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2026 Summit Series: Chicago

Agenda

Day One

3:00-6:00 P.M. | Afternoon Sessions

•  Introductions

•  Roundtable Discussion
•  One-on-Ones

6:00-8:00 P.M. | Dinner

Day Two

8:00-11:00 A.M. | Morning Sessions

•  Breakfast

•  Roundtable Discussion

•  One-on-Ones

Economic Developers

William P Murphy

President & CEO

Alma Mater: Wright State University

Interest(s): Traveling, Ohio State University, Buckeyes

Region: South Central Oklahoma

 

William (Bill) Murphy is the President & CEO of the Ardmore Chamber of Commerce, Ardmore Development Authority, Ardmore Tourism Authority, and the Ardmore Chamber of Commerce Foundation. He has over 20 years of experience leading economic development efforts in communities and regions in Ohio, Georgia, Kansas, and Oklahoma.

Bill Wadsworth

Principal Growth Project Manager

Alma Mater: Ferris State University

Interest(s): Enjoying Pure Michigan: Fly Fishing, Golf, and Hunting

Region: All counties in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan

Notable Employers:

• Pfizer (Pharmaceuticals)
• General Motors (Automotive) • Dow Chemical (Plastics, Chemicals, and Agricultural Products)


Bill joined Consumers Energy in 2001. In his 25+ years with Consumers Energy, Bill has been a Technical Designer, Account Manager, and currently in Economic Development. Consumers Energy is Michigan’s largest energy provider, the fourth largest combination natural gas and electric utility in the United States, and the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS). The company provides natural gas and/or electric service to 6.7 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

Brandt Herndon

Chief Executive Officer

Alma Mater: University of Georgia

Notable Employers:

• Georgia Pacific
• Sewon Industries
• Edwards Interiors


Chief Executive Officer for the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority (ECIDA), Brandt Herndon is responsible for the development and implementation of business development and business retention action plans, as well as the oversight of long term financial planning, land development strategies, and marketing initiatives. Brandt has a wealth of experience in commercial and industrial real estate, having served as the executive vice president of Apple Realty, where he was responsible for sales, leasing, property management and development. He also held positions at the Georgia Department of Economic Development, as well as Electric Cities of Georgia where he was an economic development project manager. Brandt came to the ECIDA from the Savannah Economic Development Authority, where he served as the vice president of business development for over 7 years.

Caitlin Boarder

Economic Development Project Manager

Alma Mater: Arizona State University (Bachelors), Western Governors University (Masters)

Interest(s): Reading, video games, movies & TV, walking/hiking

Region: Town of Gilbert, Arizona

Notable Employers:

• Northrop Grumman – Satellite manufacturing (Aerospace and Defense)
• Deloitte – US Delivery Center (Professional Services)
• Silent Aire – US Headquarters (Manufacturing)
• Corning (Optical Fiber Cable Manufacturing)


As an Economic Development Project Manager, Caitlin helps drive business growth in Gilbert, Arizona by cultivating new business development opportunities, supporting local companies, and managing a portfolio of economic development projects.

Diana Velazquez

Vice President of Economic Development

Alma Mater: Texas A&M

Interest(s): Outdoors, food, and dogs

Region: DFW Metroplex-Irving

Notable Employers:

• McKesson (Healthcare)
• Verizon (Technology)
• Caterpillar (Manufacturing)


Diana Velazquez is responsible for the daily operations of the Irving Economic Development Partnership (IEDP). Most recently, Diana’s efforts produced exceptional results with over 3.8 million square feet of commercial space added, $571 million in capital investments and 2,051 new jobs in FY 2024-2025. The “wins” include 51 corporate relocations and retentions, 9 corporate headquarters, and two foreign-based companies.

Jason Giulietti

President & CEO

Alma Mater: University of Connecticut – Undergraduate and Graduate degrees

Interest(s): Following my son around the country with travel baseball, getting to play golf when I can, enjoy travelling and spending time with my family and friends.

