3 Fun Facts
At home, I have a rockstar wife and a crazy, entertaining 2-year old son with our second on the way this December!- I love sports – I used to play baseball, I still enjoy golfing, and I am a super nerdy fantasy baseball and football player! I even built a model using Claude this year to help me after a few down seasons!
- I love to cook! My latest meals include fresh made pasta, tomahawk steak, whole fried branzino, and Coca-Cola braised carnitas!
What would you tell your younger self about economic development?
That economic development is not a separate track from the work I am already doing. I spent years in construction finance and project accounting thinking of ED as something other people did. The truth is that every project announcement eventually becomes a capital plan, a billing schedule, and a crew on site. The execution layer is economic development, and understanding how things actually get built is a real advantage, not a detour.
What’s something you wish you knew before starting your current role?
I started at JD Steel in April, so the role is still fairly new, but the lesson that keeps proving true is how much of this work runs on relationships built long before you need them. On paper my role is project accounting, billing oversight and revenue strategies, but almost every problem I solve depends on the trust I’ve built with project managers and field operations. My MBA studies drove the same point home, and the line that stuck with me is “don’t dig the well when you’re thirsty.” You can’t start networking when you suddenly need a favor. You build relationships by being consistently helpful, kind, and hardworking, so that when you do need something, it’s a conversation between people who already respect each other rather than an uncomfortable ask. That mindset has connected my JD Steel work, my economic development relationships, and my MBA network into one community I’m constantly investing in.
What advice do you have for up-and-coming economic developers?
Identify your super power. Find the lens to filter your expertise through. Economic development is a team sport, and the people who stand out are the ones who contribute a specialty the room doesn’t already have, whether that is finance, construction execution, data, community engagement, or something else. I believe mine is a deep understanding of how projects actually get built. Coming from the private development space, I have seen what it takes to turn blueprints into a site that makes communities a better place. Beyond that, I recommend you join committees and do the work, take the tours, and show up consistently. Titles come later. The relationships and the reputation you build by being useful come first. Titles come later. The relationships and the reputation you build by being useful come first.
What’s a recent economic development/career win you have experienced?
Last May, I completed my MBA at the W. P. Carey School of Business at ASU. The credential matters, but the real win was everything around it. It turned into a genuine process of self-discovery, clarifying what I’m good at and where I want to take my career. The friendships and the networking were just as valuable as the coursework, and I came out of it part of an alumni network I now lean on and contribute to constantly, from golf outings to a cohort book club. That community and the effort I put into developing my professional niche, core values, and personal mission have been a real engine for my growth.
What’s your favorite part about AAED?
I have two favorite things to highlight about AAED. The first is the Basic Economic Development Course (BEDC) I participated in January this year. As someone operating in the private sector and fairly new to the Economic Development space, I learned so much about this industry, and I met so many people there who I learned from and look forward to staying in touch with. Second, is the connections and networking. The coffee chats, the committee meetings, and learning opportunities always leave me encouraged and determined to get more involved with AAED events.
