Virginia Economic Review Podcast

Prioritizing Productivity: A Conversation With Brett Vassey

Brett Vassey is president and CEO of the Virginia Manufacturers Association, which supports manufacturing operations across the Commonwealth. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Vassey about his organization’s mandate and efforts, the most important workforce and skills considerations for the industry, and what manufacturers look for in a site.

The Art and Science of Commercialization: A Conversation With Drake Goolsby

Drake Goolsby is the chief commercialization officer at Luna Labs, a Charlottesville-based company that helps develop advanced technologies in biotech, advanced materials, and engineered systems for government, military, and industrial clients. VEDP Vice President of Manufacturing Sneha Atwal spoke with Goolsby about Luna Labs’ research activities.

Data Center Solutions at Scale: A Conversation With Shannon Kellogg

Shannon Kellogg is vice president of public policy at Amazon, where he leads the company’s public policy efforts in support of Amazon Web Services. VEDP Interim Vice President of Knowledge Work Meghan Welch spoke with Kellogg about Amazon’s cloud investments and other tech innovation the company is spearheading.

Private Sector Solutions to Public Sector Challenges: A Conversation With Karen Dahut

Karen Dahut is CEO of Google Public Sector (GPS), where she works to bring Google technology to solve complex problems for U.S. public sector solutions at the local, state, and federal levels. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Dahut about GPS’ work with public and private sector partners to leverage Google technology to serve U.S. citizens.

The Value of Data: A Conversation With Lance Harcrow

Lance Harcrow is chief operating officer at Estes Forwarding Worldwide, a leading domestic and international freight forwarder headquartered in Chesterfield County. VEDP Vice President of Logistics Eric Jehu spoke with Harcrow about the issues his company sees as a logistics provider and how data analysis can transform the supply chain moving forward.

Amazon Invests in Technology and People: A Conversation With Ashleigh de la Torre

Ashleigh de la Torre is vice president of public policy at Amazon, where she leads the company’s transportation and sustainability initiatives, supporting its operations, logistics, and delivery businesses. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with de la Torre about Amazon’s complex logistics operations and ambitious sustainability goals.

Rethinking the Supply Chain From Dock to Door: A Conversation With Myra Blanco

Dr. Myra Blanco is chief growth officer at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and CEO of the university’s Dock to Door Coalition. VEDP Vice President of Logistics Eric Jehu spoke to Blanco about the coalition’s goals for transforming the way supply chains are viewed, analyzed, and managed.

Perpetuating a Rock-Solid Relationship: A Conversation With Ambassador Alexander Yui

Ambassador Alexander Yui took over as the Taiwanese representative to the United States at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in December 2023. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Ambassador Yui about his experiences in the job and the trade relationship between Virginia and Taiwan.

Key Factors in FDI Decisions: A Conversation With Jasjit Singh

Jasjit Singh is executive director of SelectUSA, a U.S. government program housed within the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration that works to attract foreign direct investment to the United States. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Singh about trends in foreign direct investment and SelectUSA’s work to drive FDI activity.

The International View of the American Value Proposition: A Conversation With Ambassador Mark Brzezinski

Ambassador Mark Brzezinski has served as the U.S. Ambassador to Poland since 2021 and previously served as the U.S. Ambassador to Sweden. VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi spoke with Ambassador Brzezinski about foreign direct investment, European perceptions of the business climate in the United States and Virginia and what states can do to attract European investment.