Susan Norris

Turning Community Vision into Measurable Economic Impact

Susan Norris offers strategy support at Golden Shovel Agency, partnering with communities of all sizes to strengthen economic development strategies and align local assets with long-term growth goals. With 10 years of direct economic development leadership experience and 17 years in grant writing and public-sector funding strategy, Susan translates data, stakeholder engagement, and market conditions into practical, measurable action plans that move communities from vision to execution.

Susan previously served as Executive Director of Pierce County Economic Development and as community economic developer for Plainview and Pierce County, Nebraska. Her leadership in the Entrepreneurial Communities Activation Process (ECAP) helped generate 85 new businesses, approximately 240 new jobs, downtown revitalization across multiple communities, park redevelopment projects, and more than $2 million in leveraged private investment. She also secured over $5 million in grant funding for housing, infrastructure, placemaking, and community development initiatives.

Susan led Nebraska’s first $400,000 USDA Intermediary Relending Program (IRP) award for new business creation, deploying revolving loan funds that supported 27 downtown commercial building sales, 21 new businesses, and 84 jobs — with over $3 million in private investment generated and zero loan defaults. She also helped secure a $215,000 USDA Rural Placemaking Innovation Challenge award, delivering strategic plans for nine Northeast Nebraska communities and strengthening long-term regional collaboration and project implementation capacity.

Her expertise spans comprehensive and strategic planning, business attraction and retention (BRE), housing development strategy, capital stacking, workforce alignment, site selection assistance, tax increment financing, public-private partnerships, grant compliance, and regional collaboration. Susan specializes in rural development strategy, systems thinking, leadership pathway development, and translating complex funding structures into executable development outcomes.

Susan’s leadership has been recognized at the highest levels of the profession. She was named Nebraska Economic Development Professional of the Year (2022) by the Nebraska Economic Developers Association — the state’s highest honor for an economic developer. Additional honors include the Nebraska Governor’s Showcase Community Award, National and Regional Awards for Excellence in Community Development (NACDEP), and selection to the highly competitive Nebraska Public Policy Leadership Academy. She was also invited to participate in the Nebraska Catalyst Program and joined a delegation to the Georgia Academy for Economic Development to study best practices in sustained regional growth.

She currently serves in leadership roles with Six Regions One Nebraska (6R1N), advancing regional housing, workforce, and early childhood development initiatives, and contributes to the National Rural Economic Developers Association (NREDA) Planning Committee, helping shape national conference programming for rural practitioners.

Susan holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of St. Mary, earned her B.A.S.I.C. Economic Development Certification from the University of Northern Iowa, and has completed advanced coursework through the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute while working toward her CECD designation. She is an active member of NEDA and NREDA.

Beyond her professional work, Susan invests in youth leadership development and mentorship and owns Just Love Coffee & Café, where she has intentionally created a welcoming community gathering space that supports local connection and job creation.