Region: Central South Carolina (Calhoun, Clarendon, Fairfield, Kreshaw, Lexington, Newberry, Orangeburg and Richland Counties as well as the Capital City of Columbia)

Notable Employers:

• University of South Carolina (Education)
• Scout Motors (VW EV OEM) (Automotive Manufacturing)
• Blue Cross Blue Shield (Insurance)


Lead an eight county regional economic development organization in Central South Carolina. Our team focused on enhancing the lives of our residents through better economic opportunities. I have been in economic development for 22 years leading highly performing teams. Before South Carolina, I ran a regional EDO in Central Texas where we achieved unprecedented growth during my tenure as well as recognized as Economic Development Organization of the Year in 2022. Have also been twice named Top 50 Economic Developer by Consultant Connect.

John Lummus

President/CEO

Alma Mater: Wake Forest University (Bachelors), University of South Carolina (Masters)

John Lummus serves as the President & CEO for the Upstate SC Alliance. In this role, he is responsible for driving the overall direction of the Alliance as well as developing relationships and supporting collaboration throughout the region. Prior to his current position at the Upstate SC Alliance, Lummus served as vice president of Economic and Institutional Advancement at Tri-County Technical College, a position he held for eight years. Lummus also served as director of the Anderson County Office of Economic Development and worked to recruit new industry while supporting existing industry throughout the county. A native of Anderson, John is a graduate of Wake Forest University and received his master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of South Carolina (USC). He is also a graduate of the South Carolina Economic Developer’s School, USC’s Higher Education Leadership Program, and the national Executive Leadership Institute conducted by the League for Innovation in Community Colleges. In May of 2015, John received his SCCED (South Carolina Certified Economic Developer) certification.

 

Jonathan Coleman

President & CEO

Alma Mater: Clemson University

Interest(s): Golf, fishing, & Clemson Tigers

Region: Upstate, SC

Notable Employers:

• ZF Transmission | Automotive
• Wal-Mart Distribution | Distribution
• Yanfang | Automotive


Jonathan Coleman currently serves as the President & CEO of the Laurens County, SC Development Corporation(LCDC). He has been with the LCDC since 2008, and prior to that, he worked in the Anderson County, SC Economic Development Office. Prior to his 18 years in economic development, he was a 2006 graduate of Clemson University. He was named one of North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers by Consultant Connect in 2021.

Marc Valenzuela

Senior Economic Development Project Manager

Alma Mater: Arizona State University

Interest(s): Camping, Off-roading, Traveling, Outdoor Adventures

Region: Central Arizona including Greater Phoenix

Notable Employers:

•Intel (Semiconductor)
• Dutch Bros (Headquarters)
• Dexcom (Healthcare)
• Boeing (Aerospace and Defense)
• LG Energy Solutions (Battery/Energy Storage)


Marc Valenzuela is the Senior Project Manager with Salt River Project’s Economic Development team, leading strategic initiatives that strengthen Greater Phoenix’s economic competitiveness and support business growth across Central Arizona. With 13 years of economic development experience spanning SRP, the City of Mesa, and Arizona State University, he collaborates with business, community, and regional leaders to attract investment, drive expansion opportunities, and advance long-term economic prosperity. Marc holds a Master of Public Administration and a bachelor’s degree in Public Service and Public Policy from Arizona State University.

Megan Lucas

CEO & Chief Economic Development Officer

Alma Mater: Culver Stockton College University of Memphis

Interest(s): Golf, reading, Steelers, door knob collection

Region: Lynchburg MSA: City of Lynchburg and the Counties of Appomattox, Amherst, Bedford & Campbell

Notable Employers:

• BWX Technologies (Nuclear) • Liberty University (Higher Education)
• Abbott Nutrition (Nutrition)

Megan is a seasoned community and economic development professional. Her career in the industry spans more than 20 years and includes the states of Tennessee, Nebraska and Virginia. Megan is currently the CEO and Chief Economic Development Officer at the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance the region’s chamber of commerce and economic development leader. She is charged with leading the work of the Alliance, focusing on regional job creation and capital investment.

