Podcasts about economic development director

Glen Van Peski, ultralight backpacking pioneer and founder of Gossamer Gear, joins me to talk about his philosophy of “take less, do more.” We'll explore how simplifying your approach to life can free up time, energy, and focus for what truly matters.Glen shares lessons from decades of hiking and leadership, including the surprising connection between generosity and happiness, the power of gratitude, and why spending time in nature is essential for mental and physical health.Plus, if you've ever wanted to try backpacking but felt intimidated, Glen offers practical tips to help you get started—without lugging 50 pounds of gear.Whether you're curious about ultralight backpacking or want to live with greater intention, Glen's wisdom will inspire you to embrace the journey and lighten your load.Glen Van Peski is widely recognized by the trail name “Legend” for his legendary contributions to the backpacking community. A native Californian with a childhood rooted in the western outdoors, Glen's journey into backpacking began when his oldest son joined Scouts, and he led the Troop's backpacking program.Through those experiences, he became intrigued by lightweight backpacking and started sewing his gear. In 1998, he founded Gossamer Gear, a company dedicated to manufacturing ultralight backpacking equipment. Over the years, Glen and his company have been featured in Backpacker, Outside, and National Geographic Adventure magazines, and The New York Times.Beyond his passion for backpacking and entrepreneurial success, Glen had an extended career in civil engineering. Most recently, he served as the Community and Economic Development Director for the City of Carlsbad, California. Prior to spending nearly adecade in various roles with the city, he served as an engineering consultant. Before that role, Glen held the role of President of Pacific Rim Engineering.Glen is a sought-after speaker known for his inspiring, humorous, information-packed presentations. His extensive backpacking experiences include hiking most of thePacific Crest Trail, exploring the backcountry in Japan and Europe, and bikepacking along the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR). Glen lives in Bend, Oregon, with wife of over 40 years Francie, and is the father of two grown sons.To read more fun facts, interests and companies Glen is involved in visit glenvanpeski.com/about/Buy a copy of Glen's award-winning book, Take Less, Do More: https://a.co/d/0Y3I7LuTune in each week for practical, relatable advice that helps you feel your best and unlock your full potential. If you're ready to prioritize your health and level up every area of your life, you'll find the tools, insights, and inspiration right here. Buy Esther's Book: To Your Health - https://a.co/d/iDG68qUFollow Esther on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@estheravantFollow Esther on IG - https://www.instagram.com/esther.avantLearn more about booking Esther to speak: https://www.estheravant.comLearn more about working with Esther: https://www.madebymecoaching.com/services

Send us a textThe transformation of Washington City from farming fields to a strategically developed urban center is unfolding before our eyes. Economic Development Director Rusty Hughes reveals the careful balancing act required to maintain the city's unique character while addressing the economic realities of growth.When we think about local development, we rarely consider the financial mechanics behind municipal decisions. For every residential property built in Washington City, local government spends $1.30-$1.60 in services for each dollar collected in revenue. This simple fact explains why Washington City, after two decades of being 98% residential permits, is now actively pursuing high-value commercial development along the I-15 corridor.Rusty shares fascinating insights about projects reshaping the landscape: ARA Southwest Logistics, the largest industrial development in Washington County history; WinCo's long-awaited arrival at Exit 11 after eight years of searching for the perfect location; and plans for a walkable downtown core that will give Washington City its own unique gathering place. Each project is strategically positioned to generate revenue, create jobs, and reduce the number of residents who must commute elsewhere for work and shopping.Perhaps most compelling is Hughes' perspective as both an economic developer and a 20-year resident who raised her children in Washington City. Her journey from military service to economic development illustrates the diverse backgrounds bringing expertise to municipal government. She emphasizes how community engagement shapes development decisions, inviting residents to follow projects on the city's interactive map at WashingtonCity.org/ed. Guest: Rusty Hughes, Economic Development Director for Washington City, UtahLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rusty-hughes-8544696b/?trk=public_post_comment_actor-imageWashington City Economic Developments: https://washingtoncity.org/development/economicdevelopmentLooking for a Real Estate expert? Find us here!https://realestate435.kw.com/www.wealth435.com https://linktr.ee/wealth435 Below are our wonderful friends!Find FS Coffee here:https://fscoffeecompany.com/Find Tuacahn Amphitheater here:https://www.tuacahn.org/Find Blue Form Media here:https://www.blueformmedia.com/#southernutah #stgeorgeutah #435podcast #washingtoncityutah #podcast #realestate #realestatemarket #citygrowth #citydevelopment [00:00:00] Intro.[00:01:28] Economic Challenges for Washington City.[00:06:15] Rusty's Background in Economic Development.[00:17:36] Washington City vs. St. George Development.[00:26:59] Residential Growth and Service Population Challenges.[00:35:56] Industrial Development and Aura Southwest Logistics.[00:48:35] Winco and New Retail Development.[00:54:39] Auto Mall and Downtown Revitalization Plans.[01:03:17] Community Engagement and Online Resources

Happy Thursday! Here's a quick look at our top local stories for Thursday, February 27, 2025. Find the complete articles in today's paper and online at iolaregister.com. Thanks for reading and listening local!

Perry Startup Week 2025 is almost here, and it's all about igniting innovation, supporting entrepreneurs, and building a stronger business community! In this episode of the Inside Perry Podcast, we sit down with Holly Wharton, Perry's Economic Development Director, and Alicia Hartley, Downtown Manager, to discuss how Perry Startup Week fosters entrepreneurship, promotes collaboration and networking, and offers valuable resources for business growth.Perry Startup Week 2025 takes place February 24-28, 2025.Register and view the schedule on our website.If you like Inside Perry - subscribe and share the podcast with friends and family. The podcast is available on all major podcast platforms.Visit us at perry-ga.gov. We hope to see you around in our amazing community...Where Georgia Comes Together.

Send us a textUnlock the secrets behind St. George City's economic development strategies with insights from Chad Thomas, the Economic Development Director, and David Cordero, the Communications and Marketing Director. Discover how the city's economic policies are shaped by local elections and sales taxes, and what the arrival of a second Costco means for residents and businesses across Southern Utah. We'll guide you through the intricate dance of attracting big-name brands like Trader Joe's, while also supporting small businesses, all without raising taxes.The podcast explores the intricate relationship between sales tax revenue and economic development in St. George, particularly focusing on the impact of a second Costco. The discussion delves into the importance of incentives for attracting business, the balancing act between supporting large corporations and local businesses, and the vital role of community engagement in shaping future city policies.• The crucial role of sales tax in funding city services• Insights into the site selection process for businesses• The implications of a second Costco on the local economy• Discussion on the but-for principle in economic incentives• The importance of balancing support for small businesses with larger corporations• Community engagement as a critical component of economic development• Future growth strategies and the role of infrastructure in attracting businessesGuest: David Cordero - Communications and Marketing Director at City of St. George, UTLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dcordero1/Guest: Chad D. Thomas -Economic Development Director at City of St George, UTLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-d-thomas-a6a43560/Looking for a Real Estate expert? Find us here!https://realestate435.kw.com/www.wealth435.com https://linktr.ee/wealth435 Below are our wonderful friends!Find FS Coffee here:https://fscoffeecompany.com/Find Tuacahn Amphitheater here:https://www.tuacahn.org/Find Blue Form Media here:https://www.blueformmedia.com/#salestax #435podcast #southernutah #stgeorgeutah #costco #podcastclips #localeconomy #localdevelopment [00:00:00] Intro.[00:02:07] Local Economic Development in Southern Utah.[00:13:09] Attracting Businesses for Economic Growth.[00:26:37] Supporting Small Businesses for Economic Growth.[00:32:09] Economic Development Incentives and Competition.[00:44:15] Economic Development and Incentives.[00:57:13] Economic Development in Southern Utah.[01:08:16] City Address and Transportation Expo Teasers.[01:15:21] Building a Strong Community Together.

When we were thinking about the kinds of people we wanted to talk to for this Moments of Growth series, we knew we needed to include people who have been impacted in some way by the work we do at Growing Small Towns.    Some of these guests use Growing Small Towns in an official capacity—they have a formal role in economic or community development, or something similar, and have utilized our programming professionally. Others are members of our local school board, have engaged with us on a personal level, or for a small business. However their involvement, though, we treasure these thoughts and words from the people we serve, and we hope you'll enjoy this episode!    In this episode, we hear from:  Anna Sell - Superintendent of Oakes Public School Sonia Meehl - former Oakes Public School board member Matt Marshall - Member Services, Rates & Economic Development Manager at Minnkota Ashley Berg - owner of Main Street Boutique in Rugby, ND  Bob Wurl - board member for Southern Valley Economic Development Association Justin Meidinger - Director, Ellendale Opera House Dawn Mandt - Executive Director of Red River Regional Council Justin Neppl - former Economic Development Director for Southern Valley Economic Development Association Roberta Forward - board member for North Dakota Grapegrower's Association, Riding for Dreams, and Oakes PTO Chapter  Jeremy Nelson - founder, Arthur Market Melissa Beach - Economic Development Administrator, Minnkota   Links and Resources Mentioned: Oakes Public School: https://www.oakes.k12.nd.us/ Minnkota Power Cooperative: https://www.minnkota.com/ Main Street Boutique in Rugby, ND: https://mainstreetboutiquerugby.com/ Southern Valley Economic Development Association: https://www.facebook.com/Southernvalleyeda/ Ellendale Opera House: http://www.ellendaleoperahouse.com/ Red River Regional Council: https://redriverrc.com/ North Dakota Grapegrower's Association: https://www.ndgwa.org/ Riding For Dream: https://www.ridingfordreams.com/ Oakes PTO: https://www.oakes.k12.nd.us/families/parent-teacher-organization Arthur Market: https://www.thearthurmarketnd.com/ Episode 21 with Ashley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f503Im7Q3i4 Episode 135 with Jeremy: https://www.growingsmalltowns.org/post/episode135

In this installment of The Mark Haney Show series, The Most Valuable Towns in the Backyard, we shine a spotlight on Elk Grove, one of the Sacramento region's most dynamic cities. Mark sits down with Darrell Doan, Economic Development Director, and Darren Suen, Elk Grove City Council Member, to explore how Elk Grove has become a hub for innovation, growth, and community excellence. Darrell and Darren share how strong leadership and a clear vision have driven Elk Grove's transformation from a suburban outpost to a thriving city. They discuss the city's business-friendly policies, proactive investments, and a deep commitment to creating opportunities for both residents and entrepreneurs. The conversation highlights Elk Grove's evolution, touching on its impressive amenities, from its burgeoning culinary scene to major projects like the new zoo and commuter rail connectivity to Silicon Valley. The guests also delve into how the city has fostered collaboration across the region, cementing Elk Grove as a model of smart growth and community development. Whether you're an entrepreneur, a community leader, or simply interested in what makes Elk Grove special, this episode offers a compelling look at why it's one of the most valuable towns in the Sacramento region. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe to stay connected with our journey through the best towns in our backyard! Website: https://www.elkgrovecity.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElkGroveCity Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cityofeg/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/city-of-elk-grove/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CityofElkGroveCalifornia _______________________________________________________________ If this episode inspires you to be part of the movement, and you believe, like me, that entrepreneurs are the answer to our future, message me so we can join forces to support building truly great companies in our region.  - Subscribe to my channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCom_​...  -   Mark Haney is a serial entrepreneur that has experience growing companies worth hundreds of millions of dollars. He is currently the CEO and founder of HaneyBiz  -   Instagram: http://instagram.com/themarkhaney​  Facebook: www.facebook.com/themarkhaney  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markehaney​  Website: http://haneybiz.com​  Audio Boom: https://audioboom.com/channels/5005273​   Twitter: http://twitter.com/themarkhaney - This video includes personal knowledge, experiences, and opinions about Angel Investing by seasoned angel investors.  This content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, tax, investment, or financial advice.  Nothing in this video constitutes a solicitation, recommendation, or endorsement. #thebackyardadvantage #themarkhaneyshow #entrepreneur  #PowerOfWith #SacramentoEntrepreneur #Sacramento #SacramentoSmallBusiness #SmallBusiness #GrowthFactory #Investor #Podcast

