The SEDC Podcast

On location at the 2026 American South Site Selection Summit in Arlington, Texas, host Ray Methvin of Insyteful sits down for a series of one-on-one interviews highlighting regional product development, infrastructure alignment, and competitive business attraction. The opening interview features Hunter Boyd, Executive Director of the Northeast Kentucky Economic Development Authority, who discusses...

On location at the 2026 American South Site Selection Summit in Arlington, Texas, host Ray Methvin of Insyteful sits down for a series of one-on-one interviews highlighting localized strategies for business attraction, regional marketing, and infrastructure development. The opening interview features Chris Webb, Business Attraction Manager at Plano Economic Development, who discusses how to naviga...

On location at the 2026 American South Site Selection Summit in Arlington, Texas, host Ray Methvin of Insyteful sits down for a series of one-on-one interviews evaluating rural development strategies and community-level economic alignment. The opening interview features Susan Sankey, Executive Director of the Big Spring Economic Development Corporation, who outlines the unique landscape of industr...

On location at the 2026 American South Site Selection Summit in Arlington, Texas, host Ray Methvin of Insyteful sits down for a series of one-on-one interviews exploring regional economic shifts, logistical advantages, and infrastructure strategies. The opening interview features Paul Hoben, Director of Business Development for the Aberdeen Carolina & Western Railway, who discusses the critica...

On location at the 2026 American South Site Selection Summit in Arlington, Texas, host Ray Methvin of Insyteful sits down for a series of one-on-one interviews examining the regional mechanics of site readiness, consulting, and corporate attraction. The opening interview features Cathleen Flournoy, Senior Industrial Development Manager for Norfolk Southern Corporation, who explores the critical in...

On location at the 2026 American South Site Selection Summit in Arlington, Texas, host Ray Methvin of Insyteful sits down for a series of one-on-one interviews highlighting specialized approaches to community growth and leadership. The opening segment features Bethany Shockney, President and CEO of the Limestone County Economic Development Association in Alabama, who discusses navigating rapid ind...

On location at the 2026 American South Site Selection Summit in Arlington, Texas, host Ray Methvin of Insyteful sits down for a series of one-on-one interviews examining the mechanics of site readiness and municipal development. The first interview features Russ Meyer, Executive Director of the Jessamine County Joint Economic Development Authority, who shares strategies for competitive positioning...

Live from the 2026 #AmericanSouth Site Selection Summit in Arlington, Texas, host Ray Methvin of Insyteful sits down for individual interviews with regional leaders to discuss localized strategies for industrial and commercial growth. The first segment features Mark Lawson, President of Cary Economic Development, who shares insights on managing rapid community expansion and high-tech sector recrui...

Recorded live at the 2026 American South Site Selection Summit in Arlington, Texas, host Ray Methvin of Insyteful sits down for individual interviews with industry experts to discuss the mechanics of regional growth. The first segment features Chuck Sexton, Principal and CEO of Strategic Location Advisors, who provides a detailed look into the modern site selection process. Sexton analyzes the spe...

Recorded live from the Loews Arlington Hotel during the 2026 American South Site Selection Summit, host Ray Methvin of Insyteful sits down with regional leaders to discuss the evolving requirements of industrial recruitment. The first interview features Patrick Ford, Vice President of the West Virginia Polymer Alliance Zone, who discusses his expertise in brownfield redevelopment and the strategic...

Recorded live from the Loews Arlington Hotel in Arlington, Texas, this special edition of the podcast captures the energy and insights of the 2026 #AmericanSouth Site Selection Summit. Host Ray Methvin of Insyteful sits down with a variety of leaders to discuss the shifting landscape of economic development across the region. The SEDC Podcast is Sponsored by Insyteful.

Recorded live from the Loews Arlington Hotel in Arlington, Texas, this special edition of the podcast captures the energy and insights of the 2026 #AmericanSouth Site Selection Summit. Host Ray Methvin of Insyteful sits down with a variety of leaders to discuss the shifting landscape of economic development across the region. The SEDC Podcast is Sponsored by Insyteful.