Paul Simpson

Director of Business Retention and Expansion

Alma Mater: TCU

Region: High Ground of Texas

Notable Employers:

• Bell Helicopter | Aerospace & Aviation
• Cacique Foods | Food Processing & Manufacturing
• Producer Owned Beef | Food Processing & Manufacturing
• Albers Aerospace | Aerospace & Aviation


Paul serves as a liaison between the public and private sectors- working closely with local employers, civic leaders, and regional stakeholders to identify challenges, uncover opportunities, and implement solutions that promote job creation and capital investment. Prior to joining the Amarillo EDC, he served as a Constituent Service Representative, then Deputy District Director, for the Office of Congressman Mac Thornberry for a combined total of 20 years. Paul received a bachelor’s degree from TCU, a Master’s Degree from St. Thomas University, and an MBA from West Texas A&M University.

Riley Lukomski

Senior Director of Economic Development

Alma Mater: Western Michigan University

Interest(s): All Sports & Hiking

Region: Southwest Michigan (Kalamazoo, Berrien, Van Buren, Cass, Calhoun, Branch, and St. Joseph Counties)

Notable Employers:

• Ford (Automotive EV Battery Manufacturing)
• Pfizer (Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing)
• Stryker |(Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing)


Riley enthusiastically markets the attractive assets of Southwest Michigan to corporate location decision makers, particularly in the life sciences, advanced manufacturing, and precision agricultural industries. As an equal lover of data and nuance he is fascinated by the art vs. science relationship in site selection. Previously, Riley served as the executive director for the Montgomery County Action Council in Kansas and as an Economic Development Manager for Market van Buren which is also in Southwest Michigan.

Shannon Ogletree

Executive Director

Alma Mater: University of West Florida

Interest(s): Alabama Crimson Tide Hiking Gambling — Roulette and Craps Love to cook

Region: Northwest Florida

Notable Employers:

• Gulf Cable (Food Manufacturing)
• AppRiver (Cyber)
• Pepsi Distributor (Warehouse/transportation)


Involved in Economic Development for 25 years, the job is my passion. I am the Executive Director for Santa Rosa County, FL Economic Development Office, we are managing over $60M in grants. I have 2 industrial parks wrapping up construction and 2 industrial parks starting construction by end of Summer 2024. We have four parks near Interstate 10 in the Florida Western Region with one additional industrial/aviation park located adjacent to NAS Whiting Field which has runway access.

Susan Proctor

Senior Site Selector Engagement Director, Market Growth & Business Attraction

Alma Mater: Michigan State University

Interest(s): Music, travel, and riding her Harley

Region: Michigan

Notable Employers:

• General Motors (Mobility/Automotive Manufacturing)
• Whirlpool (Appliance Design and Manufacturing)
• Ford (Mobility/Automotive Manufacturing)


Susan has more than 25 years of experience with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) including key leadership roles in marketing, communications, and international business development. In her current role, she leads the development and execution of site selector engagement strategy in collaboration with regional economic development partners throughout the state. She studied at the Catholic University in Washington D.C and holds a BA from Michigan State University. Susan is also recognized as a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) through the IEDC.

Site Consultants

Agnes Cikowska-Teczar

Director

Alma Mater: DePaul University and The University of Texas, Dallas

Interest(s): Collecting old maps, hiking, road trips, and reading

Focus Industries:

• General Site Selection
• GIS
• Footprint Optimization
• Economic Development Consulting
• Industrial Site Discovery


