Podcast 200: How Colorado Springs Competes Globally with Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer

Because you can’t see mountains on a balance sheet

1 Dec 2025 — 3 min read

In this episode, Dane Carlson talks with Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer, President and CEO of the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC, about how Colorado Springs is uniting its region to compete globally, building on its deep aerospace, defense, and cybersecurity assets, and expanding advanced manufacturing powered by a steady military-to-civilian talent pipeline.

Sitehunt (from the Econ Dev Show's Dane Carlson) will not replace your relationships, manage your BR&E visits, or do your board politics. It will not invent workforce where none exists, and it will not make you sound smart after one login. Wit and wisdom are still on you.

But if you care about speed, clarity, and getting the RFI out the door with confidence, Sitehunt may be the smartest small investment you make this year.

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She explains the origin of the Colorado Aerospace and Defense Economic Council, the importance of advocacy for small and mid-sized contractors, how site selection really plays out in a mountain market, and why economic development still matters most at the level of individual opportunity.

From cluster strategy to workforce realities to the joy of cutting a ribbon on a transformational project, Johnna offers insight from a 30-year career building thriving communities.

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Ten Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers

Build clusters around existing assets rather than trying to invent sectors without the underlying companies, talent, or research institutions.
Create industry-led councils or coalitions to unify private-sector voices and strengthen advocacy at state and federal levels.
Invest in strong relationships with site selectors so you can move quickly when opportunities arise.
Treat quality sites and buildings as the foundation of competitiveness: they form the "cake" before lifestyle becomes the "icing."
Support small and mid-sized firms with policy advocacy, since they often lack in-house government affairs capacity.
Leverage military-to-civilian transitions as a powerful workforce pipeline, especially for advanced manufacturing and technical roles.
Measure outcomes, not activities, focusing on business growth, jobs, and capital investment rather than events and membership counts.
Align chamber and EDC work so businesses get a unified experience regardless of which door they enter.
Promote regional unity across city, county, utility, and state partners to present a single, competitive front.
Be opportunistic with national policy shifts like the CHIPS Act, matching your community's assets to emerging incentives quickly.

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CEO of Sitehunt, the AI platform for economic development, site selection and RFI automation. Host and publisher of the Econ Dev Show. In Houston, Texas.