Manufacturing an American Century

Building Utah's Manufacturing Ecosystem: Jeff Edwards on Composites, Collaboration, and the Long Game

I had the opportunity to sit down with Jeff Edwards, Senior Advisor on Materials and Manufacturing at 47G, Utah's Aerospace and Defense Association, and one of the original regional leaders behind what became AMCC. Jeff and I go back more than a decade to the early days of the EDA Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) program, where he was doing the hard, unglamorous work of organizing Utah's advanced manufacturing ecosystem before most people knew what that meant. We start where Jeff is now at 47G and then dig into the remarkable backstory behind it. Jeff traces the origins of Utah's advanced composites industry from its roots in Cold War missile programs to now, through the patient, deliberate work of building the Utah advanced materials and manufacturing ecosystem from the ground up, one relationship and one data point at a time. It's a textbook case study in how a region can identify a niche, build an ecosystem of support around it, and turn it into a world-class cluster. We also talk about what IMCP meant for Utah and for the broader national network. Jeff shares examples of how peer learning across IMCP regions led directly to new programs back home, from carbon fiber recycling to succession planning for family-owned defense suppliers. And we dig into the broader case of why regions can't afford to race to the bottom or go it alone, and what it looks like in practice to build the collaborative, multi-stakeholder structures that can actually move the needle. Thanks to Jeff for a great conversation, give it a listen! Links to Learn More: * Find Jeff on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-edwards-57128312/]. * Explore 47G’s body of work [https://www.47g.org/]. * Follow AMCC on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/company/amccollab]. * Find Matt on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-bogoshian-55776b26/]. * Visit our website [http://americanmcc.org]. * AMCC’s podcast is made possible in part by the expertise of Mike McAllen, founder of Podcasting4Associations [https://www.podcasting4associations.com/]. Are you part of an association also looking to produce a podcast? Let us get you in touch with Mike. Thank you to the Economic Development Administration for their partnership in producing this podcast. This podcast was prepared in part using Federal funds under award 3070145 from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic Development Administration or the U.S. Department of Commerce. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Economic Development as a Team Sport: Dennis Alvord on Building Regional Economies That Endure

It was a real pleasure to sit down with Dennis Alvord, a nearly 30-year veteran of the federal civil service whose career at the Economic Development Administration and the OECD's Regional Development Policy Committee has made him one of the most experienced economic development practitioners in the country. Dennis and I first crossed paths about 15 years ago working to bring forward evidence on manufacturing's role as a cornerstone of regional economic development, and it was great to reconnect and dig into where we are today. We cover a lot of ground in this conversation. Dennis walks us through EDA's history as one of the federal government's more flexible and creative grant-making agencies, and how programs like IMCP and Tech Hubs have demonstrated the power of place-based, collaborative investment. We discuss what the US can learn from OECD member nations on sustained industrial policy, from Sweden and Japan's innovative approaches to offsite manufactured housing to the importance of consistent, structured federal investment in regional economic ecosystems. We also talk about the critical importance of civil servants as stewards of the public good, and Dennis shares his perspective on what it will take to build the structured, long-term regional investment frameworks that can truly move the needle on American prosperity. Thanks to Dennis for a great conversation, give it a listen! 🔗 Links to Learn More: * Find Dennis on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennisalvord/]. * Explore OECD’s Regional Development Policy Committee [https://www.oecd.org/en/about/committees/regional-development-policy-committee.html]. * Follow AMCC on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/company/amccollab]. * Find Matt on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-bogoshian-55776b26/]. * Visit our website [http://americanmcc.org]. AMCC’s podcast is made possible in part by the expertise of Mike McAllen, founder of Podcasting4Associations [https://www.podcasting4associations.com/]. Are you part of an association also looking to produce a podcast? Let us connect you with Mike. Thank you to the Economic Development Administration for their partnership in producing this podcast. This podcast was prepared in part using Federal funds under award 3070145 from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic Development Administration or the U.S. Department of Commerce. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Turning Evidence into Action: ANL's Alison Peoples on Building Regional Manufacturing Ecosystems

