In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson sits down with Heath Vescovi-Chiordi, Director of Economic Development for Pima County, Arizona, to explore how one of the largest counties in the country balances rural biodiversity, cross-border trade with Mexico, aerospace and optics clusters, semiconductor workforce development, and even controversial data center projects.

Heath shares how a four-and-a-half-person team coordinates across municipalities, tribal nations, academia, and public health to execute a regional strategy that blends quantitative results with qualitative community engagement.

From a $1.2 billion battery manufacturing project to evolving policies on nondisclosure agreements and enhanced due diligence, this conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at modern county-level economic development in action

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Special Guest: Heath Vescovi-Chiordi.

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson sits down with Lisa Hurley, Executive Director of the York County Development Corporation in Nebraska, to talk about what modern rural economic development actually looks like on the ground.

Lisa shares how York County leverages its logistics position, diversified employers, and growing civic pride while navigating workforce shortages, childcare capacity, housing pressure, and community resistance to change. They discuss talent attraction campaigns, podcasting as an economic development tool, and why rural EDOs must now think far beyond traditional business recruitment.

The conversation also explores leadership, burnout, mentoring the next generation of economic developers, and how Lisa is using AI to save time while staying human where it matters most.

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1. Treat childcare capacity as core economic infrastructure, not a side issue
2. Invest in talent marketing even when results are hard to attribute directly
3. Use layered messaging across state, local, and employer campaigns
4. Build trust by proactively sharing progress and visuals with the community
5. Accept that some resistance to change cannot be resolved, only managed
6. Partner aggressively to avoid owning every initiative yourself
7. Use podcasts and storytelling to humanize your community and organization
8. Leverage AI for HR, editing, and admin work to protect business-facing time
9. Mentor younger economic developers to reduce burnout and build continuity
10. Remember that stopping a bad project can be a win, not a failure

Special Guest: Lisa Hurley.

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson sits down with Ellie Reynolds, President and CEO of the Douglas County Economic Development Corporation, to unpack how one of Colorado’s fastest-growing counties balances quality of life, infrastructure investment, regulatory realities, and speed-to-market.

Ellie shares how Douglas County positions itself along the Front Range, why shovel-ready infrastructure matters more than incentives alone, how cutting red tape became a competitive strategy, and what economic developers can do locally when state-level constraints get in the way.

The conversation also dives into AI as a staff multiplier, coalition-building for regulatory reform, and why economic development is ultimately about reducing risk, not forcing growth.

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Special Guest: Ellie Reynolds.

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson sits down with Juliet Abdel, President and CEO of the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, to talk about building a regionally focused, globally minded economic development organization.

Drawing on Cedar Rapids' "fifth season" advantage (time, accessibility, and quality of life) Juliet shares how the region leverages industry clusters, international relationships, and leadership discipline to compete.

The conversation blends practical economic development strategy with candid insights on burnout, boundaries, and leading people well in a demanding field.

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1. Treat quality of life as a competitive asset, not a marketing afterthought.
2. Focus attraction efforts on industry clusters that naturally complement what already exists locally.
3. International business development does not require a global city, only consistent relationship-building.
4. Cast a clear vision so teams understand the "why," not just the tasks.
5. Protect staff health by modeling boundaries, especially around after-hours communication.
6. Build attraction strategies around regional strengths, not generic wish lists.
7. Encourage team members to say no when capacity or clarity is missing.
8. Leverage peer networks aggressively. Most good ideas already exist somewhere else.
9. Recognize burnout as an organizational risk, not a personal weakness.
10. Remember that economic development works best when personal well-being and professional performance reinforce each other.

Special Guest: Juliet Abdel.

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, host Dane Carlson sits down with Mike Kamerlander, President and CEO of the Hays Caldwell Economic Development Partnership, to discuss what economic development looks like inside one of the fastest-growing regions in Texas.

Drawing from HCEDP’s recent Economic Outlook Event, the conversation explores why Central Texas continues to attract companies, how cities, counties, and private businesses are investing through uncertainty, and what shifting project timelines signal for 2026. Mike also shares lessons from leading a two-county, ten-city partnership, why “no product, no project” still holds true, and how speed, predictability, and engagement quietly determine which regions win.

FYI, "No Product, No Project" is a registered trademark of Garner Economics LLC.

