companies need SF and others do not34:32 What Austin talent looks like now42:10 The Elon spillover and the coming IPO wave 48:37 Raising kids in the AI age55:07 Safety, schools, and what comes nextGuest LinksSesh: Max Cunningham, Website, X, Instagram8VC: Jake Medwell, Website, X -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

What does it take to build resilient communities in an era of rapid economic change? In this episode of Develop This!, Dennis Fraise speaks with Ryan Silva, Executive Director of the New York State Economic Development Council, about the policies, partnerships, and strategies shaping economic growth across New York. Ryan shares insights on how data-driven decision-making is helping communities plan for the future, attract investment, and navigate increasingly complex economic challenges. From workforce development to infrastructure planning, the conversation highlights the importance of grounding strategy in reliable research and long-term thinking. A major focus is the impact of the CHIPS and semiconductor investments transforming regions across the country. Ryan discusses how large-scale projects create opportunities for growth while also requiring communities to think carefully about readiness, workforce capacity, and supporting infrastructure. The discussion also explores the balance between pursuing major economic wins and ensuring smaller communities have the tools and resources needed to thrive. Throughout the episode, Ryan emphasizes the importance of adaptability, collaboration, and continuous professional development in a rapidly evolving field. A key takeaway? Successful economic development is built on preparation, partnerships, and a willingness to embrace both opportunity and change. Key Takeaways Data and research are essential for effective economic development strategy Semiconductor investments are reshaping regional economies Community readiness is critical for attracting large-scale projects Workforce development and infrastructure remain top priorities Small communities can thrive through resilience and strategic planning Collaboration and adaptability drive long-term success Key Topics Covered Economic development policy and initiatives Data-driven planning and decision-making Impact of the CHIPS Act and semiconductor investments Workforce and infrastructure development Community readiness and regional growth Professional development in economic development Sound Bites "Finding a way to get to yes." "Building the plane while flying it." "Hope in small community resilience."

Angee and Jonathan are joined this week by the Economic Development team! You know, the folks in charge of ensuring new businesses not only come to Auburn, but thrive here! Listeners will know and recognize Emerson Folker well, but we also have a brand-new guest -- intern Jillian Orm! Jillian runs track and field at Vanguage University and is entering her junior year as a communications and political science major. She's been with the City of Auburn as the Ev Dev intern since the middle of June, and already has so many fun and interesting adventures and milestones to share.  She also happens to be a swifty, which means we couldn't resist testing her knowledge on Taylor Swift trivia! I wonder how she did....

First, we explore Saint Joseph's University's inaugural Future Health Leaders Camp in Lancaster, where high school students from the School District of Lancaster gained hands-on exposure to careers in healthcare and public health through engaging, real-world learning experiences.We also sit down with a longtime public servant and community leader—a retired CEO of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC, former Pennsylvania Deputy Secretary of Community & Economic Development, and former Clarion County Commissioner—who now volunteers with Braver Angels. He shares why fostering respectful dialogue, finding common ground across political divides, and embracing compromise are essential to strengthening our democracy and solving today's toughest public policy challenges.

7/14/26, Co-Host Amilcar Shabazz Rep Pat Duffy: the commemoration for the airmen who died when their B17crashed into Mt Tom –why she attends, what it says & why it matters; also, the Economic Development Bill the House just passed. Hadley School Super Anne McKenzie: the federal tax credits that will support private schools, part of Trump's “BBB” legislation -- how it will work, what effects it will have, the arguments for and against. Milan Clark, Amherst Media's Media & Broadcasting Mananger: the League of Women Voters show (League Talk), community engagement, & how you can become a producer. Duke Goldman, Negro League expert and BIG baseball fan on why the All-Star Game is ridiculous; why baseball owners are hell-bent on killing the golden goose & destroying the sport; the Home Run Derby on Netflix?! And the book he is writing about Monte Irvin and integrating baseball.

