Develop This: Economic and Community Development

Site visits can make—or break—an economic development project. In this episode of Develop This! , host Dennis Fraise is joined by Larry Gigerich , Executive Managing Director of Ginovus and one of the nation's most respected voices in site selection and economic development. With more than 30 years of experience across local and state government, nonprofit leadership, and the private sector, Larry...

Show Notes As part of the Develop This! 2026 Crystal Ball Series , host Dennis Fraise sits down with Andy Coe , Principal at Convergent Nonprofit Solutions , to explore what lies ahead for economic development organization (EDO) funding as communities head toward 2026. With public funding under pressure and competition for private dollars increasing, this episode delivers a candid, practical conve...

Community banks play a critical—yet often underappreciated—role in economic development. In this episode of Develop This!, the #1 podcast for economic development professionals, host Dennis Fraise sits down with Matt Morris , President and CEO of Connection Bank in Fort Madison, Iowa, to explore how community banking fuels local economies, supports small businesses, and strengthens rural communiti...

As part of the Develop This! Crystal Ball Series kicking off 2026, host Dennis Fraise sits down with Danielle Casey , President & CEO of the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance and incoming IEDC Board Chair , for a candid and forward-looking conversation on leadership, career evolution, and the future of economic development. Danielle shares insights from her career transition from Albuquerque to L...

As Develop This! kicks off its Crystal Ball series for 2026 , host Dennis Fraise is joined by Chris Lloyd , Senior Vice President and Director of Infrastructure and Economic Development at McGuireWoods Consulting , for a forward-looking conversation on the forces shaping the future of economic development in partnrship with the Site Selectors Guild. Chris brings a national perspective on how feder...

As Develop This! kicks off 2026, host Dennis Fraise continues the Crystal Ball series with a timely and thought-provoking conversation with Mark Perna —generational expert, author of Answering Why , speaker, and Forbes contributor. Together, Dennis and Mark explore how the workforce and education landscape has (and hasn't) changed since Answering Why was published in 2018. They examine generationa...

As part of the Develop This! Crystal Ball Series kicking off 2026, host Dennis Fraise sits down with Nathan Ohle , President & CEO of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) , for a wide-ranging conversation on where the profession is headed—and how leaders can prepare for what's next. Nathan shares insights from his extensive travels and conversations with economic developers across...

In this episode of Develop This! host Joi Cuartero Austin interviews Kyle Moore, Great River Economic Development Foundation (GREDF) President & CEO, former Quincy, IL Mayor & IL State Representative, who shares hard-earned insights on how local leaders can advocate effectively with elected officials to get economic development projects across the finish line. Drawing on his experience as a city c...

What truly makes an effective board chair in economic development? In this episode of Develop This! , the #1 economic development podcast, host Dennis Fraise sits down with Bob Huffman , President of Huffman Welding & Machine, Inc ., and Huffman's Farm & Home , to explore the  role of the board chair—and why influence matters more than authority . Drawing from decades of leading multi-generational...

In this episode of Develop This! — H ost Dennis Fraise sits down with Tracey Hyatt Bosman , Managing Director at Biggins Lacy Shapiro & Company and a leading expert in location economics and site selection , for a timely conversation about how tariffs, policy volatility, and global uncertainty are reshaping corporate investment decisions. This episode is presented in partnership with the Site Sele...

In this episode of Develop This! , host Dennis Fraise welcomes nationally recognized speaker and thought leader  Mark Perna for a powerful conversation on career growth, motivation, and personal development. From the earliest stages of a career to seasoned leadership, Mark and Dennis explore what truly drives long-term success. The discussion dives into the importance of intentionally stepping out...

Episode Overview In this inspiring episode of the Develop This! Podcast, host Dennis Fraise reconnects with newly certified economic developer Marsellas Williams for a candid and energetic conversation about what it truly takes to grow in the economic development profession. Marsellas reflects on his personal journey—from entering the field in 2018 to overcoming the rigorous path toward earning hi...

