This month’s episode of Economic Development Secrets highlights Mark Lautman, Principal of Lautman Economic Architecture.
During his 35 year career as a professional economic developer, Mark Lautman designed and managed four job creation programs: Grants, Rio Rancho, Santa Teresa, and Mesa Del Sol. Together his programs produced over 80 project transactions, 15,000 new jobs, 6 million square feet of industrial space, and $11 billion dollars in new investment. He also served ten years as Chairman of the New Mexico Economic Development Commission.
In 2000, Mark began to realize that a powerful combination of economic and demographic forces were changing the job creation game and making it much more difficult for community leaders to manage their local economies. He wrote a book titled: “When the Boomers Bail,” available on Amazon.com, and is a frequent conference keynote speaker.
In 2007 he and a group of colleagues founded the Community Economics Lab, a not-for-profit think tank focused on understanding these new forces and developing new approaches to economic and workforce development. Recent breakthroughs include:
1. Development and test of a more rigorous, comprehensive and agile strategic planning process.
2. Pioneering of new business models for emerging job creation theaters; Entrepreneurship, Solopreneurs-Freelance and Retirement.
3. Finding new ways to elevate and integrate job creation and talent development strategies at the local level.
Lautman is a co-founder and current President of InvestUS, the state’s first fully staffed EB-5 Regional Center
His consulting business, Lautman Economic Architecture, LLC, is engaged in a diverse range of program design and development in multiple states work including an assignment as the program team lead for the NM Legislative Jobs Council.
He is a 1971 graduate of The University of New Mexico in Economics, Architecture and Geography, and a former Peace Corps Volunteer.
Mark lives in Albuquerque, NM with his wife Mary Anne. He has three children, five grandchildren, and is an open-water swimmer and alpinist.
