Insight City Podcast

The Architecture of Reviving Downtown St. Louis with HOK's Margaret McDonald | Episode 9

This week, John Berglund sat down with Margaret McDonald, marketing principal for HOK's St. Louis studio and member of HOK's board of directors. With over 20 years of experience as an interior designer, she is renowned for developing innovative workplace design strategies that enhance performance, health, and wellness, while also excelling in client relations and business development. Beyond her professional achievements, Margaret is deeply involved in the St. Louis community, serving on numerous nonprofit boards and being recognized as one of the city's most influential business women by the St. Louis Business Journal.
 
Insight City: The city is talking. Are we listening? Insight City provides a space for dialogue with thought leaders, innovators, and community builders from St. Louis and beyond, exploring urban development, innovation, and the keys to creating a thriving urban core. Tune in weekly with your host John Berglund, an architect, developer and author, for insightful conversation at The Post Building in the Downtown North Insight District of St. Louis.
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insightcitypodcast/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/insight-city-podcast/
Produced by CARTEL https://www.yescartel.com/
Hosted by John Berglund
Contact: insightcitypodcast@gmail.com

Attracting International Talent to St. Louis with The Mosaic Projects' Betsy Cohen | Episode 8

For this special 4th of July episode, John Berglund sat down with Betsy Cohen, Executive Director of the St. Louis Mosaic Project, to explore how America's immigrant heritage continues to shape our cities success and discuss the vital role of international talent in strengthening our communities and economy. Betsy Cohen had a long career as Vice President of Marketing at Nestlé Purina, and now leads the St. Louis Mosaic Project, a program within the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership aimed at attracting international talent to the region. Cohen has worked extensively with international students, relocating immigrants, and foreign-born job seekers to help them integrate into the local community and workforce. Her efforts have earned her numerous accolades, including being named "Business Advocate of the Year" by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce St. Louis and having December 20, 2012 declared "Betsy Cohen Day" in St. Louis for her leadership in community initiatives.
 
Insight City: The city is talking. Are we listening? Insight City provides a space for dialogue with thought leaders, innovators, and community builders from St. Louis and beyond, exploring urban development, innovation, and the keys to creating a thriving urban core. Tune in weekly with your host John Berglund, an architect, developer and author, for insightful conversation at The Post Building in the Downtown North Insight District of St. Louis.
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insightcitypodcast/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/insight-city-podcast/
Produced by CARTEL https://www.yescartel.com/
Hosted by John Berglund
Contact: insightcitypodcast@gmail.com

Why is St. Louis a Geospatial Insights Hub with GEO261 | Episode 7

John Berglund interviews Brian Monheiser and Anthony Calamito, co-founders of GEO261, a St. Louis-based growth strategy firm with a background in geospatial technology and product-market fit. Monheiser is a USMC veteran with expertise in topographic analysis, systems engineering, and business development, while Calamito is a college-trained geographer with experience in product management, go-to-market strategies, and academia. They discuss why St. Louis is emerging as a major geospatial hub, and what their company brings to the city in tandem with the new National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) headquarters.
 
Insight City: The city is talking. Are we listening? Insight City provides a space for dialogue with thought leaders, innovators, and community builders from St. Louis and beyond, exploring urban development, innovation, and the keys to creating a thriving urban core. Tune in weekly with your host John Berglund, an architect, developer and author, for insightful conversation at The Post Building in the Downtown North Insight District of St. Louis.
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insightcitypodcast/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/insight-city-podcast/
Produced by CARTEL https://www.yescartel.com/
Hosted by John Berglund
Contact: insightcitypodcast@gmail.com

Attracting Startups to St. Louis with Arch Grants' Gabe Angieri | Episode 6

John Berglund interviews Gabe Angieri, the executive director of Arch Grants, whose mission is to change the St. Louis economic ecosystem by attracting entrepreneurs to the region with $50,000 non-equity grants. In order to receive a grant, the founders must either be from St. Louis, or move their companies to the region. Since 2012, Arch Grants has supported more than 240 companies, most of which are still in business.
 
Insight City: The city is talking. Are we listening? Insight City provides a space for dialogue with thought leaders, innovators, and community builders from St. Louis and beyond, exploring urban development, innovation, and the keys to creating a thriving urban core. Tune in weekly with your host John Berglund, an architect, developer and author, for insightful conversation at The Post Building in the Downtown North Insight District of St. Louis.
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insightcitypodcast/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/insight-city-podcast/
Produced by CARTEL https://www.yescartel.com/
Hosted by John Berglund
Contact: insightcitypodcast@gmail.com
 

Making St. Louis an Innovation Hub with Dennis Lower of Cortex | Episode 5

Dennis Lower has been a pioneer in the development of innovation districts nationwide, making significant contributions in Philadelphia, Boston, New Jersey, and most recently St. Louis, where he served as President and CEO of Cortex Innovation Community for a decade. This week, John Berglund and Dennis sat down to discuss what St. Louis needs to do to become one of the nation's next major technology innovation capitals.
 
