Building Local Economies with Heath Vescovi-Chiordi and Danny Knee | Let's Talk Small Biz Finance

Building Local Economies with Heath Vescovi-Chiordi and Danny Knee: Insights from Pima County’s Economic Development Initiatives.In this episode of the Let's Talk Small Biz Finance Podcast, Danny Knee chats with Heath Vescovi-Chiordi about how regional economic strategies foster community growth, support small businesses, and adapt to global shifts. They explore the tools, policies, and innovative projects driving economic resilience and community benefit in Tucson and beyond.Heath Vescovi-Chiordi is the Director of Economic Development for Pima County. His work focuses on economic development and workforce development with a priority on sustainable and diverse growth. The goal is to increase the county’s viability for business attraction, retention and expansion. He is U of A graduate with a master’s degree in public administration. He’s won numerous awards and accolades including being named one of Tucson’s 40-under- 40, the Gabe Zimmerman Public Service Award for Emerging Leader 2021, being named one of Biz Tucson’s Next Gen leaders in 2022, and the Economic Developer of the Year by the Arizona Association for Economic Development in 2024.About the Host:Danny Knee is the Executive Director of Community Investment Corporation (CIC), a Tucson-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that specializes in small business lending, crowdfunding, and alternative financing in Southern Arizona, including Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, and Yuma Counties, in addition to programs supporting first-time homeowners and education.Learn more about CIC's programs here: https://cictucson.orgHave a question or suggestion for an upcoming podcast? Submit it here: https://cictucson.org/podcast-submission-formTimestamps:00:00 - Introduction to Heath Vescovici and his role in Pima County02:05 - Heath’s early career, awards, and personal anecdotes03:11 - Defining economic development: traditional vs community-based models04:26 - Balancing community values and economic growth in regional strategies05:29 - Measuring success: KPIs, public engagement, perception, and future planning07:24 - Focus on small business retention and expansion efforts in the region08:49 - Partnering with community organizations and providing access to resources09:45 - Impact of national and global economic shifts, including tariffs and conflict11:43 - The interconnected nature of small and large businesses in economic health12:32 - Personal preference game: Teacher vs. Economic Developer, and pop culture debates14:00 - Spotlight on overlooked resources: local lenders, community colleges, and regional IDAs17:13 - Current initiatives in the “lab”: grants, workforce training, aerospace, and tech startup development21:19 - Building a regional economic brand and international outreach projects22:21 - Heath’s go-to Sonoran hot dog spot and closing remarks#CommunityFirst #EconomicMobility #GrowTogether #PimaCounty #EconomicDevelopment