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show Dane Carlson talks with Melissa James, founding president and CEO of REACH Central Coast, about building a regional economic development organization amid the anticipated closure of Diablo Canyon, persistent affordability challenges, and a fragmented approach to growth. Melissa explains how the Central Coast organized around its distinctive assets in energy, space and aerospace, and high tech; set a goal of creating 15,000 good-paying jobs by 2030; and connected that strategy to workforce development and housing. She also shares practical lessons about private-sector leadership, cross-sector coalitions, memorandums of understanding, institutional continuity, the patience required for long-term development, and the surprisingly powerful role ceremony can play in sustaining shared ownership and momentum. Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Special Guest: Melissa James.

We sit down with a longtime public servant and community leader—a retired CEO of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC, former Pennsylvania Deputy Secretary of Community & Economic Development, and former Clarion County Commissioner—who now volunteers with Braver Angels. He shares why fostering respectful dialogue, finding common ground across political divides, and embracing compromise are essential to strengthening our democracy and solving today's toughest public policy challenges.What if the story of the U.S. Constitution wasn't just about the Founding Fathers? On The Spark, we spoke with Mechanicsburg playwright Cindy Dlugolecki and composer Christine Purcell about Quill-adelphia, an original musical that shines a light on the lesser-known people behind one of America's most important documents. The production centers on Jacob Shallus, the Pennsylvania Assembly assistant clerk who hand-penned the final copy of the U.S. Constitution in 1787, while also exploring the experiences of everyday citizens, the contributions of women, and early abolition efforts during the Constitutional Convention.

Temperatures are going to be climbing across Minnesota through the weekend -- as another heat wave takes aim at the region.The Superior National Forest has closed access to a large section of the Boundary Waters because of several active wildfires and dangerously hot and dry conditions.The Department of Employment and Economic Development awarded 11 programs across the state grants to make child care more affordable.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Short week this week. The planning, CIP, and Economic Development meetings were covered and upcoming road work was announced.

Set against the scenic backdrop of the Larchmont Yacht Club, the Business Council of Westchester's annual Summer Soirée on July 8 brought together a dynamic crowd of over 200 local executives and professionals. The mid-summer gathering blended a relaxed, coastal atmosphere with premier networking opportunities, allowing attendees to forge key regional connections over great food and conversation. Westchester Talk Radio was also on-site, capturing the energy of the evening and capturing insights through exclusive interviews with BCW members.Host Joan Franzino interviewed Noam Bramson, the newly appointed Executive VP of Government Affairs and Economic Development for the BCW. Only five days into his role, the former 18-year Mayor of New Rochelle detailed his primary responsibilities, which involve clearly communicating the business community's priorities to government leaders and encouraging well-planned regional growth. He also reflected on the long-term legacy of his administration's successful public-private downtown revitalization efforts in New Rochelle.

