Future-Proofing Economic Development Technology
Research shows that site selectors do not contact economic developers until their communities are on a list assembled from web research, so economic developers must maintain the relevant data and tools to make the list. At the same time, rapid changes in technology and the explosion in available data are driving major impacts on the way businesses make location decisions, with the requirements constantly evolving. Add to this the need for economic developers to emphasize their community’s strengths and the task can seem overwhelming. How can an economic developer hope to stay on the leading edge of technology and data? In this session we will explore current trends and near-term technological change and discuss practical ways economic developers can future-proof thie economic development technology and data.
About the Speaker
Ron Bertasi
Ron Bertasi
Ron joined GIS WebTech in 2016 and has helped the company become the GIS technology leader in the economic development market. GIS WebTech is the fastest-growing provider of technology to the economic development sector, with a compound annual growth rate of 119% over the last five years.
Ron has served in CEO roles since 2001, primarily in energy and technology businesses, ranging from startups to $300 million divisions of Fortune 150 companies. During this period Ron simultaneously worked as an operating partner with two private equity firms and has served on seven company boards as both a company CEO and as an independent director. Ron worked as a management consultant early in his career.
Ron holds an MBA from Dartmouth, MS from UCLA, and BA from Colgate, and was a summer student fellow at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He and his wife have three grown children.
