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From The Ground Up: Feat. Bill Adams of Tennessee Valley Authority

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Bill Adams has been with TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) for over 12 years. He is a senior target market specialist for transportation-related manufacturing (OEMs), special projects and product development initiatives. Most notable has been the TVA Certified Megasites Program, which has contributed to the creation of approximately 6,000 direct jobs and $5.3 billion in capital investment. Bill is a team leader for TVA Economic Development’s Product Development Division, and serves as a primary target market specialist for large-scale projects, like OEM automotive assembly.

Before joining TVA Economic Development, Bill was employed with the Mississippi Development Authority from 1994 to 2003, serving as a recruitment specialist for the automotive industry.

Bill is a member of the International Economic Development Council and various state economic development councils and automotive manufacturer associations.

Bill is a graduate of Mississippi State University, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in political science and holds a Master’s degree in public policy and administration. Bill is also a graduate of the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute and is a certified economic and community developer.

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From The Ground Up: Feat. Beth Doughty of the Roanoke Regional Partnership

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Beth Doughty has been the executive director for the Roanoke Regional Partnership for over eight years. She manages a $1.2 million economic development program for a seven-locality, urban-suburban-rural region. Beth oversees a program of work designed to attract people, jobs, money and ideas to the region. Beth’s responsibilities include marketing strategy, connecting business with resources for expansion and location, organizational management and fundraising.

Prior to joining the Roanoke Regional Partnership, Beth was the president of the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce. Beth was responsible for the operations of the 1,400 member business organization with an annual budget of $1.1 million. Beth’s operating units included the small business development center, leadership development and governmental relations. Beth was also responsible for the management of $2 million in assets of nonprofit real estate development foundations. Beth managed the business political action committee and an organization of the region’s largest employers.

Beth has lectured on economic development at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Virginia Tech, Roanoke College and was a visiting lecturer for the Mellon Foundation in the Czech Republic.

Beth is a graduate of the University of Virginia and a past president and a cardinal of the Virginia Economic Developers Association.

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From The Ground Up: Feat. Greg Wathen of the Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana

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Greg HeadshotGreg Wathen serves as president and CEO of the Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana. Since March of 2007, his leadership has helped garner over $2.8 billion in investment, over 3,500 jobs and $74 million in state and federal grants for the region. In 2015, Greg’s collaborative efforts saw Indiana’s Great Southwest named one of Indiana’s first Regional Cities and being awarded $42 million in state funding to help create projects to attract talent to the region.

Not only has Greg helped create Southwest Indiana into a national brand, he has helped steer projects such as worldwide appliance giant Haier America to place its first research and development tech center in Evansville.

Prior to his work at the Coalition, Greg worked as the executive director for the Perry County Development Corporation and was public affairs manager for the Greater Louisville Economic Development Partnership.  He also managed the Greater Louisville Media Information Center, an independent news service bureau which assisted international, national and regional media in dealing with stories about the Greater Louisville area.  In 1999 and 2001, he was part of a five-member U.S. team who taught the first tertiary and advanced economic development courses in New Zealand.

A graduate of Indiana State University, Greg is accredited in Public Relations by the Public Relations Society of America and held the position of president for the Bluegrass Chapter of the PRSA. He is a past president and served on the board of directors of the Indiana Economic Development Association, a statewide economic development organization with more than 400 members.

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From The Ground Up: Feat. David Rumbarger of the Community Development Foundation of Tupelo, Mississippi

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David RumbargerDavid Rumbarger has over 30 years of economic development/existing industry and Chamber of Commerce management. Since August 2000, David has served as president and CEO of the Community Development Foundation of Tupelo, Mississippi. Under his leadership, Tupelo/Lee County has experienced exceptional growth. David’s most recent recruit, Grammer Inc. USA, employs 650 individuals. In December 2008, David successfully led a team to retain the 1,200 jobs at Cooper Tire and Rubber Plant. David played a pivotal role in locating Toyota’s Corolla Plant in North Mississippi; that plant now employs 2,000 with over one billion dollars of capital investment.

Previously, David worked for The Alabama Department of Community and Economic Affairs, the largest economic development agency in the state; North Carolina Power & Light and Energen.