Danielle Casey, President & CEO of the Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance, joins Dennis and discusses finding your path in economic development. How do you find the right fit? How do you know when to move to the next position? Is working your way up in one organization preferable, or is there value in working for multiple organizations? Is there a tipping point when it makes more sense to stay with an organization? Are there red flags when looking at joining an organization? Are there some dos and don'ts people should be aware of when interviewing? Ms. Casey brings extensive and diverse experience in leadership, public administration, marketing, business development and retention, and strategic planning as the leader of AREA, a nonprofit organization working to create a prosperous and diverse economy for the four-county Albuquerque metro region. She joined the organization in October of 2020. Previously, she served as the Executive Vice President for the Greater Sacramento Economic Council and oversaw the organization's business development, marketing and communications, investor engagement, research, and strategic initiatives critical to advancing economic growth in Greater Sacramento. She oversaw the comprehensive launch and execution of a best-in-class national site selection consultant strategy and established first-ever memorandums of understanding with seven local commercial real estate brokerage offices, receiving a Gold Award from the International Economic Development Council in 2020 for a joint publication she spearheaded with CBRE. She established critical internal efficiencies with revisions to all organizational practices from database management to budget development and oversight. Even in the wake of COVID-19, the organization succeeded in meeting all its annual metrics and job creation goals and launching a regional business retention and expansion outreach program. From 2013 – 2018, Danielle served the well-known City of Scottsdale, Arizona as its Economic Development Director. Under her leadership, the department received six awards of excellence from the International Economic Development Council, status as an Accredited Economic Development Organization, the 2015 ‘Large Community Economic Development Organization of the Year' award from the Arizona Association for Economic Development, and unanimous Council approval of a Five-Year Economic Development Strategic Plan – the first for the community in more than 15 years. During her tenure, the department was directly involved in projects accounting for more than $24 million in 5-year direct revenue impact to the city, $7 billion in 5-year total economic impact, 4,428 or more new jobs in the first 12 months of business operation alone and $160 million in new capital investment. Ms. Casey served in various executive roles at the City of Maricopa, Ariz. since 2005, lastly as the Assistant City Manager. Departments under her oversight included economic development, community and development services, capital improvement, public works and City-wide marketing and communications activities. She managed several noteworthy tasks in the establishment of the City's economic development office, such as the creation of an Industrial Development Authority, the City's first Redevelopment District and Area Plan, the establishment of a local economic development 501 (c) 3 (the Maricopa Economic Development Alliance), City-wide branding and Economic Development Strategic Plan. Prior to her time in Maricopa, she attained significant experience in the non-profit sector working in fundraising, marketing, and event and membership management at the Heard Museum of Native Cultures and Art in Phoenix, Arizona and at Save The Bay in Providence, Rhode Island. Ms. Casey received her bachelor's degree from Arizona State University and Master of Administration from Northern Arizona University. She is both a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) as well as a certified Economic Development Finance Professional (EDFP). She is a member of the International Economic Development Council and serves on its Board of Directors Governance Committee. She also serves as an instructor at the Oklahoma University Economic Development Institute and serves on its Board of Directors and as a Mentor. Danielle is a proud Past President of the Arizona Association for Economic Development, a statewide professional association with more than 480 public and private members, and an active board member with New Mexico IDEA. In May 2010, Ms. Casey was the honored recipient of the ‘Economic Developer of the Year – Small Community' award from the Arizona Association for Economic Development and in January 2017 she was recognized as a national top ‘40 under 40 Rising Star' in economic development by Development Counsellors International. In addition, she is co-founder of the Arizona Chapter of Women Leading Government which in its sixth year draws more than 400 participants. An Air Force brat, Ms. Casey has had the great privilege of living in Texas, Ohio, Alabama, Louisiana, Utah, Rhode Island, Arizona and California throughout her life and is thrilled to now call Albuquerque home, along with her trusty English bulldog Sophie, heeler/cattle dog mix Persie, and her amazing and supportive husband Steve.