Agnes Cikowska-Teczar serves as a Director within Newmark’s Global Strategy group, a specialized practice in the firm’s Occupier Services division. She brings a decade of expertise in geographic information sciences, advanced spatial analytics, site selection, and economic development. Throughout her career, Agnes has partnered with global organizations to enhance value creation and mitigate risk in complex corporate location strategy decisions. Her core areas of specialization include global market identification and analysis, facility site selection, land readiness assessments, industrial site discovery, workforce and labor market analytics, real estate portfolio optimization, and strategic economic development advisory. She also provides deep insight into transportation and commuting optimization, and supporting growth strategies across the industrial, energy, and critical infrastructure sectors. Agnes is a recognized leader in cartographic design and map-driven storytelling, translating complex data into compelling visual narratives that inform high-stakes site selection decisions. She collaborates closely with C-suite executives worldwide, delivering strategic guidance that aligns location decisions with broader business objectives. Prior to joining Newmark, Agnes was a Senior GIS Analyst at Granite Construction, where she led diverse geospatial initiatives spanning energy, transportation, and human resources. She also contributed to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, developing analytical tools to help identify geographic patterns of potential fraud. Earlier in her career, she interned with a Vice President of the European Parliament, where she analyzed public perceptions of European Union and United States policies. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Agnes has held leadership roles on multiple boards, including map societies and cultural women’s organizations.

Alex Frei

Executive Vice President

Alma Mater: Bradley University and Northern Illinois University

 

Alex Frei is an executive vice president of the Location Incentives Group at CBRE, and a trusted advisor in the areas of tax credits and incentives, site selection, and economic development. He focuses on all aspects of site selection with an emphasis on location strategy and the identification, negotiation, documentation, and administration of state and local government incentives. Alex is a big-picture thinker who adds value through his multicultural experience, deep expertise in real estate brokerage, and perceptive insights on the relocation decision. He is widely recognized by the major economic development agencies as one of the top site selectors and incentives negotiators in the United States. Having negotiated over 5 billion dollars in state and local incentives packages for his clients, Alex knows what it takes to service high-stakes clients, handle complex negotiations, and maximize outcomes for his clients. Leveraging his background in engineering and sales, Alex brings meticulous attention to detail to each project, delivering results across a broad spectrum of industries. Known for his objective, problem-solving approach, he excels in identifying pain points, understanding the key site selection criteria and incentives opportunities, preparing the most relevant business case for state and local agencies, and minimizing the financial burden that can accompany change. By virtue of his living and working in the U.S., Germany, and Mexico, Alex has shaped a global mindset, sharpened his communication skills, and experienced a great deal of personal growth that fuels his creativity and effectiveness in business. He expands his thought leadership through his writing, having authored numerous articles in trade journals, and through media contribution, having been referenced in the WSJ, Forbes, CNBC, MSNBC, and CNN.

Alex Miller

Manager, Client Services

Alma Mater: Indiana University

Interest(s): Sports, travel, auto racing

Focus Industries:

• General site selection
• Incentives


Alex Miller is a Manager of Client Services at KSM Location Advisors, specializing in site selection and economic incentives negotiations that help companies achieve strategic growth and long-term success. A former Business Development Director with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, he has led projects generating over $1 billion in investment. Alex brings deep expertise in tax incentives and grant programs and works with clients across industries including manufacturing, life sciences, technology, and supply chain.

Bhargava Kotapalli

Workforce Analytics Consultant

Brad Migdal

Executive Managing Director

Alma Mater: University of Wisconsin

Interest(s): Golf and Travel

Focus Industries:

• Food & beverage processing
• Life science
• Pharma
• Biotech
• Manufacturing
• Renewable Energy
• Battery/EV


Brad focuses on strategic consulting, specializing in business incentives and industrial site selection. He has experience in corporate site selection, energy analysis, real estate due diligence, tax due diligence, prospective state tax benefits, with a focus on credits and incentives. Prior to joining Cushman & Wakefield, Brad worked at Transwestern and was also the managing director for global corporate services at Newmark. Brad is passionate about politics and social services. He supports Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy (CURE).