Insight City: The city is talking. Are we listening? Insight City provides a space for dialogue with thought leaders, innovators, and community builders from St. Louis and beyond, exploring urban development, innovation, and the keys to creating a thriving urban core. Tune in weekly with your host John Berglund, an architect, developer and author, for insightful conversation at The Post Building in the Downtown North Insight District of St. Louis.
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insightcitypodcast/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/insight-city-podcast/
Produced by CARTEL https://www.yescartel.com/
Hosted by John Berglund
Contact: insightcitypodcast@gmail.com
 

What Can St. Louis Learn from Memphis with Tosha Downey of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation | Episode 4

This week, John Berglund interviewed Tosha Downey, Senior Program Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Tosha tells us the story of her upbringing, and what role that had in her pursuit to advance public policy in Tennessee. They also discuss what Memphis and St. Louis can learn from each other, and the role education and early learning plays in our cities futures.
 
Insight City: The city is talking. Are we listening? Insight City provides a space for dialogue with thought leaders, innovators, and community builders from St. Louis and beyond, exploring urban development, innovation, and the keys to creating a thriving urban core. Tune in weekly with your host John Berglund, an architect, developer and author, for insightful conversation at The Post Building in the Downtown North Insight District of St. Louis.
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insightcitypodcast/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/insight-city-podcast/
Produced by CARTEL https://www.yescartel.com/
Hosted by John Berglund
Contact: insightcitypodcast@gmail.com

Rebuilding St. Louis Symphony Orchestra's Powell Hall with Unitey Kull | Episode 3

This week, John Berglund sat down with Unitey Kull, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Unitey started her career in St. Louis at another city staple, the Contemporary Art Museum. SLSO is currently undergoing big changes with the renovations of Powell Hall, the Symphony's home and one of the most historic concert halls in the country. With the community eager to learn about the venue's future, we invited Unitey to provide insights into the rebuilding process and what St. Louis can expect from our world class Symphony in the coming years.
 
Insight City: The city is talking. Are we listening? Insight City provides a space for dialogue with thought leaders, innovators, and community builders from St. Louis and beyond, exploring urban development, innovation, and the keys to creating a thriving urban core. Tune in weekly with your host John Berglund, an architect, developer and author, for insightful conversation at The Post Building in the Downtown North Insight District of St. Louis.
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insightcitypodcast/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/insight-city-podcast/
Produced by CARTEL https://www.yescartel.com/
Hosted by John Berglund
Contact: insightcitypodcast@gmail.com

Revitalizing Downtown with Greater St. Louis Inc’s Kurt Weigle | Episode 2

Join John Berglund on Insight City as he sits down with Kurt Weigle, the Senior Vice President and Chief Downtown Officer at Greater St. Louis, Inc. Kurt has spent his career transforming downtown districts in Detroit, New Orleans, and now St. Louis. With a background in urban planning and development, Kurt has led the revitalization of downtown areas, attracting development, improving livability, and promoting industries and amenities to draw residents, workers, and visitors. In this episode, Kurt shares his vision for the future of Downtown St. Louis, discussing key initiatives and projects that will drive economic growth and development in the area. He also reflects on his experience as President and CEO of the Downtown Development District in New Orleans, highlighting lessons learned and how they inform his approach in St. Louis. Kurt also addresses the recent WSJ article on Downtown St. Louis and the challenges of improving walkability, safety, and the perception of crime, as well as the strategies being explored to address vacant office buildings and ensure inclusive growth. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of downtown development and the role it plays in the vitality of a city.
 
Insight City: The city is talking. Are we listening? Insight City provides a space for dialogue with thought leaders, innovators, and community builders from St. Louis and beyond, exploring urban development, innovation, and the keys to creating a thriving urban core. Tune in weekly with your host John Berglund, an architect, developer and author, for insightful conversation at The Post Building in the Downtown North Insight District of St. Louis.
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insightcitypodcast/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/insight-city-podcast/
Produced by CARTEL https://www.yescartel.com/
Hosted by John Berglund
Contact: insightcitypodcast@gmail.com

How to Create an Innovation Community with T-REX's Patricia Hagen | Episode 1

In the premiere episode of Insight City, John Berglund interviews Patricia Hagen, PhD, Executive Director of T-REX Innovation Center, about the organization's origins, the keys to cultivating a thriving innovation community, and how strategic partnerships with the NGA are establishing Downtown North St. Louis as an emerging hub for geospatial startups and innovators.
 
Insight City: The city is talking. Are we listening? Insight City provides a space for dialogue with thought leaders, innovators, and community builders from St. Louis and beyond, exploring urban development, innovation, and the keys to creating a thriving urban core. Tune in weekly with your host John Berglund, an architect, developer and author, for insightful conversation at The Post Building in the Downtown North Insight District of St. Louis.
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insightcitypodcast/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/insight-city-podcast/ 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChXvBHaoMwZRRm94s7xP3mAProduced by CARTEL https://www.yescartel.com/Hosted by John BerglundContact: insightcitypodcast@gmail.com