The new director discusses her background and vision for the office.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Allen County, Kansas is not a place most people will be familiar with, but the story is one you've probably heard before. Located in southeast Kansas, an hour and a half from the nearest major city, it features much that's typical of rural America. Iola, the county seat, is a city of 5,300 people. It has a classic town square and lies at the junction of a couple of state highways. The beautiful Flint Hills and its majestic cattle ranches are not far away.But after the community lost its hospital in the early 2000s, the usual questions emerge - is Iola, and the whole county on the verge of permanent decline?Out of this tragic circumstance was born Thrive Allen County Jared Wheeler, their Economic Development Director, joins me to talk about the path that Iola, Humboldt and the whole county have taken since that time. And, the remarkable successes they've achieved. Humboldt, for example, was featured in 2024's “15 Best Small Towns to Visit” in Smithsonian Magazine.You might not know much, or even care much, about rural Kansas. But I think you'll still find this to be an inspiring conversation and story. Jared and I cover a lot of ground, talking about rural community development, place-making, a culture of experimentation, and even bike paths.Find more content on The Messy City on Kevin's Substack page.Music notes: all songs by low standards, ca. 2010. Videos here. If you'd like a CD for low standards, message me and you can have one for only $5.Intro: “Why Be Friends”Outro: “Fairweather Friend”Text Transcript:Kevin Klinkenberg (00:01.158)Welcome back to the Messy City Podcast. This is Kevin Klinkenberg joined in studio today by a special guest from Central, what did you call it? Central Kansas? Southeast Kansas. Southeast Kansas, yeah. Southeast Kansas, all right. Well, shout out to my buddy Jason Carter-Solomon who hooked us up. He said, you know, just was out in Iowa, Kansas and I met this guy doing really cool stuff and it's like, you've got to talk to him.And it sounded intriguing and here we are. So welcome to the show for Jared Wheeler. You got it. Jared Wheeler. I am economic development director for a nonprofit in Southeast Kansas called Thrive Allen County. So I'm thrilled to be to be here today. Well, it should be a lot of fun. I have I've been through the area a little bit, have not stopped in Humboldt, which I know is like the big.tourist draw now. Right, right. Who would have thought that a community of 2,500 people would be in the Smithsonian magazine, New York Times, all these national publications saying you got, you have to come check this place out. Yeah. So why don't we start a little bit by just talking about, first of all, what thrive Allen County is, and how you came to be a part of it. So thrive Allen County.was initiated when the hospital in Iola, Kansas was closing. And as part of the agreement, anytime a hospital closed at that point, the idea that assets would be sold and then the money put it into the, with the intention of creating a 501c3 nonprofit, specifically dedicated towards public health initiatives. So Thrive Allen County was born out of really a crisis. So it's kind of birth from a crucible.the hospital in a small town closes. If you speak rural life fluently at all, that is a recurring theme that the hospital in town closes and you are left with some amalgamation of clinics or some specialty shops or just a general practice with limited beds, no overnight stays, that sort of thing. So the hospital closes, thrive, Allen County is born.Kevin Klinkenberg (02:20.988)And its initial mandate is to improve the community health. Just to interrupt for just a sec. So give people perspective. How big is Iowa? Yeah. Iowa, Kansas is about 5,200 people. Relatively small. It's the county seat of Allen County, Kansas. The next largest community is humble of 2,500 people. So the entire county's population is 12,000. Right. So for those of you who are in urban context, you are.probably struggling to imagine that sort of lack of population density, population scarcity. It's funny. It reminds me. So I went to high school in a small town in central Missouri. That was about 12,000 people. Okay. But when I hear you say, you know, Iowa is 5,200, it just reminds me that like when you're in a smaller town, like the hundreds matter. my. Saying 5,200 versus like 5,600, that's like a big deal. Right. It's the same way, you know,parents of young children still measure their kids age in months. It's like, is it about 27 months? It's the same situation for those of us who are doing our best work in rural communities, like 5,200. Because if I say, it's about 5,000 people, somebody out there is listening going, my graduating class was 5,000 people. That makes no sense. So Thrive, that's our context in which we work. And for the last,17 years Thrive has existed to enrich the health of citizens in Allen County. And that was initially in specifically related to physical health. So we have healthcare navigators that try and make sure that as many people as possible are insured. We operate vaccination clinics throughout the county, especially in even more rural and remote context. And thenabout halfway through the lifespan of Thrive, economic development was added. And economic development is really pursued from the perspective of community health. What is going to be a source of good, benevolent disruption? That's my approach constantly is what is going to disrupt the systems that are in place that contribute to the lack of health?Kevin Klinkenberg (04:45.788)for our community members through economic development. So that's my role and I am part of, technically I'm a one man department, but we all work together at Thrive and with our partners, both public and private partners in the communities. So how big is the organization overall? We have just under 30 employees right now. Yeah, and so we're fortunate in that some of those employees are in a transition period because we operate Allen Regional Transit.which is a public transportation organization in a rural context, which I know some of y'all out there are picturing like covered wagons. That's not exactly what's going on. But so we operate a public transit organization. And then we also have within our organization, the seed of another nonprofit that will probably spin off called Thrive Kansas, which is working for the same sort of rural community health goals.that we do in Allen County, but is trying to create statewide networks to do that. And how did you, are you from the area? Man, my rural bona fides are legit. I am, I am from a town of 500 people originally called Thayer, Kansas and in the same region, Southeast Kansas again, born and raised there. And really, so you have to remember I grew up in the nineties, early two thousands. So my experience of the wider world.was purely through pop culture. We didn't go anywhere. I was as hasty as they come. I knew what sushi was. did not eat. I had not had a bite of sushi until probably when I was on my honeymoon. And my cousin and I had a wonderful time. I'm just kidding. And so that's my baseline understanding of the world. But then I...I lived and worked in churches and schools after that. Did my grad school in Portland, Oregon. And so I did intensive weeks out there. So I was spending time in Portland in the Pacific Northwest for a couple of weeks at a time for four or five semesters. And so I've experienced a lot of different contexts. And then we moved back to Southeast Kansas, my wife and family and I from Kansas City actually. And so we lived up here.Kevin Klinkenberg (07:12.294)and then moved back about nine years ago with the choice to locate our family in a rural context. that's my route towards economic or community development is incredibly circuitous. And I really, I've found that that was a point of embarrassment for me initially when I took the job, because I just thought, everybody knows this stuff better than I do. And now I'm learning more and more about our conversation off mic before that.You were in architecture school before you got into community development. And I think that's, that is true for so many people that the reason they end up in community development, economic development, especially in a rural context is because they love the place. They love the place. They are invested in it and they have lived it. And again, bear the burden of what could be, or they have lived it and they are so quintessentially formed by it.that they believe other people should benefit from that formation as well. And the same is true for me in both directions. So, really the only experience I have with your area has been driving back and forth between Kansas City and Tulsa, which is kind of like the most direct route, really. Maybe not the fastest route, it's hard to say, but it's more interesting anyway, a little more scenic.been through Iowa. don't think I actually have driven through Humboldt yet. Humboldt, as you mentioned, has been a place that's gotten a lot of attention in recent years and it's kind of on the radar for, you know, like glamping and for cycling and everything else. Why don't you talk a little bit about like how and why has the area started to get the level of attention that you mentioned before?I think there's two categories I should speak to. The first is material and then maybe the second is going to sound a little weird, but it's mythological. So materially, one of the reasons that the area has gotten attention is because quite frankly, it's cost effective to develop and to try things in Allen County. The economic ecosystem in rural Kansas has typically been one of either extraction or exploitation historically.Kevin Klinkenberg (09:35.81)It is a wildcatting pioneering economy since my goodness, since the 19th century. And so the, industries that boomed the turn of the 20th century into the 19th century were extraction based businesses. Let's pull things as pull natural resources out. mean, my goodness, near Iola, Kansas, there is literally a city called gas and it is called gas because you, you made your bones.as part of a natural gas business there, that that's the way you made it so that the name stuck and in Humboldt and Iola there, there were massive, concrete businesses. there are these huge firms that, mined a mineral from that area and then use it to turn it into cement and concrete. So it's one that's still an operation monarch cement company in Humboldt, Kansas, butThat is the case. either you're pulling a resource from the landscape and when that is exhausted, you leave. And so that that also funnels into that exploitation idea. It's extraction or exploitation. So there's a sense amongst the folks who live and this may be true if you're a real person listening, you might be nodding along or you might want to fight me either way. WhereThere's an idea, the scarcity mindset that blends in that says, well, everybody who could have left did. Everyone who had the chance and the means and the capacity to leave when it was time to leave did, and we are what remains. I don't think that's accurate. I think that's sometimes, unfortunately, the way that small communities understand themselves. They either become bitterness factories or hope factories. That's very rarely.in a community that is somewhat remote and rural, is it in between those two extremes. You're either a community of hope or you're a community of bitterness. What could have been and what might be. So those are your two extremes. And I'd love to talk to people if they feel like they live in a community that exists right in the middle of those.Kevin Klinkenberg (11:51.238)So the first reason why the community, the area is getting more attention is because materially it's more cost effective to try something new there. That economic ecosystem of extraction or exploitation is given way to one of experiment. Let's try something new. And so there are people who are either coming back to the area or they are relocating from other parts of the country.because they have an idea that is impossible due to the cost constraints of where they live. I am assuming even for our folks who are listening in Kansas City, that if I started doing cost analysis comparison between opening a storefront business of some sort in Prairie Village compared to Iola, Kansas, you will not get the population density for traffic or tail lights, butfor your permit cost, you might be able to buy a building in Iola. So that's really at end of the day, it's more cost effective in our area just because things are cheaper. I don't mean to be crass, but that's what it comes down to. That's the material side. The second one, the one that I'm maybe even more interested in is the mythological side. Why are people so interested in that area? And I wanna ask this question as I hold this off in my head.How do you think people from non-rural contexts experience or how is their perception of the rural world formed by what pop cultural artifacts, so to speak? in the fifties and sixties, I would say it's probably Mayberry, you know, it's the Andy Griffith show. And what's the essence of the rural experience? Well, everybody knows you, you're not going to get away with anything because you'reyour mom's hairdresser's aunt saw you do that. And so they're going to report back. And then as it moves forward, what there's kind of this, it's dearth of pop cultural artifacts that have, kind of monolithic effect, except I believe there is now a new pop cultural phenomenon that everyone at least is aware of that is giving people a lens to look through.Kevin Klinkenberg (14:16.988)and see the rural context. And this is going to be absolutely ridiculous to most people, but stay with me. If you're familiar, if you, if you are familiar with the incredible pieces of art, they're known as hallmark movies. You have had a rural experience because those movies never take place in urban settings. Or if they do, it's only momentary because they're trying to escape it to getto the rural place in which you are going to fall in love, achieve your dreams and feel your stress melt away. And that's silly, it's ridiculous. But at the same time, I believe there is a, I think that is a very kitschy way of seizing on a groundswell ofCollective emotion right now where people are looking for something that is more simple. Our lives are incredibly hectic. We know they're hectic. We know that we are addicted to everything and anything. So how can I simplify? And then how can I take charge of my life and do what I want to do and have some agency? And with a little bit where your dollars go a little bit farther and maybe the pace of life slows down, people feel like they have a little bit more agency.And then finally, where can I still access some version of the American dream, whatever that is? And I think that is a piece of mythology that has been so twisted and turned, but there's, it's still baked in somewhere to us. And I think at the end of the day, part of that dream in a rural context is can I be known by people and can I know other people? I'm sure you are aware of thethe emphasis and the buzzwords of, you know, quality spaces, place making third spaces. mean, we are, we are addicted to those. And in a rural context, I think the perception is when you look through the lens of an artifact, like a hallmark movie, that the entire community is a third space because you're going to bump into the person you work with elsewhere. You're going to see someone.Kevin Klinkenberg (16:38.764)at one of the three restaurants in town that you saw yesterday crossing the street or so on and so forth. So I think that's one reason why the community has been so, or the area has been of interest is because mythologically, it provides an avenue towards some essential thing that we want out of living life in community that may be a little bit more difficult.in, if not an urban context, certainly a suburban context. So if I were to put a dot in Iowa and then draw like a circle 100 miles around it, there's an awful lot of small towns within that circle. Right. What has distinguished Iowa and Humboldt that you see more positiverebound and attraction than maybe some other towns that are within that context. One thing that has really helped so much are collectivist approach to problem solving. for example, my organization Thrive Island County, especially in the area of economic development, we would be completely inept and ineffective if we didn't haveclose and active partnerships with local government and local business leaders and confederations of industry leaders as well. So that's one of the first reasons that Iola Allen County has been successful is because it's taken a collectivist approach to problem solving without any sort of political machinations behind that, or sometimes even completely devoid ofpolitical ideology, just because, something needs to change. What do we do about it? Another reason is because folks who have been successful in Allen County have taken it upon themselves, even though there isn't a whole lot of philanthropic infrastructure, or they don't see philanthropic models that you might see in a larger community. you start a foundation, that foundation does this, this is the way in which you...Kevin Klinkenberg (18:59.088)you know, are able to recoup some of what you've given away through tax breaks and so on and so forth. That infrastructure doesn't really exist in Southeast Kansas and small communities, but successful individuals have taken it upon themselves to think critically about the complex issues that their communities face, identify the areas in which they can have an impact and aggressively pursue that impact. So, andI'll be somewhat discretionary simply because the individual in question is not a huge fan of publicity, but there's an individual, a family in Humboldt, Kansas, that at the time of the pandemic redirected a considerable amount of its workforce towards making community improvements as opposed to laying off workers at their industry. That's turned into almost a parabolic story.but it is exemplary of this individual and this company's approach to community improvement. And even without a model that said, is how you do this. There's no, there's not a Carnegie library in Humboldt, Kansas, even serving as a beacon of what philanthropy looks like. This individual became a quintessential philanthropist to solveproblems and it's in his small community again, because he loves it. And that example has had a profound impact throughout the region where there are more and more folks who have been successful and have realized that their success has resulted because someone else made a provision for them and they've turned around and said, okay.How do I address the complex issues? Not merely I'm gonna endow a scholarship, which by the way, we love that, keep doing that everyone, but we need new curb and gutters in the road. I bet I could do something with that. I bet I could have an effect in that direction. So we've been very beneficial through collectivist solution making and then also,Kevin Klinkenberg (21:19.676)the inspired philanthropy of successful folks. mean, that's so interesting. It kind of hits on a broader topic. know