Today, Thursday, July 9 on Urban Forum Northwest:*Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D) CA-43 CD is considered by many to be one of the most powerful women in politics today. She has a reputation for being an outspoken advocate for women, children, African Americans, people of color and the poor. She is the Ranking Member, House Financial Services Committee, she was the first woman and first African American to Chair the House Financial Services Committee. She is a Member of the House Committee on the Judiciary. She recently co sponsored the housing bill that had bipartisan support, but the president refused to sign the legislation.*Attorney James Bible was a past president of the Seattle King County Branch, NAACP and has a reputation for delivering Justice for his clients and his community, the Tacoma Manny Ellis case is proof of his effectiveness in the courtroom. Attorney Bible biggest challenge today is awaiting a kidney donor, while waiting and doing his research he discovered a Ghanaian-American physician, Dr. Joel Bervell who through his efforts revealed that African Americans were not being prioritized for kidney transplants, as result James Bible has been move up on the list to receive a kidney.*Seattle Port Commissioner Position 4 Toshiko Hasegawa has worked tirelessly to strengthen in connecting people, business, and opportunities. She remains a leader in economic development, environmental sustainability and innovation. She was born and raised on Seattle's Beacon Hill neighborhood. Her family's legacy of public service inspired her to dedicate her career to creating pathways to success for everyone.*Hayward Evans, president, Seattle King County Branch, NAACP comment on the dedication the oldest Civil Rights organizations in the country and how the battle for Civil rights and Voting rights has to be fought all over again. With the renaming of military bases for Confederate Generals who fought to keep African Descendants enslaved and today the refusal to promote African Americans in the US Military who had earned their promotions.*Representative Sharon Tomato Santos (D) 37th-LD, Chair, House Education Committee has been a consistent advocate for equality for all in the K-12 education sphere, economic justice and police accountability. Her sponsorship of House Bill 1918 in 2019 returned the former Seattle Opportunities Industrialization Center (SOIC) and the Seattle Vocational Institute (SVI) to the community as the Central District Community Preservation and Development Authority (CDCPDA) that now is named the McKinney Center for Community and Economic Development. The name reflects and honors the late Reverend Dr. Samuel B. McKinney who brought SOIC to Seattle and the state in the 60's.Urban Forum Northwest streams live at www.1150kkknw.com. Visit us at www.urbanforumnw.com for archived programs and relevant information. Like us on Facebook.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people. On today's episode, Ben Kinney speaks with Blake Moyer, president and CEO of the Surry County Economic Development Partnership. Blake shares his career journey starting in Burlington, his early COVID response experience, and how at 27 he took the helm in Surry County. They dive into Surry-Yadkin Works, an award-winning high school pre-apprenticeship program, the new Balladeer Marriott Tribute hotel in Mount Airy, and the region's growing wine country and tourism scene. They also bond over their shared love of red dirt country, Charley Crockett, and St. Paul and the Broken Bones.

On episode 76 of the Innovators Podcast, Rick Sanders, President and Director of the ISU Research Park, interviews David Spalding, Vice President of Economic Development and Industry Relations (EDIR). In this episode, they celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Core Facility and discuss David's journey to becoming the Vice President of EDIR as well as the Core Facility's impact on economic development in Iowa. Thanks for listening!

On this week's episode of Economic Update, Professor devotes the entire program to the why and how of China's passage from abject poverty and colonial humiliation to become, in unprecedented, record historical time, a superpower economy challenging the US today.

The geothermal landscape has evolved quite a lot in the last 5 years since I began recording episodes here on this show, we have seen billions in capital raised, successful pilots, full scale commercial projects constructed and lately a record breaking IPO. Zooming in, 5 years ago I sat down with then fairly new startup Sage Geosystems to talk about their unique EGS tech, plans for the future and what they hoped to accomplish.  Fast forward to today, they have deployed their first grid connected commercial project, raised significant capital and put together a gigawatt pipeline they are actively working to bring to market.  Sage Geosystems  https://www.linkedin.com/company/sage-geosystems/posts/?feedView=all Cindy Taff https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindy-d-taff-53b77a57/ CORE Knowledge  https://www.linkedin.com/company/core-geothermal Nick Cestari  https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-cestari-48059268/

What role do public-private partnerships play in the future of economic development? In this panel episode of Develop This!, Dennis Fraise explores the evolving PPP landscape with Joachim Arnold, Matt Chambers, and Clint Nessmith, bringing together perspectives from the U.S. and Europe. The conversation dives into how economic development organizations are rethinking funding models, private sector engagement, and long-term sustainability in a changing global environment. A major focus is funding diversification. The panel discusses why stable, flexible funding matters—and how structured campaigns can help formalize private sector participation in economic growth strategies. The discussion also explores global FDI trends, infrastructure investment, geopolitical uncertainty, and the importance of adapting economic development models to local and international realities. A key takeaway? Strong public-private partnerships create the structure, trust, and shared investment needed to drive sustainable economic growth. Key Takeaways Public-private partnerships are evolving across global markets Funding diversification is critical for long-term sustainability Private sector engagement strengthens economic development strategy Geopolitical uncertainty is reshaping investment decisions Community engagement can open new doors for growth Structured campaigns help formalize stakeholder participation Key Topics Covered Public-private partnership models Funding diversification in economic development Global trends in FDI and infrastructure investment U.S. and European economic development strategies Stakeholder and private sector engagement Adapting to geopolitical uncertainty Sound Bites "Funding stability is a key strength of the US model." "Community engagement opens doors for economic growth." "Structured campaigns formalize private sector engagement."

