“Charity feeds a person who is hungry. Philanthropy is meant to go upstream and innovate.”  -Helen Davis Johnson  President, Michigan Municipal League Foundation This comment from Helen is resonating with me now more than ever. This year has...

We’re obsessed with attraction. Cities, regional governments, and states spend a lot of time and resources working to attract companies and developers to invest in the communities they represent. Economic developers fly off to trade shows and tell...

Also called "How I decided to buy 10 houses during a preschool picnic."

For the last three years, my focus has been redeveloping a 130-year old bank building. Having been vacant for several years, the building was set to be demolished to make way for a drive-thru bank branch at the...

My place is not inclusive enough and we need to do better. Women are not owners of 50% of our businesses, 50% of board and council demographics, or occupying half the leadership roles. Access to financing is different...