The SEDC Podcast

Hosted by The Southern Economic Development Council

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Episodes

121

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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About the show

The official Podcast of the Southern Economic Development Council. Tune in for fun, informative, and sometimes off-the-wall conversations with #AmericanSouth leaders.

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60 recent

September 11, 2026Episode 1732 min

LIVE from #SEDC2026 in Bonita Springs, Florida | Tim Gibbs & Jason El Koubi

Live from the final day of the 2026 Southern Economic Development Council Annual Conference in Bonita Springs, Florida, host Ray Methvin sits down with two leaders examining economic development through the lenses of scholarly research and statewide execution. First, Ray talks with Tim Gibbs, CEO of Four Corners Economic Development. Tim discusses his newly completed doctorate and dissertation, which examine workforce participation rates in northeastern Kentucky. Drawing on human capital theory, social capital theory, and economic self-sufficiency, Tim breaks down what happens when legacy industrial, rail, and corporate headquarters leave a region, the structural barriers that keep working-age citizens on the sidelines, and how his Workforce Participation Framework helps practitioners align local policy with human reality. Next, Ray welcomes Jason El Koubi, President and CEO of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP). Recognized nationally as a top-three state for business by CNBC, Virginia has built an enduring economic development model centered on nonpartisan governance, cross-regional collaboration, and deep local partnerships. Jason highlights the Commonwealth's surging sectors, including aerospace, defense, advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing, and the underlying energy and digital infrastructure driving the next generation of regional growth. The SEDC Podcast is sponsored by Insyteful.

September 9, 2026Episode 1618 min

LIVE from #SEDC2026 in Bonita Springs, Florida | Pam Armstrong & Ted Abernathy

Live from the 2026 Southern Economic Development Council Annual Conference in Bonita Springs, Florida, host Ray Methvin speaks with two economic development leaders, addressing regional growth, site preparation, and the shifting competitive landscape. First, Ray is joined by Pam Armstrong, Director of Economic Development for the Bedford County, Virginia Office of Economic Development. Located between Roanoke and Lynchburg, Bedford County leverages a regional labor shed of over 500,000 workers. Pam discusses the community’s leadership as America's conveyor manufacturing hub, major wins including a 100% American-made solar manufacturer, the development of shovel-ready Tier 4 and Tier 5 industrial sites, and targeted workforce programs designed to credential students for high-demand technical careers. Next, Ray sits down with Ted Abernathy, Managing Partner at Economic Leadership LLC. Drawing on four decades in economic policy, Ted previews his conference keynote focusing on why the historic advantages that fueled Southern growth over the past 50 years- lower costs and rapid processes- are no longer enough on their own. Ted breaks down how emerging technology, research commercialization, national defense assets, and policy changes across competitor states require economic developers to lead with proactive foresight, not complacency. The SEDC Podcast is sponsored by Insyteful.

September 7, 2026Episode 1529 min

LIVE from #SEDC2026 in Bonita Springs, Florida | Kevin Johnson & Mike Mullis

Live from the 2026 Southern Economic Development Council Annual Conference in Bonita Springs, Florida, host Ray Methvin sits down with two key leaders shaping economic development across the region. First, Ray speaks with Kevin Johnson, Senior Director of Marketing and Sales Enablement at H.J. Russell & Company and Chairman of the SEDC Communications Committee. Kevin shares how H.J. Russell approaches affordable housing, aviation infrastructure, and community-centered building across the country. He also dives into the creative strategy behind SEDC’s quarterly newsletter and why active committee involvement is the single best path for professional networking in the organization. Later, Ray is joined by Mike Mullis, President of J.M. Mullis, Inc. and the longest-serving member of SEDC. Drawing on decades of global site selection experience, Mike offers candid perspectives on the current data center moratoriums, the rise of community college and technical training programs to rebuild the manufacturing pipeline, and why economic developers must bring total flexibility and local leadership to the table to win major capital investment projects. The SEDC Podcast is sponsored by Insyteful.

September 4, 2026Episode 1427 min

LIVE from #SEDC2026 in Bonita Springs, Florida | Matt Drinen, Lee Anderson, Maureen Carpenter

Recorded live from the 2026 SEDC Annual Conference in Bonita Springs, Florida, host Ray Methvin sits down with three industry leaders sharing tools and strategies to drive regional growth. First, Matt Drennan, Co-Founder of Impact Marketplace, breaks down how communities and businesses leverage New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) to close funding gaps, incentivize manufacturing and reshoring, and support emerging initiatives like affordable for-sale housing. Next, Lee Anderson, Vice President of Customer Success at Localintel, discusses how dynamic web visualizations, curated data platforms, and responsible AI guardrails help economic development organizations communicate their value proposition and streamline project responses. Rounding out the episode, Maureen Carpenter, President and CEO of the Glasgow-Barren County Industrial Development Authority, shares recent success stories from Kentucky, including major capital investments, the South Cooper Industrial Park expansion, and key lessons in navigating foreign direct investment with international companies. Together, these conversations offer valuable insights on securing project financing, mastering digital storytelling, and fostering community readiness across the South. The SEDC Podcast is sponsored by Insyteful.

September 2, 2026Episode 1311 min

LIVE from #SEDC2026 in Bonita Springs, Florida | Myrah Johnson

Recorded live from the 2026 SEDC Annual Conference in Bonita Springs, Florida, host Ray Methvin sits down for a special conversation with 16-year-old artist and digital creator Myra "MJ" Johnson of MJ Creates . With an audience of over 62,000 YouTube subscribers, Myra shares her journey from an introverted beginner painting fall crafts to managing an engaged online community, balancing high school coursework with regular video production, and learning to navigate viewer analytics and feedback. Throughout the interview, Ray and Myra discuss the parallels between digital storytelling and community-building, touching on content strategy, handling constructive criticism, and her plans to expand into long-form projects and publishing. Attending her second SEDC conference, Myra offers a fresh, energizing perspective on networking, connection, and turning creative passion into a long-term career path. The SEDC Podcast is sponsored by Insyteful.

