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Hosted by Unknown Host · 🇺🇸 US · EN · 22 episodes
Established thought leaders with verified media credentials.
Welcome to The Ribbon Cut, the podcast pulling back the curtain on the complex, competitive, and often misunderstood world of site selection and economic development. Whether you're an economic developer, a corporate self-performer, or a seasoned site selector, this show is your insider pass to the decisions shaping the future of business growth and community development.Each episode features candid conversations with the people who actually make it happen—from groundbreakers to data geeks, deal-makers to ribbon cutters. We talk wins and failures, trends and tech, and the unexpected human stories behind site decisions that move millions.Think of us as your field guide to navigating RFPs, RFIs, incentives, timelines, and the real-world trade-offs that turn potential into projects. Whether you're building a new facility, managing the search process in-house, or just curious about how the deals get done, The Ribbon Cut delivers insights with soul and strategies that scale.
Unknown Host hosts The Ribbon Cut, a business show with 22 episodes published.

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Rich Werner, President and CEO of Upstate Colorado Economic Development, joins Susan Donkers and Charles Houser on the Ribbon Cut Podcast to talk about what is fueling growth in Weld and Larimer counties, the region one

Most economic development wins look like overnight successes. They're not. The real work starts 2–3 years before any public announcement and most people never see it. Susan and Charles sit down with Tiffany Coleman, Econ
The way site selectors search has evolved, and communities have more opportunity than ever to participate early in the process. In this episode, Susan and Charles examine how discovery in corporate location strategy is i

When markets feel uncertain, site selection doesn’t stop. It becomes more selective, more compressed, and more dependent on clear, reliable site information. In this episode of The Ribbon Cut, Susan and Charles sit down

Public economic data systems are being stretched thinner at the same time local decision-making depends on them more than ever. In this episode of The Ribbon Cut, Susan and Charles are joined by Ken Poole to explain what

Rural economic development is less about landing one big win and more about making disciplined, data-backed decisions over time. Carolyn Chrisman of Chrisman Consulting joins Susan and Charles to discuss how data-driven

Site selection has changed dramatically over the last two decades, but many communities are still operating as if it hasn’t. In this episode, Larry Gigerich of Ginovus joins Susan and Charles to share what he’s learned f

LOIS has been around for more than two decades, but many teams still ask what makes it different from other property marketing tools. In this FAQ edition, Susan and Charles take you inside the origins of LOIS, why a util

Everyone has questions about how to manage RFIs better, and Lasso sits at the center of that conversation. In this episode, Susan and Charles walk through the most common questions they hear from both site selectors and

Design-build is just the beginning. In this episode, we talk with Oliver Muenz-Winkler of Clayco, one of the nation’s largest integrated construction firms, to learn how they embed themselves in the full lifecycle of eco

Forget flashy incentives. South Dakota is winning advanced manufacturing and foreign direct investment by doing the fundamentals better than most. In this episode of the Ribbon Cut podcast, we sit down with Adam Molseed

Richard Blackwell has lived every phase of economic development on projects across 23 states. From spec buildings to industrial parks with built-in career centers. In this episode of The Ribbon Cut, we cover: --> How to

Workforce data is about more than just filling jobs. It’s actually a strategic asset in the fight to win site selection deals. In this episode, Josh Wright of Lightcast joins Susan and Charles to unpack how labor market

Before a site goes live, the engineering has to work. So does the partnership. Brett Lauritsen from Olsson joins Susan and Charles to talk about what actually moves the needle on project readiness. With two decades of ex

Rail-served sites aren’t just about transportation—they’re about strategy. Adam Hess of CSX joins Susan Donkers to unpack what companies need to know when evaluating rail access as part of a location decision. With decad

If you're helping a manufacturing company land their next U.S. facility, this episode is packed with practical insight. Brian Devlin of ARCO Design/Build joins Susan Donkers to explain how an integrated design-build appr

Mike Grella (ex-Amazon, now Active Infrastructure) joins Strata to reveal what most communities get wrong about data centers. We go deep on power access, permitting pitfalls, and what it really takes to be ready for bill

Ever wonder who’s really behind the labor market data shaping corporate investment decisions? This episode takes you inside two pivotal conferences—C2ER and SelectUSA—through the eyes of Strata's team. We unpack how econ

Kim Gerlt of Missouri Partnership shares how Missouri is positioning itself as a strategic landing zone for major business investments. We discuss her work overseeing business recruitment and building capacity while prom
Rich Werner
Upstate Colorado Economic Development
1 appearance on this show
Tiffany Coleman
Greater Des Moines Partnership
1 appearance on this show
Lindsey Cannon
Quest Site Solutions
1 appearance on this show
Carolyn Chrisman
Chrisman Consulting
1 appearance on this show
Larry Gigerich
Ginovus
1 appearance on this show
Oliver Muenz-Winkler
Clayco
1 appearance on this show
Adam Molseed
Governor's Office of Economic Development
1 appearance on this show
Josh Wright
Lightcast
1 appearance on this show
Brett Lauritsen
Olsson
1 appearance on this show
Adam Hess
CSX
1 appearance on this show
Brian Devlin
ARCO Design/Build
1 appearance on this show
Mike Grella
Active Infrastructure
1 appearance on this show
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The Ribbon Cut is hosted by Unknown Host. The show is categorised under business (government) and has published 22 episodes.
The Ribbon Cut has published 22 episodes.
The Ribbon Cut regularly covers business, government, education. It sits in the business category, with a government focus.
The Ribbon Cut is accessible for guests with genuine business expertise. A personalised, episode-aware pitch will still outperform a generic one every time.
The Ribbon Cut hasn't explicitly signalled guest openness in recent episodes. That doesn't rule out pitching. your hook just needs to be especially compelling and relevant to their recent content.
Episodes of The Ribbon Cut average 34 minutes. a focused format where a clear narrative arc and tight preparation matter most.
Our data rates The Ribbon Cut's guest bar at 80/100 (Premium tier). Established thought leaders with verified media credentials. Sign in to PitchCentric to see how your own Pod Score compares against this show.
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