Aaron Wren on his podcast has he's talked about this as well. But like one of the real differences today versus in communities, say 100 years ago, is that 100 years ago, the bank in town was locally owned. Right. The department store was locally owned.Right. You know, most of the, and this is true in cities of towns of almost all sizes, that your local leadership class were people who owned prominent businesses in the town. Right. And that is something that has been lost in an awful lot of communities because of, you know, just changes in the economy and so muchSo much of a shift towards sort of larger corporate owned Businesses that then just have branches in places and you just never have the same buy-in right you're like if you're like the branch manager of a bank that's got 500 Locations right you're gonna have a different buy-in than if you're like the owner of the bank. Yeah and and the same goes for for a lot of industry so I think that's it's really interesting what you mentioned that you sort of start starting from a kernel of somebody who ownedan important business and lives in the town and says, just like you said, I'm not going to just do a scholarship fund, but I'm going to invest in things that make, improve quality of life where I am. Right. And I guess that's, as you were, as you were talking about that, I, I couldn't help but wonder, and I'll, I'll ask you directly if you, do you think a community can outsource its self identity? no. Okay. Okay. So, but that's, that's the tug.When so many things are operated or owned remotely is what happens is this, I really think an existential crisis for a community to go, then what are we and who are we? And if you don't have a thing to point to that provides an place of orientation for your community, it gets really hard to then invite people to invest in that community.Kevin Klinkenberg (23:44.63)And so I think that's, I think you're exactly right. That when, when that autonomy evaporates, then you do have a, identity crisis, so to speak. And so that's one thing that's been really interesting in both Iola and Humboldt is, you know, the businesses that are added, we have some community investment, groups and, some microloan groups andso on and so forth. The businesses that have been added are not, mean, there is no retailer that's saying we'd love to drop a branch in your town of 5,000 people. It doesn't make sense for them. So what's added is homegrown. It's local entrepreneurs who we claw to find capital for them and then they take a swing and we're fortunate in that. I sit on a board of what we call a entrepreneurial community.a lending group, micro loans. although, you know, to us, they're not micro to other folks. might be, we have over 25 loans on the book right now and 99.9 % of them are making their payments with regularity. And we have businesses that are crossing that year to five to year six, year six threshold, which is enormous for anybody in the entrepreneurial world. And we've just been fortunate because, there's nobody coming to rescue us.think that is, that is a shift in mindset for small communities. That's so important and it requires a bit of, I mean, you, have to be brutally honest with yourself that you, you need to empower the folks who are there to ask why not instead of why here. Yeah. AndIf something else comes along, if something locates itself in your community, that is an extra. But if you can empower the folks who are local to take a chance, then I think you're onto something that could be sustainable. Yeah. I wonder if you can talk a little bit more, maybe some specific examples of like the homegrown approach. The reason I ask that is I'm old enough to rememberKevin Klinkenberg (26:09.818)that the standard approach to rural economic development for a long, time was go plat an industrial park on the edge of town, put the infrastructure in, and try to attract what basically were like low wage industrial jobs from big companies. that's how you will save your community. what you're describing is a really different sort of a bottom up approach to working with people who are already there.I wonder if you could talk more about like some of the successes or some of the other couple of stories you can share. Absolutely. and we still do that. I mean, I, got, I got two industrial parks right now that are planning and ready to rock. So if you're out there listening and you, and you want to, know, you need a spot for your biofuel company, hit me up. Cause I am ready to talk. so we're not, we're not opposed to that approach. I just think that, charting that as the only course is, really risky.And to be honest, I don't know how much, how reliable it is. I think it's a part of a solution model. But so for example, we have a coffee shop in Iola, Kansas. Every community has got a coffee shop at this point. It doesn't matter how small you are. This coffee shop, shout out Wild Bloom Coffee in Iola. And this coffee shop got started as alower level commercial space on the square. Like every other cute coffee shop in a small town bought the bare minimum square footage that they could afford as just one half of a building, one half of the lower level of a building. And the coffee shop has been so successful and it's been able toapply for and receive grant funding. It's been able to benefit from a neighborhood revitalization program that's a tax rebate program when they made improvements to the space. It works considerably with our organization in small business coaching and in capital pursuit through our micro loan program. And this coffee shop has now purchased the entire building that they're in. They offerKevin Klinkenberg (28:29.468)kind of a subscription based bourbon taste in nights and cigar bar evenings. And they're going to expand to catering and they they serve brunch now. And in our little coffee shop in Southeast Kansas, the other day I had the best ramen I've had in years. we have, they're really talented folks who are owning and operating that shop, but it's been able to expand consistently.due to again, these collectivist approach because there's so many people, it's not only that they serve a great product, they do. It's not only that they provide a great customer experience, which they do, but it's also because they have been willing to not only want help, but ask for help. And that's an enormous difference. Wanting help is just the awareness that you need something. Asking for help is putting your hand in the air,I said, okay, I'm willing to reach out and grab whomever is going to help out, but I'm asking for it. And so that's an example that we've had in Iola. In Humboldt, Kansas, and I can take no credit for this, there's a group known as a Boulder Humboldt. And that is a confederation of business owners, entrepreneurs, movers and shakers who have added businesses throughout Humboldt. So the best...And from my money, the best little honky tonk in Kansas is the Hitching Post in Humboldt, Kansas. And they have live music every night, every weekend night, excuse me. Probably the most expansive collection of whiskeys that you could want or need. And it is an incredibly successful business and an incredibly successful gathering place. And again, was started.by an individual who moved to Humboldt who had connections with people who had multiple generations of their family within Humboldt. And they were able to continue to build that business and be patient as it was built. they live, to your point earlier, they live and work in the community. The gentleman who owns that business is a city council person in Humboldt, Kansas. And...Kevin Klinkenberg (30:48.88)is really devoted towards overall community health and community growth. those are, and those businesses are now moving beyond. So Hitching Post is moving towards, I think it's third year of operations. So kind of living past that initial start at birth. Wild Bloom, I believe is to year four and five in Iola. So we have some wonderful businesses that are outside of what people would expect in a small community.again, because there've been collectivist approach. So hitching posts exists because of the collective that is a bold or humble and humble. Wild Bloom exists because of multiple collective groups within Iola that were, had a vested interest in these success stories. So the one, I confess the one business I remember from going through Iola is I stopped at the butcher shop right off the highway, which was a pretty incredible operation.And I think at the time I was kind of thinking about, we're not very far from ranch country. I had a cooler with me. want to buy some steaks or whatever and take them home with me. And of course the selection was incredible. The prices were way better than when I get in the city. And it's pretty much like fresh off the ranch. Right. I mean, you might have driven by cattle that were lamenting that their buddy was gone and ended up in your cooler instead.Yeah. So one of the thing I definitely I know about the area is you have this north south bike trail. Yeah. That comes through that goes for, I don't know, 100 miles or something. Yeah. Is that the Prairie Spirit? Prairie Spirit Trail. Yeah. What impact has that had on the area? So one, we have a very high rate of folks who bike or walk to work. Comparatively, I just pulled that data.We are higher than the state average, I think almost twice as high as the state average and people that walk or bike to work. So to me, that signifies two things. is it's pedestrian or bike traffic is built into the community. think part of that is because of the trails. There's 60 miles of trail in Allen County alone.Kevin Klinkenberg (33:09.622)so that's around the, what will become the new state park, Lehigh Portland state park. That's going to be on the edge of Viola. let's say it was a lake that was publicly owned and privately owned and then was deeded over to the state of Kansas and, Kansas department of wildlife and parks is turning that into a new state park. So there's a lot of trails around that and people have access to those trails for a while. Thrive Island County, maintenance is those trails on behalf of KDWP right now.we have trails though, that also we, we think of in, in rural communities, you think of your trails as out somewhere out towards the woods. I mean, you're go ride around and walk around, but there's also dedicated trails in Iola, that go to the hospital. spoiler alert, we did get a new hospital. I started the story talking about the, this, closing of the hospital, new hospitals added, to the elementary school, a new elementary school and to the high school, middle school, and also to around.Not to, we're working on getting trails all through the main thoroughfares in town, but there's also trails around Allen Community College in Iowa as well. So we are addicted to trail building and maintenance because we have a population that in many respects is income challenged. And an automobile, even though to most of us is an automatic purchase to a lot of our neighbors and friends, it's a luxury.And so if you do not have an automobile, but you need to get to work or you need to make your appointment or you need to get to school, you need to have a safe way to do so. And so I think that that trail system is. It's part of a wider, pedestrian and bike travel understanding and folks in our community are not embarrassed to do so. And it's because there's not.There's not the income stratification that exists. I mean, in some communities, if you see someone that is riding their bike to work, there's three categories either, they're, they're a granola type that just wants to show us that they're more fit and better than the rest of us. They are too poor to purchase a vehicle or they get a DUI and they can't drive right now. I mean, that is the truth in, our community because the, because of the prevalence of the trail system.Kevin Klinkenberg (35:35.002)If someone is walking or biking to work, it's really hard to codify them. I wonder if they fall into this category or that category just because it's the norm. So we're very fortunate that those trails exist and they do. It also affects, as you mentioned, the glamping outdoors, outdoor recreation, infrastructure and commercialization that exists in our area. That's very helpful. So again, in Humboldt, there is a camping, kayaking,and BMX riding facility known as Base Camp. And it is located at a trailhead. And so you can jump off Prairie Spirit or Southwind Trail. You can go into Base Camp. The, again, the state park is full of trails and also on Prairie Spirit and connect to Southwind Trails as well. Yeah. And then if you ride it far enough, you'll connect to the Flint Hills Trail. Yeah, exactly. Which is.over a hundred miles East West trail. Right. Exactly. My wife and I have ridden a few times. Okay. Cool. Yeah. we, we, one of our favorite events of the years, we go to the symphony and the foothills. Yeah. which is, I almost hate to talk about it because I don't want, I don't want it to become too popular. You don't want people to show up. Yeah. I really don't want people from the coast flying in and, and, making this, you know, too expensive, but my God, it's an incredible thing. Right.just one of the coolest events that we do on a regular basis with where the Kansas City Symphony goes out onto a active cattle ranch in the Flint Hills and performs a concert. But we've made a habit of going and writing a different section of the Flint Hills Trail every year, which is really a fun experience as well. But haven't done the Prairie Spirit, so I'm...Interested to do that. You absolutely should. mean, we, we talked to cyclists who do the same thing, who are connected using the Prairie Spirit to get to the Flint Hills. We're doing a major ride and they're always impressed with the quality of the trails. the Prairie, I, I can only say I only ride or have ridden a portion of it. so, and if you happen to see me riding, can, you can, guess a, is it.Kevin Klinkenberg (37:46.192)Poverty is a DUI or is it granola? one? What's the reason? But no, we're very fortunate that that trail system exists and fortunate that we are the custodians of that trail system. And that's one thing that I would say to, if you're in a rural context and you're just trying to think of something that you could add that would improve quality of life, would be a quality of life amenity, which by the way is an absolute necessity now.That's reason people are choosing to locate themselves in different places. Obviously housing matters, obviously childcare matters, obviously the possibility of earning a comfortable income matters. But if those three things are satisfied, they're making decisions about where to land based on, you know, is there a quality of life, amenity that I can connect myself with? You have, you have space and you have dirt. You are almost there. You are almost to the, to having a trail.or a system of trails in your community on the edge of your community. Please, please talk to Thrive Allen County. We have a lot of experience of doing trail work. We have blown it and messed it up in different places so we can help you avoid those problems as well. But that is a way in which you can activate your community and you can also contribute to the overall health of your community as well. So I want to talk a little bit more about the place making aspect of this.Like I mentioned before, went to high school in a small town in central Missouri and before that I did first through eighth grade in a small town in southern Minnesota.things that were memories that really stick out for me was, know, if you live in a small community and you're a kid, like riding a bike is a normal thing. Yeah. And I used to ride my bike everywhere. And it was accepted. It was normalized. It was easy to do and safe. There's very little traffic on most of the streets. But as soon as you hit 16 years old, like it is theKevin Klinkenberg (39:54.78)uncoolest thing in the world. You've got to have a car. You've got to be cruising around. there, one of the things that has really interested me that I've tried to, I've tried to articulate, I haven't done a great job of it, but I've thought a lot about, which is most small towns are absolutely natural places for the sort of walking, biking lifestyle that.quote unquote urbanists talk about all the time. it's actually, they were built for that originally. But it also bumps up against like the, there's a culture aspect, which seems to not embrace that in most small towns. And I experienced that. I still see it all the time. And I've often thought like really, I guess maybe I want your reaction to this. One of the things I've thought is thatone of the best economic development approaches for a lot of small towns is to be the antithesis of the big city and the big city, people think of it as urban with all this cool stuff to do. But the reality is most people are spending a ton of time in a car, getting from place to place, commute, whether not just commuting, but going shopping, kids activities, et cetera. Looking for a parking spot. Looking for a parking spot. but in a small town,those, it almost ought to be like, that's the place where you could really sell this idea of a lifestyle where you get on your bike and get to a lot of places. You could walk to the town square and that should be a real competitive advantage. wonder if you could, you think that's. Yeah. So why does that not happen? No, I think that's a, I think that is such an insightful question. and one that we struggle with a lot. so I want to, I want to tackle it in a couple of different ways.One is back to the mythology. What's a marker of success? Marker of success is to be able to have your preferred automobile and typically multiple automobiles. And that doesn't end just because you're in a small town. People still want to virtue or virility signal with their automobiles. And because of the work and the terrain in which people live in small towns in rural Kansas, automobiles are typically bigger. Automobiles are bigger anywhere.Kevin Klinkenberg (42:13.868)Always constantly. that again, back to the American dream model, excess is our love language as a culture. so at the same way you got, you have a lot of big vehicles and we need, we're going to signal that we're doing well via this big vehicle, especially if you struggle with multi-generational poverty. Here's a purchase you can make that is a signal that does not require the type of overhead as a home.So I'm going to buy this vehicle. It's going to show everyone that I'm doing okay. The only way to show everyone that is to use said vehicle until I can't make the payments on it anymore. that's not a, that's not a purely rural experience, but it's one that shows up a lot, especially in socioeconomically, depressed areas. Yeah. Here's my $50,000, vehicle in front of my $40,000 house. Sure. Sure. yeah. So that, that, that occurs a lot. There's still,There's still status signaling through via vehicles. That's the first one. Second one is it costs communities more to provide the infrastructure necessary for safe pedestrian and bicycle traffic. If you have X amount of dollars in your county budget or in your city budget to build roads and it's going to take, you know, 5 % more to add a bike lane.to change the width of your