A custom board that ran two thousand dollars five years ago now costs fifteen and ships in two weeks. That collapse is why a hundred teenagers flew to Austin to build in the physical world instead of code in the digital. The organization behind it is Zach Latta's Hack Club, the hackathon was created by seventeen-year-old Meghana Madiraju, and Blake Liberman of 021 Ventures is why it happened in Austin. The conversation ranges from how that collapse happened to what teenagers do with the agency it hands them, and turns sharper on what threatens it. Underneath the optimism is a real question about who controls the tools of creation, code, energy, and hardware.The Agenda00:00 What Hack Club Stasis Is 06:28 How Hack Club actually works 13:01 Why hardware, why now 18:05 The case against the credential machine 24:11 Agency and the pressure myth29:33 What's actually worth building 34:38 Open source is quietly closingGuest LinksHack Club021 Ventures -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

Eight decades after independence, India still isn't free. Rahul Ahluwalia joins Amit Varma in episode 447 of The Seen and the Unseen to explain why economic growth has such a positive humanitarian impact -- and freedom lies at its heart. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN.) Also check out: 1. Rahul Ahluwalia on Twitter, LinkedIn and FED. 2. Foundation for Economic Development. 3. Growth is Good -- Rahul Ahluwalia's podcast at FED. 4. Deepak VS and the Man Behind His Face — Episode 373 of The Seen and the Unseen. 5. Swaminathan Aiyar's columns at ToI and his own website. 6. Gurcharan Das's columns at ToI and his own website. 7. India Unbound — Gurcharan Das. 8. The Life and Times of Gurcharan Das — Episode 425 of The Seen and the Unseen. 9. The Importance of the 1991 Reforms — Episode 237 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Shruti Rajagopalan and Ajay Shah). 10. The Life and Times of Montek Singh Ahluwalia — Episode 285 of The Seen and the Unseen. 11. The Forgotten Greatness of PV Narasimha Rao — Episode 283 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Vinay Sitapati). 12. Naushad Forbes Wants to Fix India — Episode 282 of The Seen and the Unseen. 13. The Life and Times of KP Krishnan — Episode 355 of The Seen and the Unseen. 14. Lant Pritchett Is on Team Prosperity — Episode 379 of The Seen and the Unseen. 15. The Life and Times of the Indian Economy -- Episode 387 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Rajeswari Sengupta). 16. Why Freedom Matters — Episode 10 of Everything is Everything. 17. The Reformers — Episode 28 of Everything is Everything. 18. India's Massive Pensions Crisis — Episode 347 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Ajay Shah & Renuka Sane). 19. The Tragedy of Our Farm Bills — Episode 211 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Ajay Shah). 20. The 1991 Project. 21. Stay Away From Luxury Beliefs -- Episode 46 of Everything is Everything. 22. Gig Work is AWESOME! -- Episode 124 of Everything is Everything. 23. Reading Lolita in Tehran -- Azar Nafisi. 24. India's Problem is Poverty, Not Inequality -- Amit Varma. 25. A Venture Capitalist Looks at the World — Episode 213 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Sajith Pai). 26. Public Choice Theory Explains SO MUCH -- Episode 33 of Everything is Everything. 27. Population Is Not a Problem, but Our Greatest Strength -- Amit Varma. 28. The short history of global living conditions and why it matters that we know it -- Max Roser. 29. The Florentines -- Paul Strathern. 30. National output without government? State capacity and welfare measurement -- Vincent Geloso and Chandler Reilly. 31. Atlas Shrugged -- Ayn Rand. 32. The Wealth of Nations -- Adam Smith. 33. Understanding the State -- Episode 25 of Everything is Everything. 34. Every Act of Government Is an Act of Violence -- Amit Varma. 35. Economic growth is enough and only economic growth is enough — Lant Pritchett with Addison Lewis. 36. Where Has All the Education Gone? — Lant Pritchett. 37. Looking like a state: The seduction of isomorphic mimicry -- Matt Andrews, Lant Pritchett and Michael Woolcock. 