Area Development’s Post

This week we're highlighting NCEDA Board Member, Timothy Downs! Timothy is the Regional Director for Economic Development in North Carolina for Thomas & Hutton. We asked him some questions to help you get to know him better. Learn more about Timothy below!   What aspects of serving on the NCEDA board do you find most fulfilling or meaningful? A: I particularly enjoy and appreciate working with like-minded leaders who continuously strive to improve the organization, the profession, and themselves.   In what ways do you think economic development directly influences our communities? A: There are many ways that economic development directly influences our communities, like attracting private investment and jobs, helping existing companies thrive and grow, and catalyzing new training programs. I am going to focus on one that is harder to measure, but I believe is just as important as the others – cultivating community pride. Community self-esteem is very real and plays a critical role in attracting new investment and jobs. If your community cannot or does not speak with confidence and pride about itself and its resources, it will be very difficult to convince new and existing companies to grow in your community. Economic Development should play the lead role in uniting, fostering, and promoting that community pride.   Reflecting on your career, what accomplishment or contribution has been particularly significant to you? A: My time as the Economic Development Director in Craven County was particularly rewarding because I was tasked with rebuilding economic development in the County and helping start a public-private partnership to assist with the economic development strategy. I’m proud to say that Craven County economic development and the Craven 100 Alliance are still going strong 10 years later.   Is there a personal or professional experience that has shaped who you are today, which you'd like to share?  A: I started my economic development career in local government in Dayton, Ohio in 2008. It was a very challenging time and place to serve as an economic developer. The term trial by fire comes to mind. I learned how important the fundamentals of economic development really are. I also learned how important strategic partnerships are.   What do you appreciate most about the NCEDA? A: The broad and deep relationships it fosters among practitioners, allies, and partners.   Learn more about Timothy here: www.nceda.org/about/board/  

It’s time for young Black men with big dreams to lead, not just watch from the sidelines. Voting is our power move for opening doors to entrepreneurship and demanding the healthcare our communities need. Let’s lay the foundation for a future built on growth, equity, and resilience. Real change starts with action—join me, follow Black Men Vote, and be part of the #LeadersLead movement that’s making it happen.

Catherine Casey Nanda and Amon Anderson spoke with RWJF about  Acumen America's work. "In 2022, only 1% of the $200 billion in venture capital went to Black founders, less than 3% went to companies with all-female founding teams, and less than 18% went to companies with both a male and female co-founder," Casey-Nanda says. "So, we want to change that model, and we have built a portfolio where over 60% of our companies are led by an underrepresented founder and over 40% by a female founder. We are trying to continue to do better with each investment that we make."   Read the whole interview here: https://lnkd.in/e9DJPu39  

At 2+ months into my time as an Axford Fellow in New Zealand (https://lnkd.in/gcXyA76N), I'm inspired by the Kiwi sleeves-rolled-up, "give it a go" attitude toward problem solving and humbled by what's challenging across government service delivery everywhere. I'm re-reading my highlights from Jennifer Pahlka's Recoding America (https://lnkd.in/gxaqTr-N) including this fave: "When services respect our time, minimize intrusion, use language we understand, and don't make us feel stupid, that deeply broken relationship with government can start to mend." It's easy to recall the opposite experience and we in government have a daily opportunity shape trust-enhancing service for our residents. The more people I meet similarly aiming to do so here and at home, the more possible it seems at scale. Can't recommend reading this book and doing this work enough. Speaking of which: if you're in US or NZ government and thinking about trust as it relates to generative AI, I'd love to chat more. Comment below and I'll follow up! ✨

So, here I am… on LinkedIn. 👀 Let me be real with y’all—LinkedIn still intimidates me (frfr). But, an entrepreneur gotta do what she gotta do, right? 🙄 Let’s get to it: Have you heard about the City of Pittsburgh’s Comprehensive Plan? If not, let me break it down real quick. This is the City’s first major plan since 1920, and Brown Mamas is proud to be on the Community Engagement Team. Now, here’s where YOU come in. Pittsburgh needs entrepreneurs, leaders, and our hardworking folks to shape what this city looks like over the next 20 years. Here’s how you can get involved: 1️⃣ Join the Community Working Group (CWG): This is your chance to: Learn about city planning, Help teach others why this process is important, and Promote a vision for our city that reflects ALL of us. Use this link to learn more and sign up >>> https://bit.ly/mamascwg 2️⃣ Come to the Pittsburgh Plan Launch Party: Happening on Thursday, January 30th, this event is all about kicking off the process with food, interactive activities, and real conversations with the Mayor and city leaders. This is your opportunity to add YOUR voice to Pittsburgh’s future. Register here >>> https://bit.ly/40htZHZ I guess this means you’ll be seeing me over here on LinkedIn more often (😅), but seriously—I need y’all to get involved. Your expertise, passion, and ideas are what will make this plan truly impactful. Let’s make Pittsburgh’s next chapter one we can all be proud of. #Pittsburgh2050 #CommunityLeadership #EquityInPlanning #BrownMamasLead