sidewalks and you have to decide either we do the project without those things or we don't do the project at all because everyone is clamoring for those things. In most cases, they're going to choose to add the infrastructure without these dedicated spaces. Part of my organization's efforts is to educate communities that you can do that in a cost effective way. You can add those things in a way that's cost effective. So,I think we're moving the needle in that direction. I think that that's still a big issue. we have some, so there's some cultural status signaling. We have some infrastructure cost challenges there. And then also the antithesis of the big city idea is very interesting because typically when people see adults riding their bikes, if you are from a rural community,Kevin Klinkenberg (44:34.576)You only see that when you go to larger communities. I remember having, again, I did grad school in Portland and Portland is an incredibly bike friendly community. If you talk to people who drive in Portland, who do not also cycle there, they lament how bike friendly it is. But if you are a person traveling in a large city, from a rural context to a large city, you see for the first time.city infrastructure that has bike lanes, has bike crossing, pedestrian cross, a lot more foot traffic, a lot more bike traffic. And it can be really alarming to your sensibility of what it is to get from place A to place B. And so, man, did we have a scare, I almost hit that person on a bike. Do I really want to deal with that back home? In a place where you're sharing literal traffic lanes as opposed to driving next to a bike lane.so on and so forth. So I think you're right. think there there is a sense in which, you do want to be the antithesis of the big city. But where you say that and you go, so make yourself more walk walkable and bikeable. There are folks in smaller towns who go, yeah, man, there's a lot of cyclists in that big city that I that I visited. And it was really difficult to navigate. I think that's shifting. We're very fortunate in that even in our town of five thousand people, there are folks who are interested in.making a transition from predominantly using their vehicle, their automobile to get around to using their bike or just walking again, twice as high as the state average of folks who getting to work that way. So I think we're seeing that, that shift. And I think that is a selling point for why we're inviting people to spend time in our area or consider moving to our area. Because if that is a lifestyle change you would like to make or that you've already embraced, thenThere's probably a way in which you can get everywhere you need to go in Iola or Humboldt or elsewhere in Allen County on your bike or on your own two feet.Kevin Klinkenberg (46:38.566)Another thing that has been really interesting the last few years, in the wake of COVID and all of the policies and changes that happened, there's been an awful lot written and talked about in regards to like people moving. People leaving cities, looking for smaller towns. Sometimes they're leaving the city and moving to the suburbs. Sometimes they're maybe moving from the suburbs to a small town or an exurb.And obviously, I don't need to rehash all of that, but there's been a lot of conversation about that for the last few years. And it feels a little bit like there's been a shift in perception in the culture about small town living in a positive way. What have you noticed the last four or five years? First, a little bit of a, I don't want to dampen that.that exuberance for small town living. But I think the data is starting to show us that people dip their toe into rural life and then they have went back to the cities or to the suburbs or so on and so forth. But in some cases, that's that's true. Just people have chosen a city, a new city, and they've left. So Austin's a great example. Austin boomed post pandemic and now their vacancy rate in particular apartments, condos, things like that.is astronomical because people are like, well, this was cool. And now I'm ready to go back to where my job is or where I lived previously. And so I think that's happening. The shuffling of the deck is resettling itself, so to speak. I do think you're right that there is a more positive perception of rural living than there used to be. I think it's because COVID taught us that everything could be truly remote.And if you can survive and maybe even thrive, and you talk to some folks and the best years of their life, with all due respect to people who lost loved ones during COVID or struggled with that, or still dealing with the health effects following COVID, there are some people who will tell you that COVID changed my life. I was at home with my family. I was taking more, more direct self-care. I was making efforts toKevin Klinkenberg (49:00.964)identify some things in my character that I want to change. It changed my life. So being remote was a positive. And so I think, what if I did that geographically as well? What if I did that socially as well? And I located myself in someplace a little more remote. Would that also be advantageous to me? And I think COVID also reminded us of the power of knowing people and being known by people.I think that is probably the primary reason in which people are choosing, if they're not business owners or entrepreneurs, people are choosing to live in smaller communities or move to smaller communities, even if the numbers aren't as great as they were immediately post-COVID, because they see an opportunity to be known by their neighbors and to know their neighbors. Because when that was taken away from us, for so many of us,that was relationally cataclysmic. And it made us, it gave us all, but it also gave us time to go, okay, how well do I really know the folks that I'm not seeing anymore? And does that bother me that I don't know them? And could I know them better? And I think in a rural context, there's still that capacity to know the people that live on your street and to really interact with them. And not that it's impossible.in an ex-urban or suburban or urban context, but it might be a little less immediate than it is in a rural context. Yeah, it kind of reminds me of the joke that the best thing about living in a small town is everybody knows everybody. The worst thing about living in a small town is everybody knows everybody. For sure. That's absolutely true. I think maybe COVID reminded us though.The worst thing isn't as bad as the best thing could be good. doubt. What are, what are some of the things that your communities need to get better at? like what, if you were to chart a positive course or continue the improvement, what, what do you need to do better? What are you trying to work on now? So one thing we need to do is accentuate a positive that I mentioned earlier, more firm and reliable collective approaches to problem solving.Kevin Klinkenberg (51:22.138)So that's one thing. A second thing that we need to get better at is our anchor institutions need to position themselves as irrepressible agencies for good. So, for example, our school districts, our community college in Iowa, Kansas, and then the city governments and county governments, they need to, we need to work together to see ourselves as innovation agents.and benevolent disruptors as opposed to status quo maintenance agencies. And again, I think that's applicable in most rural contexts and probably applicable in a lot of community contexts, because again, you are either moving towards becoming a hope factory or bitterness factory and status quo will lead you to bitterness because those who don't achieve it will become in bitter that they didn't achieve it.or those that you're trying to force feed it to as the end result of their life will wonder why you didn't chart a more hopeful course for them. So we need our anchor organizations to see themselves as agencies of good and do so without shame. And I think that is obviously a difficult thing to map out or reverse engineer, but what it requiresis leadership that is constantly in pursuit of not utilitarianism or what works, but what is going to have the best long term effect on the quality of life of the people that work for the organization or that the organization serves. those are two things that I would say even more collective approaches to problem solving. So housing is a great example.Everybody's struggling with housing right now, whether you're in an urban context or a rural context. And the old ways of solving that, just, you know, here's a here's a platable era, you know, several plaits, plaited land that the city owns. And we want a developer to come in and you can build a subdivision. And we're going to give you these tax breaks. We're going to incentivize this in so many different ways. I think that's still maybe possible in certain contexts and rural contexts. It's just not possible.Kevin Klinkenberg (53:44.828)One, because the city typically doesn't own that much land. And two, a developer then has to say, can I, what are the margins going to be? Because I'm going to have to bring a crew down here. I'm going to get supplies down here. Are there already contractors down here? There's already people. There's master craftsmen and so on and so forth. But there's not a contractor and there's not a readily available crew. So, for example, the state of Kansas right now, the Department of Commerce has offered the frame grant.that is going to give capital to community colleges that have a building trades program, construction program to help identify the gap in the housing ecosystem and address it. And I think things like that, ideas like that are going to be so important moving forward because they're going to be necessary for everyone to get on the same page. In Humboldt, Kansas, the most reliable developer, with the exception of maybe in the past year,was the school district. High school built one house every two years or so. And it was a guaranteed reliable development. One house in Kansas City, who no one will notice, in a community of 2,500 people, a new house is, I guarantee you, is the talk of the town. So I think that is something that's going to be necessary is that we continue to embrace and expect collective solutions.collaborative solutions to complex problems. And then that our anchor agencies, and this could even include our anchor institutions and maybe even our industrial partners, see themselves with a responsibility to be benevolent disruptors.One thing kind of as part of that conversation, I might be reading a little bit into this, but I certainly know from my experience that oftentimes in rural communities, there is more of an acceptance of just status quo. It is what it is. I don't mean to say this like an insulting way to anybody, but.Kevin Klinkenberg (55:58.22)not necessarily a push for excellence or striving. Maybe the better way to say it is not as much striving to achieve. And I think part of that's because it's more comfortable and easy to live in a smaller town, costs are less, et cetera, et cetera. In a big city, you find a lot more people who really striving for something. Is that an aspect at all of kind of like, as you think aboutthe next phases are achieving more in your county? No. I'll elaborate. No, if you don't, if you don't believe that striving for excellence is part of the rural expectation, you have not been to a county fair. So if you go to a county fair and see the effort that people put into things that will neverbe recognized outside of a three day event and the sweltering heat at the end of July in rural Kansas, then I don't know what to you. if it's speak with, communicate with folks who are trying to grow the best stand of wheat that they have in their life every year, speak with people who aredo not care about commodity prices, but are proud of the way that they're being fields look, or the person that is growing the best beef you've ever eaten in your life. and I think that pursuit of excellence is still there. I understand what you're saying that, and I think the, what you're, what you're actually articulating is something that's present in rural communities, which is the reluctance to be disruptive. I don't, I don't want.to in any way rock the boat because rocking the boat will, could potentially bring shame on myself. And they still on the honor and shame, social economy and small towns is still very real because most people are multiple or are part of a multiple generation. you know, family tree it's been in that area. So my gosh, if you mess up, then the shame that bring on your family.Kevin Klinkenberg (58:21.628)it moves up and down that family tree. It's not isolated to just yourself. If you are an entrepreneur in Atlanta and you have no connection to the community, you just landed there, and you try a business and it flops, but then you're able to go somewhere else. There's no shame involved in that. You, you are.a pioneer. You are, you know, you're an entrepreneur and everyone is going to be impressed by you because you had a great big idea that just didn't work. And here's 18 reasons it didn't work that you had no control over. If you're an entrepreneur in Iowa, Kansas and your business flops and you still have to live in that community and everybody's going to ask your aunt when she goes to church on Sunday, well, you know.We saw that he started that your, your nephew started that auto body place. Is this, is it still open? Didn't seem like there were many cars there. Didn't seem, didn't seem like he's doing, is he doing okay? he's, they had to close. that's terrible. And your aunt's the one who has to answer that question for you. And so I think, I don't think it's a reluctance to pursue excellence. I think it is a fear that they will somehow.do something that will be shameful. Interesting. And I think that that's very real. And that burden of failure sits heavy in a rural community. failure in a rural community historically is very obvious. It is driving by a field that is fallow. It is driving by a farmhouse that's in disrepair.because there's not money to take care of it. So it is so much louder than it can be in other places. Interesting. I appreciate that. last thing I wanted to ask about, as I've looked before at coming to Humboldt in particular, I was really impressed by just the amount of activity that is programmed in the town on a regular basis.Kevin Klinkenberg (01:00:33.979)That's something that most small towns don't do much of. I wonder if you could speak to a little bit. So like, I always think about that, like in a community there's hardware and there's software and that's like the software side and talk a little bit about what Humboldt has been doing and what that has meant for the overall success of the place. And the credit again goes toward Boulder Humboldt, that group, and then also theirCity Administrator Cole Herder, shout out Cole Herder. Listen, if you want to know what it is to be a good City Administrator in a small town, which is part PR Director, part Public Works Director, part Ombudsman and Accountant and everything else, Cole Herder and Humble Matt Rader in Iowa, those are dues that you need to put on your radar and have a coffee with.In Humboldt, that software analogy is so perfect because that directly connects to their sense of self. And so all of these events take place. For example, they brought back an event called Water Wars in the summer in which the municipal fire department is involved and it's a part parade, part massive citywide water balloon fight, part public water sports.events on the town square. And there is, it is pure frivolity, but they have embraced it because it is a spectacle of joy for the community. And in that capacity as a spectacle of joy, it ceases to be frivolous because again, if you are driving or trying to move your community toa becoming a hope factory, you need spectacles of joy. You need reasons that people can revel in the fact that they live in that place, because so often we are told as rural people, it's a shame you live there. Gosh, wouldn't it be great if you just moved somewhere else? So these spectacles of joy in which people can fully embrace, my gosh, I'm so proud or even because we don't have to defend it.Kevin Klinkenberg (01:02:54.96)And that's typically what a small town person is told they have to do. Defend why you want, why do you live there? No, I'm just going to be happy that I'm here right now. Iola just had their Christmas block party on the square in which, you know, Santa visited and kids played games and the businesses served hot chocolate. And it's, mean, it's, it is very Hallmark movie. By the way, one of the, one of the largesttown squares in Kansas. So come and visit if town squares are your thing. First of all, you and I probably aren't going to hang out at parties, but if that's what you love, come to the Iowa block party for Christmas and you will get a taste of Americana that you have been hankering for. But again, it's just a spectacle of joy and communities need those things.They need those spectacles of joy. And I think that's also to your point earlier about why people are choosing to locate themselves in rural communities, because they can do it in an unabashed way. They don't have to defend why they're doing it. doesn't have to be cool. It doesn't have to be on trend. It can just be a thing that's fun that you can revel in. And in in Humboldt and in Iowa, in Humboldt especially, there have been a group of folks who have sought to addto the community calendar, these spectacles of joy that have become a collective experience of hopefulness and celebration. And I don't know that you need to defend that. And I think we would probably all live in healthier communities if we engaged in those things without the need to qualify why they exist.Jared, I think that's a great place to wrap. Very, very, very interesting. This was a lot of fun. I think at some point down the road, I might like to have you on again and talk some more. There's probably four or five more questions that I still have in my head. I'd love to talk about. But this is super interesting. If people are trying to find you and find your communities, what's the best way to do it?Kevin Klinkenberg (01:05:09.084)ThriveAllenCounty.org. You can find out everything about the organization that I work for and you can connect with all of my colleagues there. You can email me at Jared, J-A-R-E-D at ThriveAllenCounty.org. And that's the best way to get in touch with me. I'm on LinkedIn because I'm trying to be a grownup right now. But other than that, I am willfully disengaged from social media.beyond that, for minutes, not because I'm a rural lead, but because I'm trying to protect my peace in that way. So shoot me an email, find my phone number on, on the internet. And I'd love, I'd love to talk to you. If you are rural and you want to argue with me about this stuff, please, if you are a person living in a different context and you want to chat more about this, I would love to do so. Fantastic. Jared, thanks so much.Good luck with everything and I'll definitely make a point to bring the family down and come visit one of these days. Sounds great. Thank you so much Kevin. Thanks Get full access to The Messy City at kevinklinkenberg.substack.com/subscribe