38. Sixteen Stormy Days — Tripurdaman Singh. 39. The First Assault on Our Constitution — Episode 194 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Tripurdaman Singh). 40. Nehru: The Debates that Defined India — Tripurdaman Singh and Adeel Hussain. 41. Nehru's Debates — Episode 262 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Tripurdaman Singh and Adeel Hussain). 42. The Right to Property — Episode 26 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Shruti Rajagopalan). 43. Caged Tiger: How Too Much Government Is Holding Indians Back — Subhashish Bhadra. 44. Subhashish Bhadra on Our Dysfunctional State — Episode 333 of The Seen and the Unseen. 45. Colours of the Cage: A Prison Memoir — Arun Ferreira. 46. Shikha Dalmia Is the Unpopulist -- Episode 403 of The Seen and the Unseen. 47. DeMon, Morality and the Predatory Indian State — Episode 85 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Shruti Rajagopalan). 48. Narendra Modi Takes a Great Leap Backwards — Amit Varma. 49. Horseshoe Theory and the Median Voter Theorem. 50. Government's End: Why Washington Stopped Working — Jonathan Rauch. 51. Denial: My 25 Years Without a Soul -- Jonathan Rauch. 52. The Logic of Collective Action -- Mancur Olson. 53. Anarchy, State and Utopia — Robert Nozick. 54. A Theory of Justice — John Rawls. 55. India After Gandhi — Ramachandra Guha. 56. Arguments for Liberty -- Edited by Aaron Ross Powell and Grant Babcock. 57. Johan Norberg on Amazon and YouTube. 58. State Building -- Francis Fukuyama. 59. India Needs Decentralization -- Episode 47 of Everything is Everything. 60. Fixing Indian Education — Episode 185 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Karthik Muralidharan). 61. Education in India — Episode 77 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Amit Chandra). 62. The Profit Motive in Education — Episode 9 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Parth Shah). 63. Our Unlucky Children (2008) -- Amit Varma. 64. Fund Schooling, Not Schools (2007) -- Amit Varma. 65. Profit = Philanthropy -- Amit Varma. 66. Praise for intelligence can undermine children's motivation and performance — Claudia Mueller and Carol Dweck. 67. Controlling Your Dopamine For Motivation, Focus & Satisfaction -- Huberman Lab. 68. Master Your Sleep & Be More Alert When Awake -- Huberman Lab. 69. Why We Sleep — Matthew Walker. 70. Matthew Walker on the Huberman Lab podcast. 71. The Frido 3D eye mask Amit uses. 72. John Collison's tweet on the world being a museum of passion projects. 73. The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Dean Martin, Metallica, Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden on Spotify. 74. Love Me Tender and Can't Help Falling in Love -- Elvis Presley. 75. Aaj -- Bloodywood. 76. Bekhauf -- Bloodywood (featuring BABYMETAL) 77. Coke Studio Bharat Season 2 and Season 3. 78. Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg and Eminem on Spotify. 79. The Next Episode -- Dr Dre featuring Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, Nate Dogg. 80. Ravi Shankar at Monterey Pop. 81. Ain't No Man Alive Can Handle Me -- Dumpster Grooves. 82. Alistair MacLean and PG Wodehouse on Amazon. 83. The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy -- Douglas Adams. 84. Animal Farm -- George Orwell. 85. Building State Capability: Evidence, Analysis, Action -- Matt Andrews, Lant Pritchett and Michael Woolcock. 86. The Rebirth of Education: Schooling Ain't Learning -- Lant Pritchett. 87. Lant Pritchett On Growth, Development & Income Inequality -- FED Dialogues. 88. In Service of the Republic — Vijay Kelkar & Ajay Shah. 89. Random Critical Analysis. 90. Chupke Chupke -- Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Amit Varma runs a course called Life Lessons, which aims to be a launchpad towards learning essential life skills all of you need. For more details, and to sign up, click here. And have you read Amit's newsletter? It's madly active right now! Subscribe right away to The India Uncut Newsletter! It's free! Also check out Amit's online course, The Art of Clear Writing. Episode art: 'Marketplace of Ideas' by Simahina.