I always enjoy getting out of the home office and onto a stage for an engaging conversation. Last week, it was at the Association of Washington Business Spring Meeting in Vancouver, Washington. I moderated a timely discussion with former WA Sec. of State Kim Wyman and WA Lt. Gov Denny Heck on the topic of Civic Health and how to "disagree better." Two takeaways from the panelists: "If I had a wish for politics in the modern era, we could get back to a place where governing was valued and rewarded." -- Kim Wyman The three elements of strong civic health are: "Respectful discourse, trying to reach principled compromises and disagreeing better." -- Lt. Gov. Heck

NYCEDC President & CEO Andrew Kimball's fireside chat with Ben Max provided the perfect conclusion to today's NYC Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC) conference at Civic Hall. President Kimball emphasized the importance of economic mobility in creating more equitable economic opportunities.

After having the opportunity to digest all of the interactions, discussions, and... ultimately, germs (which I've thankfully finally gotten over) from last week's IEDC Conference, I keep harkening back to our RoleCall values - Joy, Heart, Humor, Curiosity, Enthusiasm, and Effusive Honesty . Seeing the JOY that shines through in the professionals that dedicate their lives to making THEIR place the best it can be. The HEART to work through creative and innovative solutions to complex problems, often times with limited resources and even more limited budgets. The HUMOR in just existing in the economic development world - sometimes you've just got to laugh, am I right? The CURIOSITY to ask questions and be vulnerable in a notedly difficult space for vulnerability. The ENTHUSIASM to share their passion for their communities/states/regions and the things that make them each unique. And the EFFUSIVE HONESTY to admit that they don't know it all, that there are real problems that they face, and that economic development is a challenging industry with challenging roadblocks that can be wildly frustrating. Yep, our values feel spot on. I think Tim Carty did a great job of summarizing the RoleCall team's experience at this year's IEDC Conference, so I encourage you to check out our latest blog post about why each of us at RoleCall truly does "Love the problem that we're solving", and heck, if you've got questions about how we solve them - give me a buzz.

Forget having a day, #economicdevelopers get the week! 🎉 If you're a practitioner, we hope you've celebrating yourselves - you all deserve it! 🎉 Check out our recent blog post to read about all the reasons we're so great! https://lnkd.in/eUHHkrAS

I'm excited for the world to see what happens when you bring people together who move with Purpose and Intention. Looking forward to joining you all shortly for a meeting that will move Mountains! ~ 🚀 Exciting News for Michigan's Future! 🚀 We are thrilled to announce that we’re sitting down with Michigan’s Chief Innovation Officer and key leaders from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation this week to discuss the future of Black and Brown entrepreneurs in the state. 🖤🤝🏾 Our goal is simple: partnership, transparency, and real action that ensures the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Michigan includes us, supports our growth and breaks down barriers to success. This meeting is a crucial step in making Michigan the premier destination for diverse tech talent and businesses. 🌟 To our Black Tech Saturdays community—who can’t be in the room today—we need your help. We are here advocating for opportunities for all of us. If you’ve attended a Black Tech Saturday, are a community member, or support our mission, please share this post in solidarity and stand with us today. Your support makes all the difference. We are committed to: 💡 Ensuring that there is transparency and accountability in the steps we take. 💼 Laying out a clear path for investment and resources for our community. 🚀 Securing our place in the vision for State of Michigan’s economic future. Expect updates and follow-ups—we are just getting started. This is only the beginning of a movement to make Michigan the best place to start and grow a business for EVERYONE! 🏙️💼 #BuildInTheState #BlackTechSaturdays #MEDC #DiverseEntrepreneurs #InclusiveEconomy #MichiganTech #BIPOCInnovation #TOGETHERWECAN #strongertogether #champions