In today's exciting episode of Community Connection, we're chatting with Sevier County's Economic Development Director, Malcolm Nash. Tune in as we explore the perfect blend of business success and adventure — can you really build a thriving business while taking in the breathtaking view from the top of a 9,000-foot mountain in a single day? We'll also dive into whether it's possible to create a sustainable, quality workforce from a rural Utah community, and how Sevier County is harnessing its natural power sources to fuel growth. Plus, if you've ever wondered about the correct way to pronounce the county's name — we've got the answer! For more information on Sevier County, Utah visit https://sevieredc.com/ Check out more of our GT Podcast - Community Connection Series here!

This week on Facing the Future, we looked back at the fiscal developments of 2024 and looked ahead to 2025. Joining me for the discussion were Concord Coalition Chief Economist Steve Robinson, National Field Director Phil Smith and Digital Media Intern Kyle Duffy. Our special guest star was Chase Hagaman, the original host of Facing the Future who now serves as Economic Development Director at the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs. 

On this episode of the Startup of the Year Podcast, our host, entrepreneur, and investor, Frank Gruber (https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankgruber), is joined by Briana Warner.   Briana Warner is the CEO of Atlantic Sea Farms, a company dedicated to cultivating sustainable seaweed farming along the coast of Maine. Under her leadership, the company has become a pioneer in producing kelp-based products that benefit local communities, improve ocean health, and offer a sustainable alternative to traditional agriculture. Briana's work exemplifies a commitment to environmental stewardship, economic empowerment, and innovative entrepreneurship.   Briana's career spans diplomacy and social enterprise, including her previous role as an Economic Development Director at the Island Institute, where she focused on fostering economic resilience in coastal Maine communities.   Watch the podcast on our YouTube channel: https://soty.link/PodVid133    We invite you all to join our Startup of the Year community today to access the support, expert advice, and resources you need to elevate your startup by going to: www.est.us/join   Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at: www.est.us   Subscribe to the Startup of the Year podcast: https://podcast.startupofyear.com/ Subscribe to the Established YouTube Channel: https://soty.link/ESTYouTube

Balancing a family, building a career, and leading a city as dynamic as Provo is no small feat—but Mayor Michelle Kaufusi makes it look effortless. In this episode, we sit down with Mayor Kaufusi and Keith Morey, Provo's Economic Development Director, to uncover the vision, leadership, and entrepreneurial mindset driving Provo to national recognition. Tune in to explore: How Provo's innovative projects and startup-friendly ecosystem are transforming it into an entrepreneurial powerhouse Leadership lessons from Mayor Kaufusi; how her upbringing shaped a culture of empathy, empowerment, and forward-thinking innovation as Provo's first woman mayor The four pillars of Mayor Kaufusi's administration and her commitment to building a welcoming, safe, economically vibrant, and future-ready city — The Midnight Founders Podcast is powered by RevRoad and CB Vault. 

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, host Dane Carlson speaks with Dan Eernissee, Economic Development Director for the City of Everett, Washington. Leading economic development efforts in this dynamic city of 115,000 residents north of Seattle, Dan reveals how his unique blend of private sector experience and public service shapes his approach to community development. From attracting cutting-edge technology companies to reimagining traditional retail spaces, Dan shares practical insights on how economic developers can transform their communities while maintaining their distinct character and creating new opportunities for residents. Dan also talks about reimagining highway corridors as valuable community assets rather than eyesores. Through his unique perspective, Dan explains how these often-overlooked areas can become dynamic mixed-use spaces that provide essential services, housing opportunities, and quality jobs while maintaining their crucial role in transportation infrastructure. Like this show? Please leave us a review here (https://econdevshow.com/rate-this-podcast/) — even one sentence helps! Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers: Consider highway corridors as opportunities for mixed-use development rather than just retail spaces Utilize planned actions to streamline development processes and attract investors Look for opportunities to convert underperforming retail spaces into multifamily housing Focus on creating higher-paying jobs through industrial and manufacturing development along corridors Embrace the existing infrastructure and traffic capacity of highway corridors for development Balance the need for pedestrian-friendly spaces with the practical reality of highway commerce Consider how online shopping trends affect corridor development opportunities Look for ways to integrate housing solutions into existing commercial corridors Leverage existing utility infrastructure along corridors for new development Focus on creating true mixed-use environments that serve multiple community needs Special Guest: Dan Eernissee.

Doug Sovern is away today. It's been six years since the most destructive fire in California engulfed the entire town of Paradise in flames. The Camp Fire, which scorched more than 153-thousand acres in Butte County, claimed dozens of lives and destroyed thousands of homes. Now, six years later, survivors are keeping memories alive and continue to rebuild their lives. For more, KCBS Radio news anchors Patti Reising and Bret Burkhart spoke with Colette Curtis, the Recovery and Economic Development Director of Paradise.

Madison highlights her new dog grooming facility in Monmouth and Andrea talks October non-profit, business, and investor spotlights of the month, Christmas on the Square, and more on the WRAM Morning Show.

Today Mike is chatting with Ms. Denise Beaver, the Carroll County Economic Development Director, about the Workforce Development program.

Joe McGrath, Waterbury Economic Development Director full 479 Fri, 18 Oct 2024 15:24:34 +0000 5xkPik9wacsQsaCO3QxR8CW9OVGwIrxQ news Brian & Company news Joe McGrath, Waterbury Economic Development Director Brian Shactman wakes Connecticut up with all the information you need to start your day. News, weather, traffic and sports plus, interviews with the people making the news each day. It’s the perfect way to start your day informed and entertained – Mornings with Brian & Company 5:30am-9am! 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc. News False https://player.amperwavepodcasting.com?f

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. Today's episode features an interview with Trey Cash, the Economic Development Director for Lenoir and Greene Counties. Trey has worked with Greene County Government for many years and has served as Deputy Director for Emergency Services, Emergency Management Specialist/Fire Inspector, and EMT-Intermediate. 

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. Today's episode features an interview with Trey Cash, the Economic Development Director for Lenoir and Greene Counties. Trey has worked with Greene County Government for many years and has served as Deputy Director for Emergency Services, Emergency Management Specialist/Fire Inspector, and EMT-Intermediate. 

We're joined by Matt Dorner, Economic Development Director for Milwaukee Downtown BID #21.  Matt and Michelle dive into the importance of social connections in cities, investing in our communities, and the science (and art!) of city planning. They also chat about where Milwaukee once was, and where it's going. One of Matt's projects is the MKE Dog Park—a much-needed public dog park in the heart of Milwaukee that maximizes a currently under-utilized city space under the freeway. Matt shares why Milwaukee is a hidden gem, along with other current and potential future city improvement projects.  Subscribe and share Social Soup. That helps us whip up more batches! Connect with Matt Dorner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-dorner-39a97533/  Check out MKE Dog Park: www.MKEDogPark.com  Explore Milwaukee Downtown: www.milwaukeedowntown.com  Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn: ⁠linkedin.com/in/michelledattilio⁠  Learn more about sōsh: visit our website and reach out! ⁠getsosh.com ⁠   Come back next week for more Social Soup!