Hundreds of people attended an open house hosted by Google Wednesday in Hermantown, just outside Duluth. The company wants to spend up to $2 billion to build a large data center there. The proposal has faced strong opposition from residents, and at least two lawsuits have been filed to block it. The project still needs additional city and state approvals.The Minneapolis City Council voted Thursday to approve a pair of ordinance changes that would allow the city to legalize bathhouses. Adult bathhouses were historically frequented by gay men in the 1970s and '80s. They were banned in Minneapolis in 1988 during the AIDS epidemic. The changes allow the city to start the process toward permitting bathhouses and other sex venues in the future.A state lawmaker will be arraigned Friday on DWI charges stemming from a traffic stop earlier this year. State Rep. Elliott Engen of White Bear Lake was pulled over in March for speeding. According to the criminal complaint, police say Engen had a headlight out, expired registration and a blood alcohol concentration of .13. Engen had been running for state auditor, but ended his campaign.Minnesota exports fell eight percent in the first quarter compared to the same period in 2025. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development says a decline in sales of mineral fuel and oil to Canada is driving the loss, along with uncertainty tied to federal actions. Excluding mineral fuel and oil exports to Canada, Minnesota exports grew slightly from a year ago.Parts of Minnesota could see triple-digit highs early next week, as a potentially dangerous heat wave moves into the region. MPR meteorologist Sven Sundgaard says temperatures and humidity will start climbing this weekend. Monday could bring highs in the upper 90s, with heat indices above 105. The heat could linger through next week, with highs near 90 continuing into the Fourth of July weekend.

As we move through the month of June, the Mountaineer 10-miler, High Country Jazz Festival, and Boonerang are among the summer events that are officially in the books.On this week's Mind Your Business, we dive into the early numbers regarding the economic impact of the Mountaineer 10-miler and Boonerang. Charlie Mercer, CEO of Capstone Event Group rejoins the show to discuss the post-race survey results from over 850 participants in the Mountaineer 10-miler, which includes a breakdown on runner demographics, lodging impacts, shopping and dining activity, and likelihood of repeat trips to the High Country. We then turn attention to the inital visitor data from the 5th annual Boonerang Music & Arts Festival, which further supports the impact event weeknds have on the entire High Country.To wrap up the show, we'll visit with Victoria O'Connell, Water Conservation Program Coordinator with the Town of Boone, as she explains the recently announced Stage 2 Water Restrictions enacted by Boone Town Council, and what this means for residents and businesses.Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.Support the show

June 24, 2026- State Authorities Budget Office Director Joshua Norkin talks about a review of the management and spending oversight of an economic development agency in Broome County.

