Episode 52 - Pathways to Possibility and Prosperity

On this episode we sit down with DED’s Director of the Office of Entrepreneurship, Taisia Gordon; Director of the Missouri Women’s Business Center, Jayme Prenger; Marketing Director at UMKC Innovation Center, Callie England; and Director of Business Support & Training at Missouri State University's efactory, Chrystal Irons; to discuss Global Entrepreneurship Week as well as general entrepreneurship activity in Missouri.

In this episode we sit down with Taisia Gordon, Director of the Office of Entrepreneurship, and JR Farthing, Regulatory Relief Office Coordinator, to discuss how these DED offices are serving entrepreneurs and businesses across the state of Missouri.

We conclude our coverage of the recent National Security Crossroads event. In this episode we hear insight into the current and future trends of the regional and national defense economy. Panelists include Eric Wollerman, President of Honeywell Federal Manufacturing and Technologies, Randell Gelzer Jr., Senior Director of State & Local Government Operations for the Central/Southwest Region for the Boeing Company, and Randy Moore, with AEsir Technologies. The moderator for this discussion is Sal Nodjomian with the Matrix Design Group.

In part four of our five-part series on the recent National Security Crossroads event, we cover Military Installations and Defense Communities. Military installations are the cornerstone of a defense ecosystem, and the communities that support those installations are just as important. How do you ensure that both achieve their highest economic potential? Well, that is what this episode will cover and the panelist you’ll hear from on this topic include Colonel Gerald Nunziato, who is the Fort Riley garrison commander, Dorsey Newcomb, Executive Director at the Fort Leonard Wood Institute and the Sustainable Ozarks Partnership, and Dr. Jerrod Wheeler, Superintendent of Knob Noster Public Schools. This panel is moderated by Brad Johnson with the Matrix Design Group.

In part three of our five-part series on the recent National Security Crossroads event, we cover economic and workforce development as core goals to any defense ecosystem. These concepts help bridge gaps between federal and private industry sectors, as well as introduce skilled works to high-paying jobs. The panelists you’ll hear from include Alan Cobb, President and CEO of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce, Jill McCarthy with the Kansas City Area Development Council, David Skrzypiec, Vice President of Business Attraction at Greater St. Louis Inc., and Kent Glasscock, with the Flint Hills Regional Council. The moderator for this discussion is Charlie Perham, with the Matrix Design Group.

In part two of our five-part series on the recent National Security Crossroads event, we cover how academia plays a critical role in the defense ecosystem. The defense industry depends on connections and partnerships with high-performing academic institutions to produce their desired workforce. It’s these partnerships that lay the groundwork for additional business attraction and economic growth. To discuss this further are Dr. Anthony Caruso with the University of Missouri – Kansas City, Mike Denning with the University of Kansas, Courtney Swoboda with the University of Central Missouri, Pierre Harter with Wichita State University. This panel is moderated by Sal Nodjomian with the Matrix Design Group.

In this five-part series, we begin covering the National Security Crossroads (NSC) workshop, that took place in early March, 2025. This workshop is the culmination of work to recognize the crossroads region of Missouri and Kansas as a cornerstone of our national defense ecosystem. In this episode, you'll be hearing the General Session of the workshop, which covered the National Security Crossroads project findings. This discussion features co-administers of the project, Harry Roberts, The Missouri Military Advocate, Perry Wiggins, Executive Director of the Governor’s Military Council for the State of Kansas, and is moderated by the contract project manager, Michael Gund, with the Matrix Design Group.

We sit down with Doug Hermes, Statewide Planning Coordinator for the Missouri Association of Councils of Government (MACOG). Doug describes MACOG's work, his role, and how both are contributing to economic development statewide in addition to Missouri's Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS).

We sit down with Marcie Lawson, President and CEO of Sikeston Chamber, Economic Development, and Tourism. Marcie shares the latest on her team's efforts to promote a prosperous southeast region in addition to how DED's partnership with the Chamber is helping Missourians prosper.

We sit down with Kristie Davis, Director of Missouri One Start, and Rachel Anderson, Executive Director of efactory, to discuss the Talent and Innovation working teams for Missouri's Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). Kristie and Rachel shed light on the roles of their working teams and how they're contributing to the development of CEDS.