In this episode of The Mark Haney Show, we continue our Most Valuable Towns in the Backyard series with a deep dive into Rancho Cordova, a thriving hub in the Greater Sacramento Region. Mark is joined by Diann Rogers, President & CEO of the Rancho Cordova Area Chamber of Commerce, and Amanda Norton, Economic Development Director for the City of Rancho Cordova. They discuss the city's unique "cheat codes" for growth, from business retention to community partnerships, thriving small businesses, and regional collaboration. Key Topics: Rancho Cordova's economic development strategies Business-friendly policies and major employers like VSP and Solidigm Growth in housing, infrastructure, and innovation How the city supports small businesses and entrepreneurs Rancho Cordova's role in regional collaboration and leadership Stay tuned to discover why Rancho Cordova is a rising star in the Sacramento region and a top destination for businesses and families! #RanchoCordova #EconomicDevelopment #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #Sacramento #MarkHaney #RanchoCordovaChamber #CityLeadership #CommunityGrowth #BusinessRetention #California

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Ramiro Aleman, Cameron County's economic development director, says there has not been a better time to invest in his county than now.Aleman participated in a recent panel discussion about economic development in the Lower Rio Grande Valley at the eBridge Center for Business & Commercialization. The event was co-hosted by Comce Sur and the McAllen chapter of Asociación de Empresarios Mexicanos. The two groups had brought 45 business owners and entrepreneurs from southern Mexico to the Valley to learn about investing in the region.After the panel discussion had ended, Aleman gave an in-depth interview to Ron Whitlock of Ron Whitlock Reports. In the interview, Aleman explained why Cameron County set up an economic development office and what the office is currently working on. He said:“We're trying to make a really big push in marketing Cameron County. We want to really promote our international bridges, and commercial development in and around the bridges. I think that now is an exciting time to be in Cameron County, with all these projects coming into town,” Aleman.By way of example, Aleman cited SpaceX rocket launches from Boca Chica, Element Fuels' plans to build an oil refinery at the Port of Brownsville, and, potentially, liquefied natural gas export terminals, also at the port.“I believe now that the age of Cameron County has arrived. You can see it with all the development on the outskirts of the port, SpaceX, the downtown areas of development. I believe that now is the time to invest in Cameron County and that the age of Cameron County is here,” Aleman said.Here is an audio recording of the interview:Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.

The discussion focuses on the role of economic development agencies, such as RDAs and CDAs, in the development process. RDAs, with state-granted powers, create CRAs to enable tax increment financing, aiming to boost job creation, sales tax, and city beautification. Developers should collaborate with these agencies, securing political and taxing entity support for success. The Salt Lake City RDA is noted for its significant resources, including a loan fund for affordable housing and downtown revitalization. The conversation also highlights the importance of relationships with site selectors, brokers, and developers, as well as using incentives like tax increment financing to attract businesses. Beautification, walkability, and high-quality buildings are emphasized as key factors in development projects.Chapters00:00Introduction and Setting00:38Different Government Agencies Involved in Development01:26Role of the Redevelopment Agency (RDA)04:24Community Reinvestment Areas (CRA) and Project Specifics07:10Utilizing Economic Development Tools for Impediments09:33City Goals: Jobs, Sales Tax, and Beautification10:31Different Economic Development Goals for Each Community13:02Sales Tax as the Main Revenue Generator for Cities14:24Involvement of Taxing Entities for Personal and Real Property Projects19:36Role of the Economic Development Director and Collaboration21:24Approaching Economic Development Agencies and Building Relationships24:06Political Buy-In and Involvement of Taxing Entities30:24Redevelopment Agencies and Low to Moderate Income Housing32:23Funding and Financing Options for Developers33:56Activating Downtown Areas and Reinvesting in Communities34:31Supporting Small Businesses and Economic Development38:38Attracting Businesses and Initiating Conversations39:08Understanding Motivators for Businesses and Developers47:45Incentives for Developers and Aesthetics of Projects49:51Beautification and Walkability in Community Development56:12Other Tools and Incentives for Economic Development

Have you ever been out on the trail during a backpacking trip and wished you'd left that one thing at home? Maybe you're looking for ways to lighten your load or you simply are struggling to identify what you actually NEED on your next adventure.  I've been there before, and if any backpacker claims they haven't, well, I simply wouldn't believe them. Becoming ultralight or even a minimalist takes a lot of trial and error both on and off the trail. That's why in episode 146 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we're exploring some transformative ideas from Glen Van Peski's new book, Take Less. Do More: Surprising Life Lessons in Generosity, Gratitude and Curiosity from an Ultralight Backpacker.  Glen's book looks at how ultralight backpacking principles can teach us profound lessons for everyday life. We'll discuss how minimalism can simplify your journey and enhance your focus on what truly matters, the impact of practicing generosity in small, meaningful ways, the benefits of cultivating a heart of gratitude, and how embracing curiosity can push us beyond our comfort zones.  Glen, known by the trail name “Legend,” is celebrated for his pioneering work in lightweight backpacking. A Californian who began his backpacking journey through his son's Scout troop, Glen founded Gossamer Gear in 1998 to create ultralight backpacking gear. His innovations have been featured in major publications like Backpacker, Outside, and The New York Times. Alongside his backpacking achievements, Glen has had a distinguished career in civil engineering, including roles as the Community and Economic Development Director for Carlsbad, California, and President of Pacific Rim Engineering. Now based in Bend, Oregon, he enjoys hiking, bikepacking, and sharing his expertise through engaging presentations. INSTAGRAM: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ WEBSITE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YOUTUBE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist ORDER THE BOOK: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LISTENER SURVEY: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/jd8UCN2LL3AQst976⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ----------------- Glen Van Peski Book: https://www.gossamergear.com/products/take-less-do-more-by-glen-van-peski Gossamer Gear: https://www.gossamergear.com/ Website: ⁠https://www.glenvanpeski.com/about/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outdoor-minimalist/support

This episode of the Amazing Cities and Towns Podcast sponsored by Bearing Advisors, Jim Hunt interviews Erik Caldwell.   ·       A candid conversation about AI in local government. ·       And, much more   7 Steps to an Amazing City:   Attitude Motivation Attention to Detail Zing Inclusiveness Neighborhood Empowerment Green Awareness   Thanks for listening and look forward to having you join us for the next episode.   Links Mentions During Show:   ·       www.AmazingCities.org ·       www.AmazingCities.org/podcast to be a guest on the podcast   About Erik Caldwell:   Erik Caldwell is co-founder and President / CEO of Metropolis IQ and a seasoned AI data product leader with a strong background in local government. His previous roles include Chief Sustainability Officer, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, and Economic Development Director at the City of San Diego. He currently serves on the board of several economic-focused organizations, staying involved in community and economic work.    About Your Host, Jim Hunt: Welcome to the “Building Amazing Cities and Towns Podcast” … The podcast for Mayors, Council Members, Managers, Staff and anyone who is interested in building an Amazing City.   Your host is Jim Hunt, the author of “Bottom Line Green, How American Cities are Saving the Planet and Money Too” and his latest book, “The Amazing City - 7 Steps to Creating an Amazing City”   Jim is also the former President of the National League of Cities, 27 year Mayor, Council Member and 2006 Municipal Leader of the Year by American City and County Magazine.   Today, Jim speaks to 1000's of local government officials each year in the US and abroad.   Jim also consults with businesses that are bringing technology and innovation to local government.   Amazing City Resources:   Buy Jim's Popular Books: ·       The Amazing City: 7 Steps to Creating an Amazing City:   https://www.amazingcities.org/product-page/the-amazing-city-7-steps-to-creating-an-amazing-city   ·       Bottom Line Green: How America's Cities and Saving the Planet (And Money Too)  https://www.amazingcities.org/product-page/bottom-line-green-how-america-s-cities-are-saving-the-planet-and-money-too   FREE White Paper: ·       “10 Steps to Revitalize Your Downtown”  www.AmazingCities.org/10-Steps   Hire Jim to Speak at Your Next Event: ·       Tell us about your event and see if dates are available at www.AmazingCities.org/Speaking   Hire Jim to Consult with Your City or Town: ·       Discover more details at https://www.amazingcities.org/consulting   Discuss Your Business Opportunity/Product to Help Amazing Cities: ·       Complete the form at https://www.amazingcities.org/business-development   A Special Thanks to Bearing Advisors for the support of this podcast:  www.BearingAdvisors.Net  

Send us a Text Message.How does a city balance preserving its historical charm with the pressing need for affordable housing? What is a comprehensive plan? And how is it different from the land development code? Join us as we engage with Jessica Garner, Arvada's Community and Economic Development Director, who explains the multifaceted role of her department. Jessica delves into the inner workings of the five key divisions she oversees: planning, housing, building, economic development, and systems and administration.Discover how collaborative efforts across departments guide Arvada's strategic community growth and ensure cohesive development. Additional information on topics covered in the episode: Arvada's Comprehensive Plan and other long-range plans The Land Development CodeW. 64th Ave. Sub-Area PlanHousing and the Arvada Housing Advisory Committee Other news and events: The last Bulky Item Drop-Off Event of the year is Aug. 10Information about utilities rates on the Utilities Transparency webpageArvada's newest park, Serenity Ridge Park, is now open! The next Movies Around Town is Aug. 9 featuring "Back to the Future" at Wolff ParkTake the People's Choice Movie Poll to help choose the final movie for Movies Around TownCelebrate the end of summer at the Arvada Days festival on August 24Visit us at ArvadaCO.gov/Podcast or email us at podcast@arvada.org.

In this episode, we'll explore our vibrant city's dynamic economic development landscape. From new business ventures to so much more.  We'll cover it all with Brady Lessard, Economic Development Director, City of Sanford, an expert in economic development and a key player in Sanford's growth.

Join us as we sit down with our special guest, Kathleen Dial, the Economic Development Director at Elevate Lake, who shares valuable insights on the region's growth and future prospects. Kathleen's expertise offers a comprehensive overview of what makes Lake County a prime destination for businesses and real estate investors. Tune in for an engaging discussion full of practical advice and inspiring stories from the The Leading Lady In Lake County.

This week we have a great episode with guest host Curt Haven who sits down with Rancho Cordova City Manager, Micah Runner. Curt and Micah go way back as Curt hired Micah to work in the Economic development dept at City Hall when Curt was Economic Development Director for the city. Of course, Micah went onto a great career in city management and today he is the third city Manager of our city. I really enjoyed this episode, I learnt a lot and I think you will too, Today's episode is sponsored by Fat Elephant Records books and Music a new record and bookstore opening in Rancho Cordova.

Knoxville Economic Development Director Glenn Lyons discusses Knoxville’s recent downtown facade improvement grant.

On this airing of Your Money Matters, Jon Hansen is joined by Lynn Dubajic Kellogg, Economic Development Director and Consultant for the United City of Yorkville. Lynn talks about the new businesses starting up and the workforce in the town. Lynn says that Yorkville supports its business owners and she shares the programs and resources […]

In episode 2, Jay and Kellie go in depth with our Economic Development Director, Mike Reid. They discuss Mike's deep roots in Olympia, the lasting effects of COVID on our community, Olympia Strong, and the City's unique, people-centered approach to Economic Development.

www.GoodMorningGwinnett.com-The Gwinnett Women's Chamber of Commerce (GWC) is excited to welcome Marlene Fosque as our new Director of Economic Development. With her distinguished career as a former Gwinnett County Commissioner, Marlene brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of supporting local businesses and promoting sustainable growth.Marlene has consistently demonstrated her commitment to community service and economic development. During her tenure as commissioner, she launched several initiatives that significantly benefited local enterprises and fostered a thriving business ecosystem. Her efforts have not only supported existing businesses but have also attracted new ventures to our county, boosting the local economy.________________________________________Subscribe To The Gwinnett Morning Spark Newsletterhttps://www.GwinnettMorningSpark.comAlso check out these newsletters or start your ownMarketing Memoshttps://marketingmemos.beehiiv.com/subscribe?_bhba=ff866829-4165-4390-bb27-6be8996bfd71HR Brain Pickingshttps://newsletter.hrbrainpickings.com/subscribe?_bhba=ff866829-4165-4390-bb27-6be8996bfd71Daily Scrollhttps://dailyscroll.beehiiv.com/subscribe?_bhba=ff866829-4165-4390-bb27-6be8996bfd71Liberate Your Lifehttps://liberate-your-life.beehiiv.com/subscribe?_bhba=ff866829-4165-4390-bb27-6be8996bfd71Choice Hackinghttps://www.choicehackingideas.com/subscribe?_bhba=ff866829-4165-4390-bb27-6be8996bfd71Fast Food Clubhttps://fastfoodclub.beehiiv.com/subscribe?_bhba=ff866829-4165-4390-bb27-6be8996bfd71Beehiivhttps://www.beehiiv.com/?via=morningspark&_gl=1*1xful37*_ga*MTQ4NzgzODEzMy4xNzAxMjY1NDcx*_ga_E6Y4WLQ2EC*MTcxNDM5NDg1Mi4yNS4wLjE3MTQzOTQ4NTIuNjAuMC42NTg4MTg3Ng..*_gcl_au*ODYwNDc0NzA1LjE3MTE2NTI4Nzk.Watch me as I grow my newsletter by subscribing to my YouTube channelhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0pEcikn2NohKuq_UWfZxZQBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/good-morning-gwinnett-podcast--3262933/support.