It was a pleasure to welcome Alison Peoples from Argonne National Laboratory to the podcast. Alison is a statistician and economic development researcher whose career has taken her from the municipal bond trading desks of Boston to the Economic Development Districts of New Mexico — and ultimately to one of America's premier federal research institutions, where she  We talk about the big challenge that has driven AMCC's work for over 15 years: how do regional leaders get organized around the best available data to assess their manufacturing ecosystem of support and craft smarter interventions? Alison walks us through Argonne's important work in this area, including the National Economic Resilience Data Explorer (NERDE) and the Economic Development Capacity Index (EDCI). We discuss the need for building a clearer picture of siloed public data that regional leaders need but rarely have easy access to, in order for their decisions to be driven by the best available data.. We also explore what it will take to close the gap between economic research and economic development practice and why Alison is genuinely hopeful about the next generation's ability to bridge the worlds of technology and humanity. Thanks to Alison for a great conversation, give it a listen!  🔗 Links to Learn More: * Find Alison on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/amturnr/]. * Explore Argonne's NERDE [https://nerde.anl.gov/] website. * Check out the Economic Development Capacity Index [https://www.anl.gov/dis/economic-development-capacity-index]. * Download the AMCC Manufacturing Community Ecosystem Metrics Playbook [https://americanmcc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/MCEM-Playbook-Dec-2024.pdf]. * Follow AMCC on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/company/amccollab]. * Find Matt on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-bogoshian-55776b26/]. * Visit our website [http://americanmcc.org]. AMCC’s podcast is made possible in part by the expertise of Mike McAllen, founder of Podcasting4Associations [https://www.podcasting4associations.com/]. Are you part of an association also looking to produce a podcast? Let us connect you with Mike. Thank you to the Economic Development Administration for their partnership in producing this podcast. This podcast was prepared in part using Federal funds under award 3070145 from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic Development Administration or the U.S. Department of Commerce. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Can Legacy Manufacturing Regions Reinvent Themselves? Kenan Fikri on Dynamism and Place

Matt had the pleasure of sitting down with Kenan Fikri, Senior Fellow at the Economic Innovation Group, an economic think tank dedicated to tackling the deep, longstanding challenges facing the American economy. Kenan got into some of the core ideas driving EIG's work, starting with economic dynamism: the health, vitality, and innovative intensity of an economy. We unpacked what that really means on the ground: not just whether jobs are growing, but whether new firms are starting, workers are moving to better opportunities, and regions are generating the kind of productive churn that drives long-term prosperity.  We also discuss Kenan’s research in agglomeration, why industries cluster in specific places, how those clusters become self-reinforcing engines of competitive advantage, and what the spillover effects mean for entire communities. From Cleveland's industrial legacy to Silicon Valley's startup culture, Kenan brought it all to life with real examples. Be sure to check out Kenan's recently released article, Does a legacy in manufacturing preclude a future in it? [https://agglomerations.eig.org/p/does-a-legacy-in-manufacturing-preculde] — it's essential reading that connects directly to everything we discussed. And if you want to go deeper on EIG's worldview, look up their Substack, Agglomerations [https://agglomerations.eig.org/], where Kenan and the team are publishing their latest thinking. 🔗Links to Learn More: * Find Kenan on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenan-fikri-3229a318/]. * Subscribe to Agglomerations on Substack [https://agglomerations.eig.org/]. * Follow AMCC on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/company/amccollab]. * Find Matt on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-bogoshian-55776b26/]. * Visit our website [http://americanmcc.org]. AMCC’s podcast is made possible in part by the expertise of Mike McAllen, founder of Podcasting4Associations [https://www.podcasting4associations.com/]. Are you part of an association also looking to produce a podcast? Let us get you in touch with Mike. Thank you to the Economic Development Administration for their partnership in producing this podcast. This podcast was prepared in part using Federal funds under award 3070145 from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic Development Administration or the U.S. Department of Commerce. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Building a Manufacturing Movement That Lasts with Manufacturing Happy Hour’s Chris Luecke

It was a pleasure to welcome Chris Luecke to the podcast. Chris is a podcast himself, as founder and host of the Manufacturing Happy Hour podcast, one of the most recognizable shows in the industry, with nearly 300 episodes exploring the people, ideas, and leadership shaping modern manufacturing. With a background at Rockwell Automation and experience spanning industries from oil and gas to semiconductors, Chris brings his experience and a sharp understanding of how to communicate manufacturing’s value in a rapidly changing world. In our conversation, we dig into the evolution of manufacturing storytelling and how it’s starting to change. We explore the importance of meeting people where they are, elevating peer voices, and creating relatable pathways into manufacturing careers, especially for the next generation. Chris also reflects on the diversity of perspectives across the manufacturing ecosystem, all the different roles needed to make it work, and why that range is essential for driving both innovation and resilience. We close with a message for manufacturers and ecosystem leaders alike: this moment calls for both courage and agility. Courage to adopt new technologies, share stories, and lead from the front—and agility to navigate uncertainty while building businesses that can endure across generations. Chris makes a compelling case that the future of manufacturing depends not just on policy or capital, but on people stepping up to tell the story of what they’re building and why it matters. Thanks to Chris for the energy, insight, and inspiration, and congratulations to 10 years of Manufacturing Happy Hour! 🔗Links to Learn More: * Find Chris on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cwluecke/]. * Listen to Manufacturing Happy Hour [https://manufacturinghappyhour.com/home-new/] on your favorite platforms. * Follow AMCC on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/company/amccollab]. * Find Matt on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-bogoshian-55776b26/]. * Visit our website [http://americanmcc.org]. AMCC’s podcast is made possible in part by the expertise of Mike McAllen, founder of Podcasting4Associations [https://www.podcasting4associations.com/]. Are you part of an association also looking to produce a podcast? Let us connect you with Mike. Thank you to the Economic Development Administration for their partnership in producing this podcast. This podcast was prepared in part using Federal funds under award 3070145 from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic Development Administration or the U.S. Department of Commerce. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].