Carol Henderson

Managing Director

Alma Mater: Indiana University

Interest(s): Spin Cycle, Interval Training

Focus Industries:

• General Site Selection
• Incentives


Carol is a Managing Director in Deloitte’s National Multistate practice, and a trusted advisor in the areas of tax credits and incentives, site selection, and economic development. She focuses on the identification, negotiation, securing, and administration of state and local government incentives. She has over 20 years of experience securing business incentives for a variety of clients across various industries. Carol experience working in state and local government and commercial real estate enables her to view the C&I process from a different lens for both the client and governmental entities. She is known for her approach of negotiating incentives strategically and methodically by leveraging her keen understanding of what is important to the state and local officials when discussing incentives and creating a win-win environment for all parties involved. She has assisted her client’s government relations teams with understanding the political landscape at the state and local level as well as coordinating meetings with state and local officials. Carol has assisted various clients in identifying and securing incentives across the U.S with extensive experience with state and local incentive programs in the Southeast and Southwest regions of the U.S. Carol’s work includes, but is not limited to, assisting clients with the following types of projects: manufacturing, E-commerce fulfillment center, warehouse/distribution, green energy/renewables, general administrative back office and financial services data processing center.

Eric Levenhagen

Senior Manager - National Business Credits & Incentives

Alma Mater: Indiana University, BA in Marketing – Kelley School of Business (Received CEcD through University of Oklahoma Economic Development Certification Program)

Interest(s): Puzzles/Sports/Travel

Focus Industries:

• General Site Selection
• Incentives


Eric brings more than 20 years of economic development experience to his role as a senior manager with the firm’s state and local tax practice. He consults with clients on expansion plans to help identify and secure available credits and incentives. He serves a broad range of industry sectors including manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and service companies. Prior to joining RSM, Eric was a senior project manager for the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) Business Development team. During his seven years at the IEDC, he helped secure approximately 10,000 new job commitments on over 80 project acceptances.

Gerrit Ahlers

Director, Consulting & Corporate Development Services

Alma Mater: University of Bremen

Focus Industries:

• General site selection


Gerrit heads the consulting department of German American Chamber of Commerce. As a one-stop-shop, he and his team support companies in market entry and expansion strategies, market research, site selection, mergers and acquisitions, debt collection and recruitment of personnel in the U.S., as well as in setting up a virtual office. Furthermore, Gerrit?s department is responsible for the support and organization of industry-specific delegation trips, assists in the search for business partners and implementing sales structures and offers intercultural coaching. Prior to joining German American Chamber of Commerce, Gerrit held a senior role with a mid-sized management consulting firm, where he was responsible for establishing and expanding the U.S. office.

Jason Lake

Executive Managing Director, Total Workplace

Alma Mater: Indiana University

Focus Industries:

• General Site Selection
• Incentives


Prior to Cushman and Wakefield, Jason Lake has had over 20 years of experience in the credits and incentives industry. Jason’s clients regularly monetize benefits over market. He achieves this by identifying unique client fact patterns, technical nuance, strategic contingencies, and alternative reporting positions. He applies this approach throughout the incentive life-cycle, from initial opportunity evaluation through reporting, utilization, and audit. As an example, he responded to client tax credit absorption challenges by pioneering in-house tax credit syndication in 2005. Jason has negotiated on behalf of corporate headquarters, call and service centers, R&D centers, and manufacturing and distribution facilities. In addition, he has extensive experience negotiating and structuring real estate development projects, either stand alone or as part of corporate occupier projects. Industries served include finance and insurance, technology, retail, auto/ supplier, pharmaceutical, power, and food, among others.

Jonathan Gemmen

Senior Director

Alma Mater: Calvin University

Interest(s): Paddleboarding, swimming, golf, pickleball, gardening, camping, and fatherhood

Focus Industries:

• General site selection
• Food processing
• Rail-served manufacturers


As a Senior Director with Austin Consulting, Jonathan Gemmen has led multiple successful site location projects for his clients’ new industrial facilities. His background in real estate development and extensive knowledge in evaluating sites across the United States enables him to be a subject matter expert in property evaluation and investigation, as well as transportation and utility analysis. Jonathan has over 25 years of industry experience. He is practiced in managing multiple long-term advisory contracts, including two with Class I railroads. Before joining Austin Consulting in 2007, Jonathan worked in business recruitment in Orlando, Florida, where he served on the board of the Manufacturer’s Association of Central Florida. Jonathan started his career in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina in economic development and real estate development.