Tupelo/Lee County ranked #4 in the nation for projects in 2015. David’s leadership was recognized in 2008 for the SEDC Project of the Year. He has received the designations of Top Ten Developer by Triangle Business Journal in 1997, Top 40 under 40 by Mississippi Business Journal in 1995, Hattiesburg Sales and Marketing Executive of the Year in 1995, Top Young Developers by Expansion Management Magazine in 1995 and Top 20 Area Development Partnership by Site Selection Magazine in 1994.

David graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Auburn University, holds a Master of Science in Economic Development from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Management Certificate from Duke University.

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From The Ground Up: Feat. Wade Goodsell of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

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Wade Goodsell is a Director of Business and Investment Attraction at the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, an organization that he has been with for the past 2 years. He leads the state’s site selection and corporate real estate outreach efforts in the recruitment of companies to Wisconsin, partnering extensively with local and regional economic development organizations as well as the Governor and Lt. Governor’s offices. Additionally, Wade serves as a single point of contact for site selectors and consultants alike, while also overseeing Wisconsin’s Certified Sites Program, which in its 5 years has drawn over $240M of capital investment into 8 of the state’s 15 certified development-ready sites.

Prior to Wade’s current position, he was Manager of Membership and Government Relations with the State Chamber of Commerce.

Wade is a member of the Wisconsin Economic Development Association, the International Economic Development Council, CoreNet’s Chicago Chapter, NAIOP, CARW and the Industrial Asset Management Council, where he serves as a volunteer on the Member Relations Committee.

Wade received his Bachelor of Arts degree in business marketing and leadership studies from Bethel University.

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From The Ground Up: Feat. Rob O’Brian of the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce

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Rob O'BrianRob O’Brian is the President of the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce, where he has focused on economic and community development for 21 years. Rob is well respected statewide as a visionary and a leader with enormous economic development success. Rob is known to bring big results to small and medium-sized markets that are mixed with rural and urban geographies.

Prior to joining the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce, Rob was the president of the Warsaw Area Chamber of Commerce, the vice president at Muncie Chamber of Commerce and a news director with WBST. He was also positioned as past-President of the Chamber of Commerce Executives of Missouri. Additionally, Rob O’Brian was a member of Governor Blunt’s State Government Reform Commission and was instrumental in writing the Enterprise Zone and Quality Jobs Act legislation.

His civic and business activities include President of the Joplin Business and Industrial Development Corporation and Vice-President of the Joplin Industrial Development Authority. He also serves on the regional Medical School Alliance and Connect2Culture boards. State-wide, Rob O’Brian is a current Board Member of the Hawthorne Foundation, the private-sector foundation supporting economic development. He is also a Board Member and Past-President of the Missouri Economic Development Council and a Board Member and Past-President of the Missouri Economic Development Financing Association.

Rob received his Bachelor of Science degree in telecommunications and journalism from Ball State University. Rob is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) through the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).

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From The Ground Up: Feat. Jerry Mallot of JAXUSA

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Jerry Mallot is executive vice president of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce and president of JAXUSA Partnership, formerly Cornerstone. Jerry directs a staff of 12 in the areas of business development, international, workforce and research. Jerry led the formation of a seven-county economic development program to expand high wage jobs in northeast Florida. During his tenure, Jacksonville has seen its greatest number of new and expanded companies, as well as new jobs created, in the city’s history.

Prior to coming to Jacksonville in January of 1994, Jerry was senior vice president of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce and executive director of the Tampa Bay Partnership, a six-county regional economic development program. Jerry served as Mayor Alvin Brown’s economic development advisor in 2011 and 2012.

Jerry is a member of the Executive Advisory Board of Jacksonville University School of Business, THE PLAYERS Council, Community Connections and the Gator Bowl Association. He is a past president of Leadership Jacksonville and the Florida Economic Development Council, as well as the World Trade Center Association of Florida. Jerry has served on the Board of Enterprise Florida, the Florida Association of Colleges and Universities, Visit Jacksonville and the World Affairs Council.  He has been named the Economic Development Professional of the Year in both Florida and Kansas. He has won awards such as the Northeast Florida Business Hall of Fame, Ultimate CEO by Jacksonville Business Journal and Florence Davis Community Achievement Award from Community Connections.

