Equitable Cities IV: How the Business Community Impacts City Development

Navigating the infrastructure, land and relationships in construction. Host Adam Morrisey interviews global leaders in the built environment exploring the people, ideas and innovations guiding the construction and civil engineering industries into the future.

 

On this episode of Dirt Work, we concluded our Equity Cities mini-series by discussing the role that the business community plays in the development of our cities with Dallas Regional Chamber (“DRC”) executives Tosha Herron-Bruff and Jared Fitzpatrick. The Dallas Regional Chamber is one of the most established business organizations in the nation and serves as the voice of business and the champion of economic development and growth in the Dallas Region. Tosha and Jared lead the Chamber’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts.

Jared and Tosha discussed the key role that chamber organizations around the country serve in promoting and supporting the business community. The Dallas Chamber works with member companies and regional partners to strengthen our business community by advocating for pro-growth public policies, improving our educational system, attracting talented workers from around the world, and enhancing the quality of life for all. With the DRC’s newly launched initiatives in equity and inclusion, Tosha and Jared support area businesses making contributions to the wellbeing of the region as well as educating other businesses of their responsibility to contribute to building equitable cities. The Chamber aims to make the region a better place for all people to live, work and do business.

The business community benefits their immediate and surrounding areas in many ways:

  1. Attracting talented employees to live in particular regions.
  2. Through the development of districts and/or infrastructure to attract and retain talent, as well as contribute to the livability and business friendliness of the region.
  3. Through the commitment to the welfare of the cities through non-profit, philanthropic, and community-oriented initiatives.

For listeners interested in learning more about the work that the DRC is doing and trends related to diversity, inclusion, and equity, Tosha and Jared recommend keeping up with Dallas Regional Chamber and Dallas Innovates.

Catch Up on Past Episodes of Dirt Work!

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

student success
The AI-Powered Edge in Education: How LearningClues Is Enabling Student Success with Co-founder and CEO Dr. Perry Samson
June 30, 2025

As AI continues to reshape education, institutions face a growing challenge in ensuring students succeed without compromising engagement or integrity. Today’s college students are often juggling jobs, family, and coursework, leading to limited study time and increased dropout risk. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 40% of full-time undergraduates and 74% of…

Read More
AI Strategist
Why Enterprises Need an AI Strategist and Why It Should Be a Marketer
June 30, 2025

In this episode of The Marketing AI SparkCast, Aby Varma, founder of Spark Novus, a leading consultancy that partners with marketing leaders to adopt and scale AI responsibly and strategically, talks with Nicola Smith, Senior AI Programs Advisor at Southwest Airlines. They explore how enterprises can move beyond tool experimentation to embed AI into…

Read More
first 90 days
HealthSearch Partners’ Neill Marshall and Kurt Mosley Urge New CEOs to Listen First, Diagnose Early, and Lead with Purpose in the First 90 Days
June 30, 2025

CEO turnover across U.S. hospitals is accelerating. Hospitals and health systems announced 146 CEO changes in 2023—a 42 percent increase over the 103 exits recorded in 2022, according to a Challenger, Gray & Christmas report. As more leaders transition into new roles, the importance of making a good first impression has intensified. The early…

Read More
tech talent
The DisruptED World of Tech Talent with TEKsystems: Future-Proofing the Workforce Through Inclusive Hiring and Non-Traditional Education
June 27, 2025

In a workforce reshaped by automation, accelerated AI adoption, and persistent labor shortages, the demand for skilled tech talent has never been more urgent—or more difficult to meet. The traditional pipelines, namely college degrees and four-year institutions, are no longer producing enough candidates to meet the explosive growth in tech roles. With tech jobs…

Read More