August 31, 2026Episode 1226 min

LIVE from #SEDC2026 in Bonita Springs, Florida | Jennifer Perryman, Jason Rainey, Raul Peralta

Recorded live from the 2026 Southern Economic Development Council (SEDC) Annual Conference in Bonita Springs, Florida, this episode features host Ray Methvin talking with economic development leaders driving growth across the South. First, Jennifer Perryman, Executive Director of the Savannah Industrial Development Corporation, details site readiness, infrastructure expansion, and business retention strategies in West Tennessee. Next, Jason Rainey, Executive Director of the Mt. Sterling-Montgomery County Industrial Authority and Chamber of Commerce, shares how integrating chamber and industrial development efforts accelerates local investment and strengthens workforce pipelines in Kentucky. Ray also sits down with Raul Peralta, Senior Vice President of Business Development at ECS Southeast, to break down the engineering and environmental dynamics behind major site selection. Raul discusses the importance of early due diligence, de-risking mega-sites, and navigating geotechnical assessments to keep major deals on track. Together, these conversations offer practical insights and operational strategies for economic developers working across the region. The SEDC Podcast is sponsored by Insyteful.

August 28, 2026Episode 1126 min

LIVE from #SEDC2026 in Bonita Springs, Florida | Matt Patterson & Tonya Powers

Recorded live at the Southern Economic Development Council 2026 Annual Conference in Bonita Springs, Florida, host Ray Methvin convenes leaders in site strategy, industrial engineering, and local economic development. The episode opens with Matthew Patterson, Senior Manager of Strategy and Development at SSOE Group, and Tonya Powers, President and CEO of the Franklin County, Georgia Industrial Building Authority. Patterson outlines how architectural and engineering firms navigate high-demand sectors such as energy infrastructure and data center supply chains, detailing SSOE Group's deployment of custom artificial intelligence tools for CRM data mining and proposal analysis. Powers follows with an honest assessment of modern community dynamics along Interstate 85, sharing proven strategies for navigating local opposition, aligning board leadership, and balancing statutory confidentiality with proactive public education. The SEDC Podcast is sponsored by Insyteful

August 26, 2026Episode 1024 min

LIVE from #SEDC2026 in Bonita Springs, Florida | Jeff Vanhook and Christina Isbell

Live from the Southern Economic Development Council 2026 Annual Conference in Bonita Springs, Florida, host Ray Methvin examines regionalism, infrastructure, and rapid industrial growth in conversations with two local leaders. The episode begins with Jeff Van Hook, CEO and Executive Director of the RGL Regional Industrial Development Authority in Kentucky, who outlines how combining the resources of Rockcastle, Garrard, and Lincoln Counties amplifies regional influence and expands the area labor shed to 1.2 million people. Van Hook details the development of a 200-acre mega-site secured through local collaboration and strategic funding, highlighting how regional partnerships transform displacement from legacy industries into advanced manufacturing and automotive opportunities. The discussion then shifts to Haskell, Texas, with Mayor Christina Isbell sharing insights on managing unprecedented industrial momentum as a rural community of 3,100 residents prepares for five incoming data centers. Isbell candidly addresses the immediate impacts on local infrastructure, housing shortages, and spiking rental costs, alongside the long-term benefits of a 60 percent increase in sales tax revenue and significant business expansion. Emphasizing intergovernmental transparency and county-city communication, Isbell provides practical lessons on negotiating with major tech developers, modernizing zoning ordinances, and proactively engaging citizens when hyper-growth arrives in small towns. The SEDC Podcast is sponsored by Insyteful.

August 24, 2026Episode 932 min

LIVE from #SEDC2026 in Bonita Springs, Florida | Adam Perschke, Robert Long, Kelly Forbes

Recorded live on location at the Southern Economic Development Council 2026 Annual Conference in Bonita Springs, Florida, host Ray Methvin speaks with regional leaders and industry innovators shaping the economic development landscape. The episode opens with Adam Perschke, CEO of Incenti, who breaks down how their EDOS operating system and new Insights benchmarking platform centralize operations, streamline project workflows, and unlock historical data for economic developers. The conversation underscores the growing role of automation and data-driven intelligence across modern development organizations. The focus then turns to regional strategy and community growth with economic development directors Robert Long and Kelly Forbes. Long details Chester County, South Carolina's major foreign direct investment wins, capitalizing on dual-rail connectivity, robust utilities, and mega-site availability to secure large-scale manufacturing and industrial projects. Forbes follows with insights from the Madisonville-Hopkins County Economic Development Corporation in Kentucky, explaining how lean local teams leverage rapid permitting, high logistical access, new state-funded industrial site expansions, and active engagement in SEDC's milestone 80th anniversary initiatives to attract long-term investment. The SEDC Podcast is sponsored by Insyteful.

August 11, 2026Episode 847 min

Season 3 Episode 8 | Ron Bertasi

In this episode, Matt Tackett welcomes Ron Bertasi, co-founder and CEO of GIS WebTech. Bertasi shares insights from his career path, the growth of GIS WebTech over the past decade, and how technology has shifted from following location trends to actively driving site selection. The discussion explores the competitive advantages of the American South, the impact of AI on the profession, and a preview of the upcoming Technology Summit for Economic Developers in Atlanta.The SEDC Podcast is sponsored by Insyteful.