places I’ve worked.
and people saying nice things about me.
“Matt is truly a pleasure to work with. His professionalism, insight and thoroughness were critical to our strategic planning; he meticulously managed our process. Matt continues to provide us support on operational plan implementation and fundraising. He is considered a trusted partner to me, members of our board and multiple community stakeholders.”
— Jenna Saucedo-Herrera, President & CEO, greater:SATX
“Matt’s strength was his ability to translate thirty-thousand foot community and industry data to ground-level, tactical economic development work. We were able to peel back issues with our structure, program of work, and priorities at a much faster pace than expected and with unexpected insights he brought forward. He’s on a short-list of consultants we’ll call again.”
— Andrew Nave, EVP, Economic Development, Greater Wichita Partnership
“I have known Matt for several years and have had the opportunity to work with him on three separate projects. His knowledge of strategic planning, economic development trends and best practices is among the best in the business. On the most recent engagement, Matt helped us turn data and findings into a concise, informative and easy-to-understand economic development strategy for the state.”
— Bill Murphy, Deputy Secretary, Kansas Department of Commerce (now President & CEO, Ardmore Chamber & Development Authority)
current clients.
Indianapolis is cool, just like this photo of Mass Ave.
“One of Matt’s great strengths is his ability to work across private, public and philanthropic sectors, as well as his years of experience bridging urban, suburban and rural communities. The Indy regional strategy is widely regarded as a success, thanks to Matt’s research, facilitation and consensus-building.”
— Michael Huber, President & CEO, Indy Chamber (now VP, Indiana Univeristy)
greater:SATX
Since facilitating the design of a new Regional Economic Development Strategy for the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation (now greater:SATX) in 2019, I’ve provided retained advice to help staff and volunteers double the organization’s budget, advance a new regional service model, and implement new economic development tactics.
Indy Chamber
I’m working with the Indy Chamber and the Indy Partnership to support the implementation of the Accelerate Indy regional economic development strategy. I helped facilitate planning for Accelerate Indy in 2021 and remain on contract to assist with fundraising and implementation.
Manhattan Area Chamber
I’m working with the Chamber and its regional partners to evaluate the economic development ecosystem, examine peer regions and organizations, and craft a new Economic Growth Plan supporting job creation across the Manhattan Area.
Believe Greater Dalton
I’m currently providing retained advice to the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce and their strategic endeavors to advance community well-being. An updated Strategic Plan was developed in 2021 and ongoing consultation supports implementation.
Rome Floyd Chamber
I’m helping the Rome Floyd Chamber deploy a community survey that will evaluate resident vision and perceptions to help align community conversations and collaborative action around shared priorities.
Ardmore Chamber, Development Authority & Tourism Authority
I’m providing advice to the Ardmore Chamber, Development Authority, and Tourism Authority as they evaluate a variety of organizational opportunities while crafting a new Economic Development Strategy following the closure of a 1,400-employee Michelin facility.
recent clients.
16 Tech Innovation District
I recently helped 16 Tech – Indy’s innovation district – develop a new Strategic Plan to guide its programs and services, and support the district’s vision to be home to 3,000 new jobs, 3 million square feet of new commercial space, and 750 new housing units by 2030.
Kansas Department of Commerce
I worked with the Department of Commerce – the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and Director of Strategy – to help finalize the Kansas Framework for Growth, the state’s first economic development strategy since the 1980s. The work helped distill research findings and strategic opportunities identified by McKinsey and Brookings Institution into a cohesive set of recommendations to guide state investments in economic development across agencies.
Greater Wichita Partnership
I worked with the Partnership, their staff, and the Regional Strategy Council to adjust the Partnership’s approaches and tactics in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The engagement resulted in an Addendum to the Partnership’s Regional Growth Plan that identified new opportunities in the areas of corporate recruitment, innovation, workforce development, and others. The Addendum also aligned regional leadership behind key priorities for pandemic-related state and federal funding.
Opportunity Austin
I served as a board advisor to the Greater Austin Economic Development Corporation (dba Opportunity Austin) and worked with the team at EY Economic Development Advisory Services to update OA’s economic development strategy.
Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce
I recently worked with the Chamber, the New Braunfels Economic Development Foundation and the New Braunfels Economic Development Corporation to develop and implement a sensible roadmap for economic development in one of the nation’s fastest-growing communities.
Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce
I worked with the Chamber, the City of Manhattan, and Kansas State University Innovation Partners to evaluate potential operating models for a proposed new entrepreneurial facility in Aggieville. The process convened stakeholders and business owners to evaluate gaps and needs in the community’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, study best practices, and identify the ideal operating model (programming and services, governance, etc.) for the facility.
Evansville Regional Economic Partnership
I worked with the Evansville Regional Business Committee to provide strategic advice and guidance to three organizations (the Southwest Indiana Chamber, the Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana, and the Growth Alliance of Greater Evansville) as they worked together to evaluate and advance a proposed merger resulting in the new Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (E-REP). I then helped E-REP develop a new strategy and revenue model supporting the organization’s influence and impact following the merger.
Greenwood Together
I helped Greenwood Together (an economic development cooperative in Greenwood, South Carolina) develop a collaborative new strategy and structure to advance the community’s economic growth and competitiveness.
Carroll Tomorrow
I worked with Carroll Tomorrow (a public-private partnership in Carroll County, Georgia) to complete a Community Assessment and develop of a new Economic Development Strategic Plan.
“I have had the pleasure of working with Matt on a variety of projects, and the truth is that I would work with him again and again. He is unique because he is process-driven, meaning that he has a plan, but within the plan he understands the fluid nature of community and people, reacting to each situation’s nuances in an amazingly perceptive, gifted and visionary way.”
— Holly Quinlan, President & CEO, Cobb Travel & Tourism