Host Matt Tackett sits down with Mike Goman, Principal at Goman + York Property Advisors, to explore his extensive career in commercial real estate development. Mike discusses his professional journey from managing large-scale projects in Canada to leading major operations in the United States. The conversation focuses on bridging the gap between municipal planning and the financial requirements o...

In this episode of the podcast presented by Insightful, Matt Tackett sits down with Shelley Short to discuss Arkadelphia, Arkansas's industrial momentum, and unique community assets. Shelley Short serves as the President and CEO of the Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance and Area Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Economic Development Corporation of Clark County.

This episode of the SEDC podcast features Chris Schwinden, a partner at Site Selection Group, discussing the evolving economic landscape of the American South. Schwinden and Matthew Darius explore his career transition from finance to site selection, emphasizing the critical role of site-readiness programs such as the Kentucky Product Development Initiative. The conversation highlights the region&...

Matt Tackett and Spencer Hogg explore Georgia's top-tier business environment and the Rome Floyd Development Authority’s recent success. The conversation traces Spencer’s career shift from congressional policy to regional economic development through intentional ecosystem-building and diverse industrial strategies. They highlight Northwest Georgia’s competitive advantages in workforce developm...

In this episode of the SEDC podcast, sponsored by Insyteful, Matt joins Troy Wayman of One Acadiana to discuss Louisiana’s historic economic momentum. Troy details how the state secured a record $61 billion in capital investment in 2025 through an aggressive new strategy and high-profile projects like the Meta data center and solar manufacturing expansions. The conversation highlights the success...

Join SEDC President Matt Tackett for a memorable holiday episode as he sits down with the world’s oldest CEO to discuss his latest high-tech expansion. From fueling the workshop with renewable resources to modernizing the "Naughty or Nice" archives, the North Pole Enterprise is proving that even a legendary operation needs a digital edge. This episode dives into the workshop’s bold new f...

Christopher Chung, CEO of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, joins the podcast to discuss the state’s thriving economy. He explores North Carolina’s red-hot economic development momentum, highlights ongoing opportunities, and explains why the #AmericanSouth continues to stand out as the world’s premier destination for investment. The SEDC Podcast is sponsored by Insyteful.

SEDC President Matt Tackett sits down with Jason El Koubi to discuss the Virginia Economic Development Partnership's recent success in securing major investments. El Koubi explains how the Commonwealth has positioned itself as a leader in the biopharmaceutical sector through a strategy centered on speed and talent development. The conversation highlights the importance of a holistic approach t...

This episode of the Southern Economic Development Council (SEDC) podcast offers a comprehensive discussion on the future of economic development in the American South, featuring Marcus Taylor, Senior Vice President of Business Development at Gray Construction. Taylor traces his career journey from Middle Tennessee State University, detailing his shift from hands-on construction to business develop...

Host Matt Tackett speaks with Jeff VanHook, CEO of RGL Regional Industrial Development, about Kentucky's incredible economic momentum. Jeff shares how the Kentucky Product Development Initiative (KPDI), a program that secured a $100 million expansion, has fundamentally changed the landscape, driving regional collaboration and attracting nearly $5 billion in capital investment. He highlights the su...

On this episode of the SEDC Podcast, we sit down with Robert Allen, President and CEO of the Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership, to unpack the strategy behind the city’s landmark growth. Having recently surpassed Austin to become the 11th largest city in America, Fort Worth serves as a prime example of successful, strategic economic development in the American South. Robert shares insight...

Join us for an insightful conversation with Jeff Bischoff, Chief Sales Officer at Gray, as he shares his 30-year journey from his early days with the Southern Economic Development Council to leading Gray through massive growth (from $165 million to over $5 billion in revenue). We dive deep into the American South’s competitive edge, from its infrastructure to the collaborative 'Team American S...

Join Matthew Tackett as he welcomes April Mason, President and Founder of the acclaimed public relations firm Violet PR, for a masterclass on the power of shaping a community's narrative. April shares her compelling journey into the field, which began with a pivotal internship at the Kansas City Area Development Council and led to the launch of her own agency specializing in economic developme...