Talking Cities with Matt Enstice And Friends

Latest Episodes:

Taking Care Is Business Jan 08, 2019

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In this episode of #TalkingCities, Matt sits down with Holly Gagnon, President and CEO of Seneca Gaming Corporation. They speak on characteristics of a successful team, the gaming industry's development and what it means to be a female leader in a traditionally male dominated industry. As a founding member of Global Gaming Women, Holly expresses her passion for encouraging and empowering the growth of women leaders within gaming world-wide.

Learning How to Learn (Quickly) Dec 11, 2018

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Will you answer his call at 3am? If so, you might be the kind of person Raj Suchak is looking for. A self-described "technical geek who likes to tinker," after working at Salesforce for several years Raj started Cloud62, later acquired by Huron Consulting, to help companies get the most out of their investment in Salesforce. As he built his team, he got more and more interested in finding top talent. Instead of hiring on resumes or work experiences, he hired based on character, customer service skills, hunger and grit – and taught them how to do the tasks he had needed. He is now working on a new start-up called Grit Seed, a software platform to enable companies to find and evaluate talent by cultivating opportunities and having generational impact, as well as bringing RoboThink (a STEM program for kids) to Buffalo. Raj tells Matt about being raised in Tanzania, Africa and how he was influenced by his entrepreneurial father who constantly asked Raj "the big why" questions.

From Reactive to Operationally Excellent Nov 13, 2018

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Hear from Luis Taveras, CIO of the City of Buffalo on today's #TalkingCities podcast. Luis talks about his transition into government after spending his entire career working in the private sector; how he's transforming city hall from a reactive organization to one that's "operationally excellent"; and his thoughts on Open Data Buffalo and how a new Data 101 course will teach the public how to use the data provided to make a meaningful impact on their lives.

Destination Marketing Is Economic Development Oct 29, 2018

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This week on #TalkingCities we are joined by Patrick Kaler, chief Buffalo booster. Patrick moved to Buffalo several years ago to head up Visit Buffalo Niagara after spending time in Chicago, Lake Tahoe, and Loudon County (or "DC's wine country"). He talks about becoming the youngest executive director of a destination marketing organization in the state of Illinois, and how he reacted when a headhunter pitched him a job in Buffalo, NY. He highlights his pride in how his team worked to get Buffalo named on the @nytimes 52 Places to Travel in 2018 and the challenges behind the Buffalo Convention Center, the oldest convention center without a significant expansion or renovation in the country.

Creating a Digital Disruption Oct 16, 2018

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This week, Matt talks with Lorenz Gan, Chief Information Officer at New Era Cap. Lorenz is responsible for the strategy and execution behind the digital revolution at the iconic 98 year old global brand. They talk about his move from Australia in search of the "Big Smoke" - first London and then New York City. He played a leading role at luxury fashion house Burberry when its goal was to become the #1 digital luxury brand in the world, and he led the company through a number of fashion "firsts," including being the first to live stream fashion shows and utilize augmented reality. He talks about how he was recruited to Buffalo from NYC (in January!), and why it was the right move for his career and his family. They also discuss the importance of integrating technology to grow a global brand and the role of sports to a city's psyche.

News Where You Are Oct 09, 2018

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Hear from Warren Colville, President of The Buffalo News, and self-described family man, army brat and wine connoisseur. Warren talks about the changing media landscape in the world of #fakenews; how to navigate the tides of technology by innovating and diversifying revenue streams; and his thoughts on the future of the newspaper business.

Problem Solving with Music Oct 02, 2018

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In this episode, Matt talks with JoAnn Falletta, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Music Director, about falling in love with music as a little girl and what it felt like to play her first guitar; her travels around the country and world as a Conductor, and the role music plays in cities; and music's powerful affect on the brain and our lives.

Dairy & Data: A Dynamic Discovery Aug 01, 2018

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In this episode, Matt sits down with Bethany Deshpande, CEO and Co-Founder of SomaDetect, 2017 43North $1M winner. They discuss cows, the new wave of tech in farming, and life for Bethany growing up in Ontario. Bethany discusses the importance of data, consumer-focused design, and how her father discovered SomaDetect's technology almost by accident.

Embrace the Next Generation Jun 12, 2018

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Jeremy M. Jacobs, Chairman of Delaware North and Owner/Governor of the Boston Bruins, joined Matt for a wide-ranging Talking Cities this week. He spoke about taking over the family-owned company, started by his father, at age 28, and how his children and grandchildren are now leading the company into the future. He purchased the Boston Bruins and Boston Gardens in 1975, joking, "ignorance helped" in taking such a major leap. They talk about the role of sports in community development, as Delaware North is undertaking one of the largest projects in Boston right now to reimagine the area around TD Garden. Jacobs and his wife recently gave a significant gift to advance the University at Buffalo's medical school, which has been renamed for his family, and they discuss his role as a passionate philanthropist for higher education, health care, and the future of medicine. He touches on the importance of instincts ("If you don't have the instincts, you shouldn't do it"), seeking out opinions, and the role of a company within a community.

Uniting Unlikely Bedfellows to Improve Public Health Apr 24, 2018

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Dr. Gale Burstein, Commissioner of Public Health for Erie County @ecdoh, talks about Buffalo's approach to combatting the national opioid epidemic by developing a task force of unlikely bedfellows; the unique opportunities of having such a large refugee population in Buffalo and Erie County; and her public health training in South Africa.

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