Welcome to “Economic Development Leaders in Action”, a curriculum designed to help new and experienced Economic Development Leaders learn the ins and outs of economic development. Below are modules with key insights from state EDO leaders on topics vital to your success as a leader. This curriculum is made to fit your busy schedule. You can pick and choose which modules to take, based on your needs. If you want to learn more about the way other state offices are organized, consider using the State Organizational Structures database.
For a short summary of the curriculum, click here.
To learn more about the leaders we interviewed, click “Meet the Leaders”. To get started with the curriculum, click on a module, below. Generally, leaders responded to three prompts under each topic:
- “Name one success story you’ve had in this area”
- “Give one piece of advice in this area”
- “What is one thing you would do in this area if you had more resources?”
Leadership Modules
The Value of Economic Development
Kurt Foreman, Former President & CEO of Delaware Prosperity Partnership
Success Story: Finding the “Wins” in Economic Development
Advice: Be an Evangelist
Additional Resources: Identifying New Opportunities
Michael Graney, Former Executive Director, West Virginia Department of Economic Development
Success Story: Largest Economic Development Project in the History of West Virgina
Advice: Understand the Economic Development Landscape
Additional Resources: Create A Comprehensive Economic Strategy
Supplementary Materials
Why Economic Development Matters – Brookings
Championing Economic Development – International Economic Development Council
Leading Change
Ashely Teasdel, Deputy Secretary of Commerce, South Carolina Department of Commerce
Success Story: Enacting our Strategic Plan
Advice: Communicate, Communicate, Communicate!
Ryan Starks, Former Managing director of Growth and Innovation, Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity
Success Story: Creating Economic Opportunity
Advice: Change is a Collaborative Process
Supplementary Materials
State Strategies to Help Businesses Launch and Expand – PEW
Economic Development Strategies – Urban Institute
How SEDE Can Help
Quentin Messer, CEO and President, Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Success Story: SEDE is a Community of Peers
Advice: Use SEDE to Invest in Your Professional Development
Supplementary Materials
Resources for State Leaders – SEDE
Federal Relationships
Humberto Mercader, Deputy Secretary for Strategic Initiatives at Departamento de Desarrollo Económico y Comerci
Success Story: Building Back Better
Advice: Be Proactive with Your Federal Partners
Additional Resources: Grant Management and Compliance
Michael Graney, Former Executive Director, West Virginia Department of Economic Development
Success Story: Federal Representation for West Virginia
Advice: Get to Know your Federal Representatives
Additional Resources: Implementing CEDS to Alleviate Poverty
Supplementary Materials
Showing Impact: Reporting on Federal Funds for Community Development – SEDE Blog
Regional Relationships
Hope Knight, CEO, Empire State Development
Success Story: Regional Economic Development Council Initiative
Advice: Facilitate New Connections
Additional Resources: Housing, Housing, and More Housing
Kurt Foreman, Former President & CEO of Delaware Prosperity Partnership
Success Story: Bringing Groups Together for Growth
Advice: Go out and Listen
Additional Resources: Build Team Capacity
Michael Graney, Former Executive Director, West Virginia Department of Economic Development
Success Story: Encouraging Regionalization
Advice: Get to Know Local Leaders
Additional Resources: Pushing Regionalism Further
Supplementary Materials
Why State and Local Relationships Matter to National Prosperity – Brookings
Strategies for Regional Collaboration – HUD, Office of Policy Development and
Legislative Relationships
Lisa Brown, Former Director, Washington State Department of Commerce
Success Story: Advice for Legislative Relations
Advice: How to Work with a Legislature with Conflicting Goals
Additional Resources: How to Promote Economic Development Goals to the Legislature
Supplementary Materials
State Economic Development Strategies Toolkit – Tax Policy Center
The Roles of State Legislatures – State Innovation Exchange
Agency Organizational Structure Decisions
Ashely Teasdel, Deputy Secretary of Commerce, South Carolina Department of Commerce
Success Story: Embracing the Future
Advice: Help Your Agency Understand the “Why”
Additional Resources: Investments in Additional Staff
Chris Chung, CEO, Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina
Success Story: Succeeding as a Public-Private Partnership
Advice: Get Out There!
