President, Regional Economic Development Incorporated (REDI).
Job description: As REDI’s president, I partner with our board, investors, clients, and staff to assist in fostering a vibrant business environment focused on creating quality job opportunities that support upward economic mobility for residents of Columbia and Boone County. REDI’s efforts support our strategic pillars of attracting new businesses, expanding existing businesses, and growing start-ups.
Professional background: I’ve spent the eight years prior to joining REDI at Missouri’s Department of Economic Development (DED) in a variety of leadership roles, from project managing our “Best in Midwest” initiative to spearheading our strategy development efforts to helping instill a values-driven culture. I treasured collaborating with committed, high-caliber leaders focused on driving Missouri’s business, community, and workforce development. Prior to DED, I spent time at a for-profit start-up in Arizona and worked in St. Louis’s nonprofit sector before that.
Hometown: St. Louis. I spent my formative years, teens and 20s, in the St. Louis area.
Years lived in Columbia: 8
Why you are passionate about your job: Economic development starts and ends at the local and regional level. I feel I have an opportunity to leverage my experience and relationships gained by working at the state level to help drive Columbia and Boone County’s economic growth. And REDI has a strong reputation; I’m excited to partner with committed stakeholders who make the region so vibrant. I’m also passionate about my job because Columbia has been home for my family since 2017. We have a stake in our community’s success.
If you weren’t doing this for a living, you would be … Chasing snowstorms, probably in the lake-effect snow belts of the Great Lakes area. I grew up wanting to be a meteorologist. But, alas, sunny days are a little boring for me!
Tell us something that people might not understand about your job, or maybe about economic development in general: Economic development is a team sport. It’s everyone’s job. We count on our business leaders to build profitable companies that offer jobs. These companies sell and buy products and services to and from other companies so they can grow. In turn, they invest and employ more people.
We need our elected leaders and government employees to make our community an efficient and predictable place to do business. But it goes far beyond that. Our schools, colleges, and universities are preparing the next generation for the workforce. Businesses also need reliable energy, sewer, water, internet, and transportation networks to conduct business. They also need communities that are safe and filled with quality-of-life amenities like parks, enjoyable neighborhoods, and entertainment options. If you touch one of these areas, you’re an economic developer. Our job at REDI is to partner with and support you.
There’s a variety of opinions about offering incentives to attract new businesses or to expand existing businesses. Boone County can offer Chapter 100 bond financing for property tax abatement that REDI plays a significant role in. What do you say to those who oppose such incentives? Communities in every state are fiercely competing for jobs and investment. Incentives can be a critical tool to attract new employers or help existing employers retain and expand high-quality jobs for Columbia and Boone County residents. In Missouri and Boone County, the Chapter 100 process gives our community a shot at winning larger projects, where the jobs created benefit Boone County residents.
The projects that utilize our local incentive program typically come with hundreds of living-wage jobs and significant capital investment, sometimes more than $100M. Boone County’s incentive approval process is known as one of Missouri’s most rigorous and allows all taxing entities a seat at the table.
The big challenges facing your industry: Infrastructure and workforce are big issues. We need to ensure that as Columbia/Boone County grows, there are development-ready sites with reliable infrastructure — these are industrial essentials like energy, water, and roads — available to continue to attract the types of employment opportunities and investment that the community desires.
We are also fortunate that Columbia and Boone County have growing populations and that our educational institutions prepare residents for in-demand jobs. We will need to leverage these strengths given the larger workforce aging trends and as companies continue to automate and update their technology and processes.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in my field: Prepared communities win. These communities look like overnight success stories, but it’s almost always because of stakeholders’ sustained effort over many years. Columbia is one of those communities in our state. Our community had the foresight to make strategic site development investments that helped lay the groundwork for major employers like Principe Foods, Aurora Organic Dairy, and more in recent years. Columbia also had the foresight to invest in a new airport terminal that will no doubt serve as a key economic driver in mid-Missouri for years to come.
Greatest strength: I take pride in listening to others’ viewpoints and treating people with respect and kindness, especially under stressful circumstances or when there are fundamental disagreements.
Your greatest challenge: My instinct is to be of service to all people. But that’s an impossible task and can take away time from what’s most important. I try to live by the maxim, “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.” This is easier said than done!
What you do for fun: There’s nothing I love more than cheering on my kids at their soccer games. I also enjoy playing basketball with my buddies who seem to fit the “former high school athlete turned middle-aged” demographic pretty well. I’m a terrible shooter but a pesky defender!
Who makes up your family: My wife Kim and kids Asher (11) and Millie (9). The family favorite, of course, is our dog, Brisket. Apparently Brisket thinks he’s entitled to my spot in bed.
Accomplishment you are most proud of: Project-managing the state Department of Economic Development’s (DED) Best in Midwest initiative in 2018. We conducted research, engaged the state’s stakeholders, and spearheaded an important reorganization of DED to help us transition from a large, unfocused economic development agency to a streamlined agency ready to help Missouri’s businesses, communities, and workers prosper.
Most people don’t know that you: I get embarrassingly queasy around anything body or health-related, which is odd since my wife is in the medical field. I’ve fainted multiple times. I even passed out while driving home after an in-car COVID test back in early 2021. Lesson learned: pull over as soon as I feel a twinge of light-headedness!