Kevin Nesburg

Site Strategy Manager

Alma Mater: Kalamazoo College

Interest(s): Eating, travel, and writing

Focus Industries:

• General Site Selection
• Industrial


Kevin works as the Site Strategy Manager at AECOM. Kevin has previously worked as a Managing Director at Newmark, as well as a Business Analyst in Strategic Consulting at Computerized Facility Integration LLC.

Kyle Syers

Senior Manager

Alma Mater: Indiana University (MPA) and Missouri State University (BS)

Interest(s): Travel & Food

Focus Industries:

• General Site Selection
• Incentives
• Industrial
• Office
• Life Sciences


Kyle Syers is a Senior Manager with Biggins Lacy Shapiro & Company, a boutique site selection and public incentives advisory firm. Kyle has been based out of the firm’s Chicago office since 2015, advising companies and adding strategic value in their corporate location decisions. Kyle works in the firm’s site selection and incentive advisory practices, leading projects from initial conception and site selection through incentives’ transactions and compliance reporting. His site selection engagements include headquarters, office, R&D, and industrial projects for the firm’s portfolio of Fortune 500 and mid-market clients. Most recently, Kyle has served as location and incentives advisor to a multitude of biopharmaceutical and life sciences companies including support of the global portfolio of manufacturing and R&D facilities for Eli Lilly and Company which have resulted in over $20.6 billion in new capital investments and 4,000 new jobs announced since 2020. His other announced life sciences clients include Johnson & Johnson, Bristol Myers-Squibb, Biogen, LabCorp, Schott Pharma, Gusmer Enterprises, Sana Biotechnology, Cellectis, and Blue Rock Therapeutics.

Mark Urbanowicz

Executive Managing Director

Alma Mater: University of Maryland, College Park

Interest(s): Biking, football, soccer, the outdoors

Focus Industries:

• General Site Selection
• Tenant Portfolio services


Mark has 27 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry, gaining him significant expertise in transactions, acquisitions, dispositions, lease advisory, cost reduction, monetizing assets, portfolio planning, management and exit strategies. Mark helps clients solve a broad range of complex real estate challenges through his in-depth understanding of local, national market and financial analytics. Mark has advised a diverse client base, from Fortune 500 companies to local groups and develops custom solutions for each on a deal-by-deal basis. Throughout his career, Mark has saved his clients over $250 million.

Minah Hall

Principal

Alma Mater: University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Loyola University School of Law

Interest(s): Running, snow skiing
Focus Industries:
• General Site Selection
• Facility Identification
• Incentives


Minah has 20 years of site selection experience with distribution and manufacturing facilities, data centers, back office/call center operations, retailers and corporate headquarter relocations. Prior to starting Compass Key Site Solutions, Minah was Managing Director at a boutique tax consulting firm, True Partners Consulting, as well as a manager at two Big Four public accounting firms in Chicago. Minah participates in state-sponsored focus groups aiding the development of the jurisdictions’ incentives programs and is a frequent speaker at numerous site selection related conferences.

Scott Kupperman

Founder

Alma Mater: Tulane University University of Miami (FL)

Interest(s): Soccer, travel, fitness and college football
Focus Industries:
• Food & beverage processing


Scott formed Kupperman Location Services (KLS), a corporate consulting entity providing site selection and associated facility-acquisition services across the U.S., in 2011. KLS focuses on providing services designed to maximize the long-term value of a well-informed facility location decision. He has a history of serving clients with a variety of product types with specific manufacturing and distribution needs, including many in the food industry.