Additional Resources: Marketing the State as a Business Location
Ryan Starks, Former Managing Director of Growth and innovation, Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity
Success Story: Refocusing on Our Core Mission
Advice: Do What’s Best for Your State
Additional Resources: Advocacy and the Legislature
Supplementary Materials
To learn more about how other agencies are structured, consider using the State Organizational Structures database
What Do State Economic Development Agencies Do? – Urban Institute
Building a Winning Team
Humberto Mercader, Deputy Secretary for Strategic Initiatives, Departamento de Desarrollo Económico y Comerci
Success Story: Building a Performance-Driven Mentality
Advice: Create a Winning Culture
Additional Resources: Understand how your Teammates Think
Supplementary Materials
6 Steps for Hiring the Right People to Build Effective Teams – Entrepreneur
How To Create A Truly Winning Team – Forbes
Partnership Building – Inside/Outside Your State
Sophorn Cheang, Director, Business Oregon
Success Story: Our Agency has Well-Developed Partnerships All Over the State
Advice: Authentic, Collaborative Relationships
Additional Resources: Seeking to Assist Contractors
Supplementary Materials
The Power of Partnerships in Economic Development – WSB
Support Small Business
Ashely Teasdel, Deputy Secretary, Commerce at South Carolina Department of Commerce
Success Story: Small Businesses are the Backbone of South Carolina
Advice: Help Businesses Navigate the Ecosystem
Additional Resources: Expand Access to Capital
Humberto Mercader, Deputy Secretary for Strategic Initiatives, Departamento de Desarrollo Económico y Comerci
Success Story: Investing in Renewable Energy Through Small Businesses
Advice: Stay Close to your Businesses!
Additional Resources: Addressing the Capital Access Gap
Lisa Brown, Former Director, Washington State Department of Commerce
Success Story: Creating Non-Traditional Business Connections
Advice: Mapping the Ecosystem
Additional Resources: Financial Assistance and Credit Repair
Michael Graney, Former Executive Director, West Virginia Department of Economic Development
Success Story: Leveraging CARES to Connect Businesses
Advice: Get to Know SBDC and SBA Folks
Additional Resources: Building Capacity
Ryan Starks, Former Managing Director of Growth and innovation, Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity
Success Story: One-Stop Shop for Business Resources
Advice: Establish a Network
Additional Resources: I Would Create a Marketing Plan
Sophorn Cheang, Director, Business Oregon
Success Story: Offering Business Assistance During the Pandemic
Advice: Understand That Each Business Faces Unique Barriers
Additional Resources: Invest in Technical Assistance
Supplementary Materials
US small-business recovery after the Covid-19 crisis – McKinsey
Beyond financials: Helping small and medium size enterprises thrive – McKinsey
Workforce Development
Hope Knight, CEO, Empire State Development
Success Story: Northland Workforce Training Center
Advice: Work with the Business Community
Additional Resources: Office of Strategic Workforce Development
Humberto Mercader, Deputy Secretary for Strategic Initiatives, Departamento de Desarrollo Económico y Comerci
Success Story: Medical Device Curriculum
Advice: Build Connections with Universities and American Job Centers
Additional Resources: Investments in Training Centers
Quentin Messer, CEO and President, Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Success Story: Chief Talent Solutions and Engagement Officer
Advice: Talent is One of the Foundational Elements of Economic
Additional Resources: Deepening Workforce Pipelines with Pre-K through High School
Supplementary Materials
A Better Way to Develop and Retain Top Talent – HBR
Effective Employee Development Starts with Managers – HBR
Entrepreneur Development
Ashely Teasdel, Deputy Secretary of Commerce, South Carolina Department of Commerce
Success Story: Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Advice: There is a Difference Between Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Additional Resources: Attracting Venture Capital
Supplementary Materials
Incentives for Entrepreneurial Firms – Smart Incentives
Policy Agenda to Revitalize American Entrepreneurship – Center for American Entrepreneurship
Business Climate
Quentin Messer, CEO and President, Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Success Story: What Does it Take to Win?
Advice: Learn and Scrutinize Business Rankings
Additional Resources: A National Database for Business Attraction
Supplementary Materials
How States Can Direct Economic Development to Places and People in Need – PEW
Broadband & infrastructure
Ryan Starks, Former Managing Director of Growth and innovation, Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity
Success Story: Broadband Point of Contact
Advice: Promote Awareness in the State Legislature
Additional Resources: Additional Outreach
Supplementary Materials
Delivering on the promise of federal infrastructure funds in states – McKinsey
Are states ready to close the US digital divide – McKinsey
International Trade & Investment
Chris Chung, CEO, Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina
Success Story: Foreign Offices and Business Attraction
Advice: Engage with SelectUSA and Foreign Partners
Additional Resources: Selling North Carolina, Internationally
Supplementary Materials
Benefits of Trade – United States Trade Representative
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) – U.S. Department of Commerce
Incentives and Compliance
Ellen Harpel, Founder, Smart Incentives
Incentives
How to Offer the Right Incentives
How to Show that Incentives are Being Used Responsibly
Compliance
What is Compliance and Why Does it Matter?
What Role do Leaders Play in Compliance?
What are the Critical Steps in Compliance?
Supplementary Materials
Compliance Data Drives Smart Incentive Programs – SEDE Blog
State Incentive Program General Trends – SEDE Blog/ Expenditures database
The materials included on these State-Local Alignment webpages were prepared by the Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness using Federal funds under award ED21HDQ3070060 from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic Development Administration or the U.S. Department of Commerce.