“Why Communities Need to Become Destinations for Talent”

Ball State University Professors Michael Hicks and David Terrell gave a presentation at Goshen Theater that focused on how economic development policies are increasingly shifting emphasis from recruiting industry to recruiting talent. 

Michael Hicks, PhD, is professor of economics and the director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at Ball State University. His research interest is in state and local public finance and the effect of public policy on the location, composition, and size of economic activity. He has authored three books and more than 50 scholarly papers and is best known for his work on tax incentives and the impact of Walmart.

David Terrell is the Executive Director of the Indiana Communities Institute (ICI) at Ball State University and of the RUPRI Center for Local and State Policy. The ICI works with communities to transition from economic development strategies based on physical capital investment to strategies based more heavily on human capital. The ICI conducts research that informs state and local policy and engages communities through training.