Andrea Schultz and Nicole Haas share how their unexpected career paths led them into the field and ultimately back to the region, where they now help guide a merged organization that brings together economic development, tourism, Main Street, and chamber functions under one collaborative model. They reflect on the evolution of the organization since its formation in 2018, including the challenges of aligning four legacy entities, building trust with members, and establishing a unified vision during a period that included both organizational transition and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this episode, we explore:

• A deep dive into the merged organizational model combining economic development, tourism, Main Street, and chamber functions—and how trust and communication drive it.
• Strategies for talent attraction and retention, including “come home” campaigns, employer-driven workforce personas, and partnerships addressing childcare and housing.
• Downtown revitalization efforts like the Recast City cohort and Downtown Unlocked initiative focused on activating underused spaces and supporting small-scale manufacturing and housing.

Quotable: “Change is built at the speed of trust.”

Resources and Links
Connect with Andrea Schultz Winter on LinkedIn
Connect with Nicole Haas on LinkedIn
Greater Freeport Partnership Website
Come Home Campaign - Greater Freeport Partnership
Freeport Selected to Participate in National Program for Downtown Revitalization and Economic Resilience - Greater Freeport Partnership

Special Guests: Andrea Schultz Winter and Nicole Hass.

In this episode, we explore:

• The transition from public-sector leadership to private consulting. Amalia explains the key differences between working inside local government and advising from the outside, and how her background enables her to bridge gaps among policy, planning, and implementation.
• Practical guidance for developers and local stakeholders, emphasizing the importance of understanding municipal processes, zoning, and regulatory frameworks.
• Organizational structures (restructures) and their impact on effectiveness. Amalia explains when restructuring economic development departments makes sense, what local governments should consider during the process, and how structure can either enable or hinder results.

Quotable: “ No matter what side of the table you're sitting on, if you're an economic developer, if you're the private sector trying to do a project, I always try to approach my work and my practice assuming the best intentions from everyone else involved.”

Resources and Links
Connect with Amalia Cunningham on LinkedIn
Amalia Cunningham Consulting
News and Views American Planning Association, "Where Should Economic Development Live?"

Special Guest: Amalia Cunningham, AICP.