The Think MHK Podcast is back with season five! We open up our season by sitting down Dr. Richard Linton, the 15th president of Kansas State University. President Linton discusses his career path, including his roles at Virginia Tech, Purdue University, Ohio State University, and North Carolina State University. He highlights his family's involvement at K-State, the university's strategic Next Gen K-State Plan, and the $500 million in new construction projects, including the $230 million Ag Innovation Project. Linton emphasizes the importance of research, private-public partnerships, and athletics, and notes the $2.3 billion economic impact of K-State. He also shared personal anecdotes about his family and interests.

In episode sixteen, Jason sits down with Shanna Goodman, the new Executive Director for Pottawatomie County Economic Development, as she shares her personal journey and experience in business development. The two discuss strategies for promoting economic development in Kansas, including utilizing partnerships, community career fairs, and entrepreneurship programs. Goodman emphasizes the importance of building relationships through networking and promoting the region as a whole and the role both have played during her first six months as director.

In this episode, Jason talks with consultant Matt Tarleton about Manhattan's updated strategic plan for economic development. Tarleton discusses strategies like understanding human behavior, regionalism, economic diversification, and job growth, emphasizing collaboration, right-sizing initiatives, and a growth mindset. The pair also address the challenges of implementing large-scale strategies and the importance of economic diversification for long-term sustainability.