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1. Product readiness matters more than marketing language.
2. Speed and predictability often outweigh incentive packages.
3. Regional collaboration expands capacity without diluting local wins.
4. Growth planning must stay ahead of infrastructure demand.
5. Economic outlook events are tools for alignment, not just forecasting.
6. Accurate, current site information prevents deal-killing surprises.
7. Cities and counties should be treated as the primary customer.
8. Engagement across private industry strengthens long-term outcomes.
9. Development processes should be reviewed continuously, not periodically.
10. Capital on the sidelines eventually moves. Be ready when it does.

Special Guest: Mike Kamerlander.

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson sits down with Jessica Huble, Assistant Director of Redevelopment for the City of Sugar Land, Texas, to explore how a landlocked, master-planned suburb is rethinking growth, housing, and economic sustainability. The conversation dives into Sugar Land’s unique history as a company town built around Imperial Sugar, the creation of a dedicated Department of Redevelopment, and why single-family housing alone cannot support a city’s long-term finances.

Jessica explains how community engagement, honest trade-off conversations, flexible planning, and city-led redevelopment of the historic Imperial site are shaping Sugar Land’s next chapter, offering lessons for any community facing limited land, changing markets, and rising expectations.

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1. If your city is landlocked, every acre decision is a long-term financial decision
2. Single-family housing alone will not sustain municipal services over time
3. Create space for redevelopment before crisis forces it
4. Be honest with residents about trade-offs, not just benefits
5. Sales tax strategy matters just as much as property tax in many states
6. Avoid being overly prescriptive in RFQs and redevelopment plans
7. Lead with outcomes and identity, not tenant wish lists
8. Community visioning works best when residents are asked real questions
9. Historic assets should inform the future, not freeze it
10. Cities that fail to adapt risk losing relevance, not just revenue

Special Guest: Jessica Huble.

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, host Dane Carlson talks with Joya Stetson, Community Development Director at the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA), about how transit directly shapes workforce access, development costs, and long-term community competitiveness.

Joya unpacks “first mile/last mile” barriers and how tools like microtransit and service tweaks can turn missed connections into real outcomes, including route changes that unlocked student internships and boosted ridership.

They dig into suburban realities like coverage vs. ridership, post-COVID recovery, and why transit belongs inside RFP workforce narratives, land-use planning, and even parking requirement conversations.

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1. Get your transit provider “at the table” early for major projects, not after the announcement, so service planning can match real hiring needs.
2. Treat “workforce access” as more than unemployment rates: explicitly describe how transit expands the labor pool and reduces absenteeism and turnover risk.
3. Audit first-mile/last-mile gaps for key job centers, campuses, and training sites; don’t assume a route nearby means people can actually reach it.
4. Use microtransit strategically to bridge gaps, but pair it with fixed routes when predictable arrival times matter (classes, shifts, internships).
5. Build a “route change wins” pipeline: channel feedback from chambers, employers, schools, and workforce boards into concrete service-change proposals.
6. Include transit in your site selection/RFP package (especially the workforce section): routes, frequency, last-mile options, and how employers can engage.
7. Coordinate transit with land-use planning and TOD goals so comp plans and transit plans evolve together instead of living on shelves.
8. Use transit to reduce development friction: make the case for lower parking requirements where transit access supports it.
9. Map housing-to-transit-to-jobs (especially affordable housing) to show actual accessibility and to target investments or service pilots.
10. Frame transit as competitiveness and sustainability: companies care about low-carbon performance, and mobility options are part of that story.

Special Guest: Joya Stetson.

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, host Dane Carlson sits down with John Loyack of the North Carolina Community College System to unpack what “workforce development” looks like when you’re the person who gets the call the day after the ribbon cutting asking where the next 500–5,000 workers will come from—and how North Carolina answers that question through four major tools: NC Edge customized training, ApprenticeshipNC, the Bio Network (now stretching from life sciences into food/beverage and natural products), and a small business center network embedded across 58 community colleges, all while pushing for tighter collaboration so employers experience one connected system instead of disconnected silos.

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1. Treat workforce development as core infrastructure, not a support function.
2. Engage community colleges early, not after a project announcement.
3. Promote customized training programs aggressively to prospects and existing employers.
4. Use pre-hire assessments to reduce employer risk on major projects.
5. Encourage employers, even competitors, to collaborate on shared talent needs.
6. Leverage apprenticeship programs beyond manufacturing into healthcare, construction, and trades.
7. Think regionally, not jurisdiction by jurisdiction, when building talent pipelines.
8. Repurpose successful training models across industries where skills overlap.
9. Break down silos between workforce, small business, and economic development teams.
10. Communicate these resources constantly because most businesses do not know they exist.

Special Guest: John Loyack.