Civil Municipal Magazine - Nov 2023

19 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 11 because they guarantee that we have a level of expertise and knowledge that allows us to provide the best services to all those we represent.” Another area she feels that the IEDC adds membership value is the opportunities it affords members to volunteer and assist fellow members, especially at times of crisis. “First responders come in after hurricanes or earthquakes,” she explains, “and we come in shortly after that asking, ‘how do we assist in the community’s recovery? How do we restore self-sufficiency?’– like what we did in Louisiana and Puerto Rico. As an economic developer, it’s this constant giving and learning that makes working with the IEDC fulfilling on a professional and personal level.” On another front, Klementich acknowledges that the data the IEDC collects through its think-tank arm, Economic Development Research Partners (EDRP), and articles that it publishes in its industry publication, the Economic Development Journal, acts as a trendsetter in policy thought leadership. She adds, “Much of the research we collect at the community level provides insight into national trends allowing economic developers to proactively prepare their local economies.” One thing that has helped the IEDC remain relevant through the years is its evolution with changing economies and societies. Todd Greene is Executive Director at WorkRise and Institute Fellow at the Urban Institute, and he firmly believes this evolution is playing an especially critical role now. “Given rapid changes societal, technological, and economic changes, the importance of effective economic development much more acute,” he says. “Historically, local and national economies developed using a limited range of economic development tools, yet the complexity of modern economies and where growth has not been evenly spread suggests a greater and more intentional need to influence these outcomes for the betterment of communities. That means focusing more on inclusivity, especially of marginalized populations, and being a bridge across various economic development, workforce development, and community development partners in a way that provides prosperity for everyone.” Economic development as a profession has a relatively small footprint, which, as Finkle explains, is more a matter of market dynamics than an issue of initiative on the part of the IEDC. “As the IEDC, we work with universities to deliver our training courses, which are primarily continuing education courses for professionals. At the same time, we try to limit the number of courses available because we don’t want the profession saturated with qualified young people with nowhere to work.” Looking forward, Kucharski, Klementich, Greene, and Finkle each have a unique perspective of how they see the role of the IEDC and the broader economic development profession changing and evolving over the next three to five years. Kucharski sees the future as one that compels communities to become nimbler while embracing new technologies and forging better collaboration and relationships. He shares, “If the pandemic has done anything, it’s stripped away what wasn’t valuable to work on. The future of the economic development profession won’t be about chasing companies to move to your community but about OPENING LINES