Show Notes In this episode of Develop This! , host Dennis Fraise sits down with Jason El Koubi , President and CEO of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) , to explore how Virginia has earned — and maintained — its reputation as one of the best states for business. Jason shares how Virginia's nonpartisan approach to economic development ensures continuity, focus, and accountability...

Episode Overview In this episode of the Develop This! Podcast, host Dennis Fraise sits down with one of the most respected voices in economic development— Jay Garner of Garner Economics and a long-standing S ite Selectors Guild member. Jay brings decades of experience in corporate location advisory work and economic strategy, offering listeners a deep dive into today's site selection environment a...

💡 Episode Summary In the final installment of the Develop This! AI series, host Dennis Fraise is joined by Ashley Canada and Eric Canada for an in-depth conversation on developing a comprehensive AI strategy framework for organizations of all sizes. Together, they unpack the critical need for guardrails that ensure ethical and effective AI use, the importance of human oversight , and the dangers...

In this episode of Develop This! , host Dennis Fraise sits down with Bruce Takefman , Founder and CEO of Research FDI , to explore how technology, AI, and global trends are reshaping the future of investment attraction . Bruce shares his personal journey and lessons learned from years of helping communities and economic development organizations (EDOs) compete in a rapidly evolving global marketpl...

🏠 Show Notes In this episode of Develop This! , host Dennis Fraise sits down with Mike Norris , Executive Director of SEIRPC and President of the Homes for Iowa Board of Directors, and David Miller , Executive Director of Homes for Iowa . Together, they share how an innovative Iowa initiative is tackling two of the state's most pressing challenges— affordable housing and workforce development —wh...

💡 Episode Summary In this episode of Develop This! , host Dennis Fraise sits down with Mark Perna , a national thought leader on workforce, education, and generational engagement, for a deep dive into one of the most damaging forces in any organization— toxic leadership . Together, Dennis and Mark unpack the growing disengagement crisis in today's workforce and explore the concept of the "Toxabos...

🎧 Episode Summary In this episode of Develop This! , host Dennis Fraise sits down with Lynn Kreach , Learning & Development Associate with the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) , to explore the evolving world of professional development in economic development. From IEDC's new 2026 course catalog to the rise of virtual training and the importance of certification and continuous le...

💡 Episode Summary In this episode of Develop This! , host Dennis Fraise sits down with Jay Garner , President of Garner Economics and a founding member of the Site Selectors Guild , to tackle one of the biggest challenges in economic development today— the workforce crisis . Jay and Dennis dig into the realities behind the "silver tsunami" as millions of baby boomers near retirement, explore the...

In this inspiring episode of Develop This!, host Joi Cuartero Austin sits down with her sister, Christine Cuartero, Co-Director of the Filipino School of Chicago , to explore how cultural heritage can shape stronger communities and local economies.  October marks Filipino American History Month , a time to honor the resilience, creativity, and contributions of Filipino Americans across generations...

In this episode of Develop This! , host Dennis Fraise sits down with Adrian Spencer , Co-Founder and Director of GrantGuru , the world's largest aggregator of grants and funding programs. Together, they explore how Grant Guru is transforming the way communities, local governments, and nonprofits access funding opportunities. Adrian shares his unlikely journey from geology to grant funding , the ev...

1    In this episode of Develop This! , host Dennis Fraise sits down with Emily Benjamin , the President and CEO of the  Lee County Economic Development Group (LCEDG) —the very role Dennis once held. Together, they explore the realities of leadership transition , organizational change , and the evolution of community-focused economic development . Emily shares her non-linear career journey into th...

In this episode of the  Develop This! Podcast , Dennis Fraise is joined by Ashley Canada and Eric Canada for the third installment in a four-part series on building an AI blueprint. They dive into the essential role of workforce upskilling in successful AI adoption, explaining why AI training must extend beyond technical teams to prevent the creation of a two-tier workforce. The discussion highlig...

What does it mean to be a young leader in economic development today? In this episode, Develop This! contributing correspondent Joi Cuartero Austin sits down with Chandler Shook , Centerville, Iowa's new Main Street & Economic Development Director, to explore the realities, opportunities, and challenges of leading in a small community. From his start as a city administrator to his current role cha...