Finding the right grant for your farm or food business can be tricky and it can be hard to know where to look. This is why the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food has added the Grants Specialist position.  Learn more about how the UDAF grants specialist, Allison Ross, can help you in your grant finding journey as well as learn about some of the grants available to you through the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food in this final episode of season 1.  Guests on this episode are Marketing and Economic Development Director, Caroline Hargraves, and Grant Specialist, Allison Ross.  We will be back in August 2024 with Season 2 of Ag Talk with UDAF! UDAF Grants Page  

Robert Sturns, Economic Development Director for the City of Fort Worth, Texas, joined the podcast to discuss his role and how the City works to guide growth and development. He talked about the importance of strategically growing during rapid population rise and Fort Worth's downtown development. He discussed the value of small business and entrepreneurs, as well as how the City supports that sector of the economy. He also shared the City's role in revitalization and in bringing new industries to the region. Host: Ben Kittelson

Erie, Colorado has been growing rapidly over the last decade and isn't slowing down. Learn more about where and how Erie is growing from the people that know it best, Julian Jacquin, Economic Development Director and the Commerical Brokers, Heidi Schamber and Rachel Rohrig from Market Real Estate. Special Guest: Julian Jacquin .

We hear an intimate conversation with Norfolk's newest power couple, Sean Washington and Jessica Larche! She is the evening anchor on WTKR News 3; he is the newly named Economic Development Director for the City of Norfolk. We talk about balancing life, love, and high-power careers - and the role of faith in it all.

In this episode, Matt talks to Michael Scala, Economic Development Director for the City of Rochester, about downtown housing and commercial development.

Shawnda works for the City of Guthrie as the Economic Development Director. It took one weekend of staying in Guthrie for her to decide she wanted to make this town our home, and for the past five years thats what she and her family have been doing. Follow GuthrieAmerica: Instagram - GuthrieAmerica Facebook - GuthrieAmerica Twitter - GuthrieAmerica Follow Heady: Instagram - Heady.Coleman Facebook - Heady Coleman Twitter - Heady Coleman LinkedIn - Heady Coleman Having challenges with being consistent with your social media? Looking to connect with people in your industry, customers or people you want to learn from? You should start a podcast. I wrote an ebook on how to start a successful podcast and it's free because of our great friends at https://craftyourinsurance.com/. Download at the link: https://heady.media/ebook Download my latest ebook Hello, A Letter to Teachers at the link below. Ebook is free thanks to Dr. Michael Chandler and Edmond Dental Center (EdmondDentalCenter.Com). Download ebook at this link: https://heady.media/hello-ebook --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/headymedia/support

On this episode of Leadership Level Up, Jeff and Brian are joined by returning guest Bill Yohnka, the Executive Director of the Kankakee Riverfront Society. The conversation delves into the intricacies of leadership, exploring Bill's role in spearheading the development of Kankakee's riverfront. Bill shares his passion for the community, emphasizing the transformative potential of the Currents of Kankakee.The episode covers the progress the Kankakee Riverfront Society has made, discussing grants, community support, and collaborative efforts. Jeff, Brian and Bill explore the future possibilities, addressing challenges and milestones in the journey toward groundbreaking. Bill sheds light on the crucial but often unseen foundational work, highlighting his community outreach role in ensuring progress.Listeners gain valuable leadership insights from Bill's dedication to inclusive development, emphasizing the societal benefits beyond riverfront property. As the episode concludes, Bill invites the community to support the Kankakee Riverfront Society, emphasizing the impact the project can have in attracting people to the city. If you'd like to get involved, visit thecurrentsofkankakee.com for more information, and be sure to subscribe to Leadership Level Up so you don't miss future conversations with great leaders!MEET YOUR GUESTBill Yohnka, who many have dubbed “Mr. Kankakee,” currently serves as the Executive Director of the Kankakee Riverfront Society. Previously, he has served as Economic Development Director for the City of Kankakee as well as The Community Engagement Specialist for Kankakee School District #111.Yohnka is also a morning radio host for X-Country 106.5 FM on top of also serving as the announcer at the Kankakee County Motor Speedway. A lifelong Kankakee resident, Yohnka hopes to leave his hometown better than how he found it.

Join us as we speak community development with the city of Dayton's Tourism and Economic Development Director, Dave Rucklos. Dave brings valuable insight about the various constructions and development projects that are happening in the city - including John's favorites: the U.G.B. and the foot bridge. We dive deeper into the opportunities for our students with career pathways and community internships and learn what skills employers are looking for. Come get the real story direct from Dave. Views expressed in this episode do not represent that of the Dayton School District.

Mesa has grown exponentially over the last few decades, and now one of the people key to its growth is retiring. We'll hear from a former Mesa official about its evolution. Plus, the Territorial Cup is this weekend — we'll meet some former mascots who experienced the ASU-UA rivalry firsthand. Than and more on The Show.

In this episode meet Julie Wilkinson and learn more about her important role as the City of Morris' Economic Development Director. 

Planning with natural charm. Tim Maslow, Community and Economic Development Director for the City of Groveland, Florida, joined the podcast to talk about planning and urbanism. He shared how Groveland is working to manage population growth, retain natural amenities, and create walkable places. Tim talked about creating the City's new form-based code and establishing pre-approved plans in the Florida Vernacular style to streamline the development process. Host: Ben Kittelson

On this episode of the Mosaic Moment Director of Mosaic, Jasmine Stoughton, sits down with Sara Nichols, Environment and Economic Development Director at the Land-of-Sky Regional Council, to share her experience testifying before Congress. Get a behind the scenes look at what goes into a Congressional hearing from the perspective of an expert witness. Watch the Congressional hearing and read Sara Nichols's written testimony here. Follow Mosaic on Twitter. Follow PPI on Twitter.

Jake LaMore is out and Bill Yohnka is in as your guest host for this thunderous edition of Kankakee Podcast! For several years now, Yonka has been the announcer for the races that take place every Friday night during the summertime at the Kankakee County Speedway. If you follow Bill on social media, you know just how passionate he is about those races. With Yonka in the driver's seat, he guides us through the history of the speedway with flagman Jim Whittington. Then, the speedway's current promoter, Billy Knippenberg, hops in the passenger seat and tells us how races almost came to a complete stop at the Kankakee County Fairgrounds in 2021. Strap in because this ride goes fast and could get a little bumpy! About Kankakee County SpeedwayThe Kankakee County Speedway has endured multiple name changes over the decades, and believe it or not, its location has changed as well.  From its birth in 1940's, with no champions on record, racing was held at the old fairgrounds at Horse's Old Fair Park, on North Indiana Ave. by the Schuyler quarry next to Bradley. Prior to that, racing was contested throughout Kankakee County as early as the 1900's.Racing was held at the current Kankakee Fairgrounds Speedway from 1949-1959 on the half-mile.  However, at the conclusion of the 1959 season, the track closed due to a driver's strike for one year only to resume racing in the Kankakee area at Sugar Island Speedway in the early '60's.  Racing continued at the Sugar Island Speedway from 1961-1966, before moving back to the current fairgrounds site as Kankakee Speedway from 1967-1984 under Wayne Etzel and company.  Then from 1985-1987 it returned to Kankakee Fairgrounds Speedway under Glenn Moren, and from 1988-1999 it returned back to Kankakee Speedway under the Izzo Family.  From 2000-2004, the O'Connor Family promoted the Kankakee Motor Speedway, before the Osterhoff Family took over in 2005 when it was known as Kankakee Valley Motor Speedway.  Sherri Heckenast & Family took the reigns in 2006-2007 and returned it back to Kankakee Motor Speedway. Tom Smith promoted the facility from 2009 to 2021, Billy Knippenberg Jr. took over the reigns in 2022.Meet Your Guest HostBill Yohnka, who many have dubbed “Mr. Kankakee,” currently serves as the Executive Director of the Kankakee Riverfront Society. Previously, he has served as Economic Development Director for the City of Kankakee as well as The Community Engagement Specialist for Kankakee School District #111. Yohnka is also a morning radio host for X-Country 106.5 FM on top of also serving as the announcer at the Kankakee County Motor Speedway. A lifelong Kankakee resident, Yohnka hopes to leave his hometown better than how he found it. If you're ready to turn your passion for music into a rewarding career, King Music on Broadway in Bradley would love to hear from you!Apply Here: https://form.jotform.com/232704487481057You can also use promo code KANKAKEEPOD at kingmusic.com for 10% off your order.Support the show

Keith Morey is an exceptional individual who has triumphed over addiction through a remarkable journey. His story is filled with awe-inspiring moments and miraculous interventions that eventually led him to seek and receive the help he desperately needed.    Keith obtained his undergraduate degree in English Literature and pursued a master's degree in public administration at Brigham Young University. With a strong desire to positively impact people's lives, Keith found his calling as the City Manager of Payson, Utah, immediately after completing his master's program.   Throughout his career, Keith has made significant contributions to various communities along the Wasatch Front. Notably, he played a pivotal role in the community planning efforts of Daybreak, where he became the inaugural manager. Additionally, Keith served as Chief of Staff for a Congressman from Utah and actively participated in economic development initiatives as the Vice President of Business Development for the Economic Development Corporation of Utah.   Currently, Keith resides in Provo, Utah—the city he cherishes—and holds the positions of Assistant Director of Development Services and the City's Economic Development Director. His unwavering passion to improve the lives of others and his community is truly admirable, and you are bound to be impressed by Keith's dedication.   ... #faith #overcome #addiction #addictionrecovery #sober #clean #recovery #recovered #inspiration #mindset #mentalhealth #mentalhealthmatters #love #light #believe #beliefcast #tsinspires #toddinspires    .... You can connect with Keith here: Facebook: Keith Morey  https://www.facebook.com/MoreyKL/ IG: @k.morey LinkedIn: Keith Morey   https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-morey-641a5233/   .......... Special thanks to our sponsors: Siegfried & Jensen @siegfriedandjensen Wasatch Recovery @wasatchrecovery Thread Wallets @thread_wallets  Music by Paul Cardall