Jerry received a Bachelor’s degree in business and a Master’s degree in economics from Wichita State University. Jerry has also earned the Certified Economic Developer and Certified Chamber Executive designations.

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From The Ground Up: Feat. Brett Doney of the Great Falls Development Authority

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Brett DoneyBrett Doney has 29 years of experience in community economic development and public/private partnerships. As President and CEO of the Great Falls Development Authority in Montana, Brett is responsible for implementing the organization’s strategic plan, marketing the Great Falls region, managing the staff team and strengthening relationships with investors and partners.

Prior to joining Great Falls Development Authority, Brett was president of Enterprise Maine. Brett is the past director of the International Economic Development Council, the treasurer at NeighborWorks Great Falls, the director of Montana Economic Development Association and the past president of the Great Falls Rotary Club. Brett has earned his Certified Economic Developer credentials and a CoreNet Global Senior Leader Corporate Real Estate (SLCR).

Brett received his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of California, Santa Barbara, his Masters of Public Policy in business government relationships from Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government and his Economic Development Institute degree from the University of Oklahoma.

 

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From The Ground Up: Feat. Rodrick Miller of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation

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Rod MillerRodrick Miller is a results-oriented leader with over 10 years of experience in economic development, strategic planning, trade and foreign investment, and project finance. He is respected globally for his ability to maneuver in extraordinarily complex political and business environments, and craft strategies and structure deals to provide long-term value to communities and investors.

Currently, Rod is serving as President & CEO of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC). As CEO of DEGC, Rod is firmly committed to enhancing strategies and programs that are aggressive and effective, thoughtful and focused, and that play to the inherent strengths of the local market. Previously, Rod served as the founding president and CEO of the New Orleans Business Alliance (NOLABA), the official economic development organization responsible for ensuring the long-term economic vitality and driving job growth for the City of New Orleans. In that role, his team was responsible for nearly $900M in new private sector investment and over 7,500 new jobs. Prior to that position, Rod served as the Executive Vice President of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber where he managed day-to-day operations, developed strategic initiatives, and helped deliver on the firm’s $20M capital campaign. He has held other roles in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

Rodrick holds a Master of Public Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a Bachelor of Science degree in international business from St. Augustine’s College. He also earned a Graduate Diploma in Finance from the Monterrey Institute of Technology (ITESM) as a Fulbright Fellow.

A scholar practitioner, he is a sought after lecturer and contributes to various publications. He is a term member of US Council on Foreign Relations, is a board member of the International Economic Development Council, and sits on the Federal Reserve Board’s Community Advisory Council. Rod has received numerous accolades including Ebony Magazine’s 30 under 30, Phoenix Business Journal’s Top 40 under Forty, Top 100 Tech Influencers in the Silicon Bayou, Young Economic Developer of the Year by the International Economic Development Council, and numerous others. He enjoys playing the piano, reading, and spending time with his son. Rod is fluent in Spanish and proficient in Portuguese.

 

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From The Ground Up: Feat. Jonathan Sangster of Georgia Power

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Jonathan SangsterJonathan Sangster serves as general manager of economic development for Georgia Power. Jonathan is responsible for business recruitment and support services for the strategic location decision process. Jonathan’s team of statewide project managers assist in the location, expansion or start-up of businesses wishing to invest in Georgia, helping companies identify potential communities, buildings and sites throughout the state. Support services include engineering evaluation and analysis of sites, as well as preliminary site design and industrial park development. Custom mapping capabilities, industry-specific research and demographic data provide additional project support. Jonathan is also responsible for the Georgia Resource Center, a world renowned multimedia facility for assistance with strategic location decisions.

Before joining the Economic Development team in January 2013, Jonathan was the senior managing director at CBRE Consulting, a nationally recognized business location and site selection firm. In that role, Jonathan led a consulting team that helped clients find “best fit” locations for corporate headquarters relocations, customer care operations, manufacturing, distribution and research and development operations.

Jonathan is a member of the Georgia Economic Developers Association, Industrial Asset Management Council and the Utility Economic Development Association. Jonathan also serves as a Working Partner with Georgia Allies, the state’s public-private collaborative marketing initiative.

Jonathan holds a Bachelor’s in civil engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Master’s in Business Administration from Georgia State University. He is an active volunteer at Dunwoody Baptist Church and enjoys tennis, softball, music and drama.

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