News

Drone deliveries have started to gain traction in the United States for conveniences like restaurant orders, groceries, and small packages. But in other parts of the world, autonomous aircraft are starting to become an essential logistical tool. Drones handle critical deliveries including medical supplies, lab specimens and more. As technology...

ImpactAir: The Aviation Advantage for Communities gives economic developers, airport executives/managers, elected officials, and industry stakeholders a resource to explore. Place marketing researchers Braun, Kavaratzis, and Zenker argue for shifting from communication-dominant branding toward participation-dominant branding. In practical terms, that means moving beyond simply telling residents what the community's brand should...

By Bethany Quinn, President, Golden Shovel AgencyA new national survey from the Economic Innovation Group (EIG) and Echelon Insights confirms what many economic developers are hearing in their communities: affordability is a top concern for American workers.Conducted September 1–8, 2026, among 1,507 American workers, the survey found:68% believe housing costs...

ImpactAir: The Aviation Advantage for Communities gives economic developers, airport executives/managers, elected officials, and industry stakeholders a resource to explore. In their 2013 paper, My City – My Brand: The Role of Residents in Place Branding, researchers Erik Braun, Mihalis Kavaratzis, and Sebastian Zenker challenged the conventional approach to marketing cities...

ImpactAir: The Aviation Advantage for Communities gives economic developers, airport executives/managers, elected officials, and industry stakeholders a resource to explore. A community can spend millions improving its airport, develop a new master plan, commission an economic impact study, and launch a sophisticated marketing campaign, but that can all amount to minimal...

ImpactAir: The Aviation Advantage for Communities gives economic developers, airport executives/managers, elected officials, and industry stakeholders a resource to explore. I am concerned about your airport. Every day, I talk to airport managers, elected officials, and economic development leaders who are fighting but ultimately failing to promote their local airport. In a...

ImpactAir: The Aviation Advantage for Communities gives economic developers, airport executives/managers, elected officials, and industry stakeholders a resource to explore. “Your airport is an economic engine,” I told the city council member.  “I haven’t visited the airport,” she replied. “That’s the problem.” Community leaders often describe their local airport as a problem to...

ImpactAir: The Aviation Advantage for Communities gives economic developers, airport executives/managers, elected officials, and industry stakeholders a resource to explore. I stood before the city council, answering question after question about the value of the airport in their community. The only information council members had about the facility came from residents...

Aviation is experiencing a revolution. Innovation and transportation are at a confluence of mobility service apps, autonomous aviation, Internet of Things and AI. Yet few communities or local airports are truly prepared to take advantage. Most elected officials can’t tell you how long the runway is at their airport or how...

For years, communities have recognized that childcare affects working families. The Taney County Partnership and Table Rock Lake Chamber of Commerce recognized something more: childcare is also a workforce and economic development issue.Together with business, nonprofit, philanthropic, and community partners, they launched a regional initiative to strengthen the childcare ecosystem...

ImpactAir: The Aviation Edge for Communities gives economic developers, airport executives/managers, elected officials, and industry stakeholders a source to explore. Meet George Jetson . . . Every economic development office has, by now, learned to talk fluently about broadband, workforce pipelines, and shovel-ready sites. Almost none of them can answer a question...

LITTLE FALLS, MN – Three Golden Shovel Agency clients have received recognition in Mid-America Economic Development Corporation’s 2026 Economic Development Awards for projects that helped their communities overcome adversity, grow their workforce, and create inviting new public spaces. MAEDC presented the awards Sept. 1 at the organization’s annual conference in...

Economic development professionals spend countless hours thinking about what they believe site selectors want. They obsess over incentives, workforce data, available sites, and infrastructure. But while those are all important pieces of the puzzle, they are only one part of what determines whether a community advances to the next round...

In an increasingly digital world, it can be easy to forget the power of a well-designed printed marketing resource. There is still room for print, though, and the Elgin Economic Development Corporation (EEDC) recognized that a piece of physical media can still support face-to-face conversations and drive desirable results.  EEDC developed...

Golden Shovel Agency continues to expand its voice and influence in national economic development conversations following President Bethany Quinn’s election in August to the Southern Economic Development Council (SEDC) Board of Directors as a State Director representing Maryland.Quinn, who over the past nine years has helped transform Golden Shovel Agency...

Economic development is measured in investments, businesses launched, jobs created and opportunities expanded. But communicating those results effectively requires more than a collection of numbers.The Mission Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) took a new approach to telling that story through its Mission in Motion 2025 Annual Report — a document designed...

ImpactAir: The Aviation Edge for Communities gives economic developers, airport executives/managers, elected officials, and industry stakeholders a source to explore emerging aviation topics affecting community development. Several years ago, I asked an economic development director a simple question: "How many companies are waiting for space at your industrial park?"That kind of...

ImpactAir: The Aviation Edge for Communities gives economic developers, airport executives/managers, elected officials, and industry stakeholders a source to explore.  We touched down on runway 18, taxied to the ramp, secured the airplane, and stepped out into the 105-degree heat. Texas is hot in August, and data center construction is hot...

I have followed Robert Frost’s advice: I took the road less traveled, and it has made all the difference. I  believe that all communities deserve the opportunity to reach their full potential, and my efforts to accelerate economic growth have included serving for 14 years as a Minnesota State Representative. I...

MARION, AR — City of Marion Economic Development has announced the launch of a new website built from the ground up to provide a central resource where site selectors, developers, and investors can find reliable information about building or growing their business in the community. Created in collaboration with Golden...

When the National Championship Air Races relocated from Reno to Roswell in 2025, it was a tremendous win for the New Mexico community. The races brought with them visitors from 48 states and 16 countries, generated new economic opportunities, and even helped convince an aviation company to establish a presence...

By Amanda Ellis, Livability MediaMuch of talent attraction is really marketing. And AI is both shifting and reinforcing marketing best practices.One of the biggest shifts: As the influence of large language models (LLMs) increases, you can build brand awareness (or in this case, place awareness) without necessarily driving increased website...

When a major economic development project is announced, public opinion is often set before the first public meeting begins. Residents who trust their local economic development organization are more likely to approach a project with curiosity, ask thoughtful questions, and give leaders the benefit of the doubt. Those who don't...

Buckeye Municipal Airport is planning for the future, and Golden Shovel Agency is happy to help city leaders realize their airport’s power as an economic driver.As reported July 29 in the West Valley View, the Arizona city located west of Phoenix has worked with Golden Shovel co-founder Ron Kresha on...