David A Dodd
David A. Dodd, CEcD is the President of DADCO Consulting, Inc., a firm specializing in equipping communities and people with tools to achieve economic prosperity. He is also CEO of Confluence Advisors, Inc., a company dedicated to attracting and delivering capital to communities, entrepreneurs, and small businesses worldwide.
After a seven-year career in commercial banking, and after helping to successfully organize an economic development program in the town of Logansport, Louisiana, David joined the Shreveport, Louisiana Chamber of Commerce as manager of Business Development and Financial Assistance. Under his tenure, job creation increased by 150%, and he was named National Outstanding Young Leader in economic development by Site Selection magazine. David then moved on to become a partner in Morrison/Dodd Group, LLC for seven years, finally forming DADCO Consulting, Inc., in January, 2000.
David has a broad base of expertise in the field of Economic Development. He is a pioneer in the principles of competitive advantage through the principles of what he terms “collaborative development”. This form of economic development blends inter-firm collaboration, business networking, and cluster-based economic development with more traditional roles of marketing, infrastructure, and workforce development to create active partnerships between and among industries, communities, and support institutions, all dedicated to increasing wealth in regions.
Recent collaborative development projects include developing clusters in the central San Joaquin Valley region of California, a series of workforce development networks in central Louisiana, a collaborative strategy for the State of Montana Office of Economic Opportunity, a cluster- based economic development strategy for Metrovision (the 10-parish New Orleans region), and a collaborative-based action agenda for the North Mississippi Industrial Development Association
David is also widely recognized for bringing the concept of branding to economic development. His strategic marketing plan and campaign for the Tennessee Valley Industrial Development Association garnered national attention for its’ “one call” branding campaign. He has developed strategic marketing campaigns for the Longview, TX economic development corporation, the West Tennessee Industrial Association, the North Alabama Industrial Development Association, the Northwest Georgia Joint Development Authority, the south Kentucky Economic Development Association, the North Mississippi Industrial Development Association, the Campbell County Economic Development Corporation, and the Sheridan, Wyoming Economic Development Corporation.
David also has a strategic partnership with global development research powerhouse Conway Data. In 2002, David worked extensively with Conway Data in presenting findings on economic development education, the role of economic development in a networked global economy, and current best practices in the field to senior officials the Development Bank of Japan. David also performs site location services, specializing in multi-faceted analyses that include social capital and intellectual infrastructure in addition to traditional location criteria. He counts among his clients an international Information Technology consulting firm and a national sports media corporation.
David is an internationally recognized instructor and lecturer. He has provided training and presentations for organizations throughout the U.S., including: The Oregon Economic Development Department, the Colorado Economic Development Association, the Florida Economic Development Council, the Oklahoma Economic Development Council, the Michigan Economic Development Association, the New Mexico Economic Development Conference, the Kentucky Industrial Development Council, the Tennessee Industrial Development Association, the Louisiana Industrial Development Executives’ Association, the Mississippi Economic Development Council, The North Alabama Industrial Development Association, The Georgia Economic Development Council, Business Expansion and Retention International, the Southern Economic Development Council, the American Economic Development Council, the Wisconsin Economic Development Association, and many others.
David has addressed members of the Australian Parliament on regional development and with the support of that body visited seven Australian capital cities to make a series of presentations on competitive regions in an uncertain world. David has advised both the Cairns Region Economic Development Corporation and the Sunshine Coast Business Development Corporation in their formation and successful implementation. He also published a position paper on development finance initiatives for the Ministry of Transport and Regional Development. In addition, he has advised Electricity D’France on regional development and is affiliated with the OECD’s LEED partners club.
David has extensive experience in development finance, having helped establish the Business and Industrial Development Corporation (BIDCO) industry in Louisiana, which provides capital to high growth companies. Since their inception, BIDCOs have raised over $1.2 billion in investment capital. In 1996, he helped launch and fund the first BIDCO in Alaska, Alaska Growth Capital BIDCO. He has since been chiefly responsible for their efforts to successfully secure an additional $24 million in private, state, and federal funding. Through his partnership with Chris Feduccia in Confluence Advisors, Inc. David is leading providers of strategic and tactical advice regarding the New Markets and CDFI initiatives, including venture firms in Louisiana, California, and Nevada. David and Chris have extensive successful experience with the New Markets Tax Credit program, and have obtained over $200 million in NMTC credits for their clients.
David has been involved in the development of transportation infrastructure and related enterprises in New York, Arizona, and Baja-California, Mexico. He is a pioneer in the adaptation of supply chain management as a tool to make regions more competitive.
David also has extensive experience in technology commercialization and development. His work for the Louisiana Partnership for Technology and Innovation included both policy development and hands-on assistance with technology companies in North Louisiana. With former business partner Ed Morrison, he assisted Louisiana Tech University in creation of the LTU Technology Foundation, resulting in a substantial increase in intellectual property development and commercialization of important discoveries in the fields of biomedical engineering and micro-manufacturing.
David co-authored a National Institute for Standards and Technology report on technology in the workforce for the Consortium for Education, Research, and Technology (CERT), a nine-university consortium that resulted in nine new initiatives for workforce improvement in technology-related fields. David developed the business plan for the InterTech Venture Fund of the Biomedical Research Foundation of Northwest Louisiana, a fund for development of biomedical businesses for the InterTech research park, a 300 acre comprehensive redevelopment research and technology park.
David also co-authored the book “Economic Development in the New Millennium”, published by the AEDC Press, and he has contributed articles to “Economic Development Review”, “SEDC News”, Site Selection and Xpansion Journal magazines, and various other regional and national publications, including Clusters Asia-Pacific, of which he is a founding member.
In the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, David led organization and implementation of the Gulf Coast Business Reinvestment Forum, sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the International Economic Development Council, and the states of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. The summit resulted in an action plan that is now being distributed among federal and state leaders to guide business reinvestment and job creation in the affected states. David is also a board member of the Americas Chapter of The Competitiveness Institute, an international organization devoted to competitive advantage principles. He serves on the International Committee of the International Economic Development Council.
David holds a degree in Business Administration with a Pre-Law minor from Louisiana Tech University, and has completed the Graduate School of Banking of the South at Louisiana State University. He is a Certified Economic Developer, and completed the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute (OU/EDI) before moving on to become one of its highest-rated faculty members and Dean for four years. David is most proud of his recent involvement in Mexico, leading a national effort for CETYS University in Baja-California, which has the distinction of being the first ever Economic Development Course and Institute outside the United States to be accredited by the International Economic Development Council.