Battery energy storage fire safety is one of the most urgent permitting challenges facing solar and storage developers in 2026. Mike Nicholas, Energy Storage Specialist and Fire Consultant at Hiller Companies, brings a rare perspective: he built Kern County's entire BESS permitting program from scratch in 2019, when no national standards existed, and now travels the country helping developers, EPCs, and fire departments get these projects to yes.Kern County has the highest concentration of renewable energy and battery storage in California, including the largest active battery storage project in the world at roughly 3.2 GWh. Mike developed a 32-page submission guideline that standardized the permitting process and became a model other jurisdictions are now replicating. After retiring as a fire captain and assistant fire marshal in 2024, he joined Hiller, which represented about 85% of the battery storage clients that went through Kern County permitting. He now works with the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development and American Clean Power to build reference documents and videos for fire safety standardization.Here is what you will learn in this conversation about battery energy storage fire safety:Find out why the Moss Landing disaster changed everything. A fire inside an enclosed former power plant building destroyed an estimated 240 megawatts. An outdoor containerized failure, under current standards, would be contained to the enclosure of origin, a fraction of 1% of that loss. You'll understand why the industry is moving hard toward outdoor containerized deployments.Learn what UL 9540A and the new large-scale fire testing (LSFT) requirement in NFPA 855 (2026) actually require, and why they matter to first responders. You'll hear why the test forces a fully populated unit into a worst-case thermal runaway with suppression disabled, and what it means for containing a fire within the enclosure of origin.Understand what a complete Hazard Mitigation Analysis must include. Find out why a generic OEM document will not pass, and what site-specific elements, from failure modes analysis to emergency response plans for construction, commissioning, and decommissioning, are required under NFPA 855.You'll hear Mike's step-by-step account of what should happen from the moment a fire alarm sounds to the moment the incident command is established. Learn why gas meters, IR cameras, and a fire alarm annunciator panel at the static water tank are critical tools for first responders who may be 15 to 20 minutes from the battery yard inside the site.Find out what developers and EPCs get wrong in permitting. Mike explains why early engagement with the fire department, before land use approval, is not optional, and why hiring a registered design professional who knows NFPA 855 is the difference between hitting your financing deadline and chasing it.With BESS developers racing to lock in safe harbor and stay ahead of tightening FEOC and material-assistance thresholds, permitting delays and moratoria are a real threat to project timelines. Mike describes a shift already happening in California: under General Order 167-C, the California Public Utilities Commission now requires ESS operators to file emergency response plans and produce annual testing and maintenance reports, and Kern County has introduced an annual operational permit tied to emergency contact updates. These requirements are likely to spread nationally.Connect with Mike Nicholas Hiller Companies: https://hillerfire.com/ Support the showConnect with Tim  Clean Power Hour  Clean Power Hour on YouTubeTim on TwitterTim on LinkedIn Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple PodcastsThe Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email:  CleanPowerHour@gmail.comCorporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/The Clean Power Hour is brought to you by CPS America, maker of North America's number one 3-phase string inverter, with over 6GW shipped in the US. With a focus on commercial and utility-scale solar and energy storage, the company partners with customers to provide unparalleled performance and service. The CPS America product lineup includes 3-phase string inverters from 25kW to 275kW, exceptional data communication and controls, and energy storage solutions designed for seamless integration with CPS America systems.  Learn more at www.chintpowersystems.com

  Rob is Co-Chair of Taft's Sports Law Group and Chair of the firm's Cincinnati Business practice. He is widely recognized as principal counsel to private equity and venture capital funds, growth-oriented companies, sports franchises, and research institutions. His practice focuses on leading equity financings, securities offerings, complex commercial transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and other strategic initiatives. Rob regularly advises global and national clients on the structuring and execution of significant business transactions. Rob is actively engaged in civic and professional leadership at both the national and local levels. He serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and is a board member of the FC Cincinnati Foundation. Reflecting the international scope of his practice, he also serves on the Board of Interlex, a global association of leading law firms. In Ohio, Rob is a member of the Executive Committee of the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce and has previously served as Chair of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and President of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Cincinnati. Rob earned his bachelor's degree from Duke University and his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. During his undergraduate studies, he completed comparative law coursework at New College, Oxford University. He received his J.D. from Washington University School of Law, where he also clerked at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission during his final term. Rob grew up in Kobe, Japan.