AGENDA
Introduction to Economic Development
April 2-4, 2014 * St. Thomas, VI
Instructors
Jeffrey A. Finkle, CEcD
President & CEO
International Economic Development Council
Jeffrey Finkle has been a leader in economic development for more than 20 years. In
August, 2001 he became the president and CEO of the International Economic
Development Council, following IEDC’s birth through the merger of the Council for Urban
Economic Development (CUED) with the American Economic Development Council
(AEDC). Prior to the merger, Finkle served for 15 years as president and CEO of CUED.
During that time, he oversaw the vast expansion of that organization’s membership and influence, as well
as strengthening its financial footing.
Before assuming leadership of CUED, Finkle was the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development's (HUD) Deputy Assistant Secretary of Community Planning and Development for program
management. From 1981-86, he supervised the Urban Development Action Grant Program, the
Community Development Block Grant Program and the Housing Rehabilitation program.
Jeffrey Finkle received a Bachelor of Science degree in communications from Ohio University in Athens.
He then pursued graduate studies in business administration at Ohio State University. In addition, he
heads the Bollinger Foundation, a non-profit organization he founded that provides support to children
who have lost one or both parents who worked in the economic development profession.
Jon Roberts
Principal
TIP Strategies, Inc.
Jon Roberts is the Managing Director of TIP Strategies, Inc. (TIP), in Austin, Texas. He
is an international leader in economic development and has overseen projects
throughout the U.S., as well as in Europe and Asia. Mr. Roberts is currently involved in
a variety of development and recruitment projects.
In addition to being a practitioner in the field, he has prepared policy papers on
national economic development strategy, published articles on economic development marketing, and
has written editorials for major newspapers. Mr. Roberts is a sought-after speaker on economic
development issues nationally and internationally.
Mr. Roberts was formerly the Director of Business Development both for the State of Washington and
then for the State of Texas. In these positions, he directed recruitment and investment and led
international trade missions.
Prior to working for the Washington Department of Trade, Mr. Roberts was with the Oregon Technology
Fund, where he was responsible for venture capital investments. He also managed two start-up
technology companies: Fiberlite Composites and LifePort Inc., and worked with the Center for
Entrepreneurial Ventures.
Mr. Roberts was elected to the board of KMFA radio in Austin, Texas, and is active in the technology
community. He maintains his ties to the Northwest and is a Fellow of the Washington World Affairs
Council in Seattle. He has served on the boards of several start-up technology companies and on state
task forces and gubernatorial committees. He has lectured in business at the University of Washington,
the University of Texas, and was on the faculty at Marylhurst College in Portland, Oregon. Mr. Roberts
has also proven to be a successful entrepreneur. He is the founder of a mountain bike company in
Portland, Oregon.
Born and raised in Germany, Mr. Roberts has traveled extensively throughout Europe and Asia. He lived
in the Pacific Northwest for over twenty years before making Texas his home.
Joy Wilkins, CEcD
Senior Public Service Associate
The University of Georgia, Small Business Development Center
Joy Wilkins is a frequent advisor, speaker, instructor, and author on economic
development, leadership development, community capacity building, strategic
planning, and quality management topics. She has served as a consultant for
clients in the United States and Canada.
As a member of the University of Georgia’s public service faculty, Joy serves with the state office team for
the Georgia Small Business Development Center, contributing to initiatives to enhance overall
organizational effectiveness. In a prior capacity with the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership
Development, she facilitated community leadership dialogues, conducted strategic assessments, and
advised leaders on a variety of matters.
Prior to UGA, Joy served with Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute and grew the community
services unit of the organization into a high performance team. She oversaw the development and
delivery of the Institute's planning, research, and advisory services for leaders in economic development
representing chambers of commerce, cities, counties, regions, and state and federal entities – and
contributed to the design and deployment of professional development courses to serve them. In this
role, she promoted the organization to a wide range of constituencies.
In another prior capacity, Joy served with the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce where she conducted
research and produced customized reports and publications concerning metro Atlanta's economic
development landscape for investors ranging from the entrepreneur to the corporate executive. While at
the Chamber, much of her work was concentrated on addressing research needs associated with
Atlanta's hosting of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games.
Joy entered the economic development profession in 1994 and has been a Certified Economic Developer
by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) since 2002. She has a master's degree in city
planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology; a graduate certificate in real estate from Georgia State
University; and a bachelor's degree, with majors in sociology and political science, from the State
University of New York at Fredonia. Joy serves on the IEDC Board of Directors, chairs the Georgia
Economic Developers Association’s Professional Development Committee, and has been actively
involved with a number of other endeavors to serve the profession.