GEDI alum teaches next generation of community builders

Phillip Dunlap has seen a lot of changes in Auburn, Alabama, in his time — and he’s also helped to make them happen.

“Auburn’s grown from a small college town into a nice, small city,” Dunlap said. “When I got here, we had only four manufacturers. Now, we’ve got close to 70 companies of various sizes.”

Phillip Dunlap is an alumnus and instructor for GEDI, a program that offers classes for community leaders and government employees in taxes, mapping, property valuation and infrastructure design.

As the economic development director for the City of Auburn, Dunlap has had a huge hand in making the city into what it is today. Forty years ago, he enrolled in the very first Intensive Economic Development Training Course offered by Auburn University’s Government and Economic Development Institute (GEDI), a program that offers classes for community leaders and government employees in everything from taxes and mapping to community branding, property valuation and infrastructure design.

Today, Dunlap teaches in the program, sharing his wealth of economic development knowledge with the next generation of community leaders.

Often working behind the scenes, economic development professionals act as a go-between for municipalities wanting to attract businesses and companies wanting to move or expand. They help boost local economies by expanding tax bases, supporting startups and creating vital partnerships within the community.

“Economic development is a team sport,” Dunlap said. “In order to be successful as a community, you need proper infrastructure and good schools. And you’ve got to have people in all facets, both public and private, who are willing to participate and show the advantages of your community to potential investments.”

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Dunlap joined the city’s team back in 1984, and the partnerships he’s been building since then have been extremely fruitful. Having spearheaded the creation of an industrial park and three separate technology parks, he’s worked alongside Auburn University administration as the campus has steadily grown and represented the city during the development of Auburn University’s Research Park.

“We’ve recruited a very diverse manufacturing base that is really technology-oriented,” he said. “We created a lot of good-paying jobs for people within the community, and that’s helped to drive the economy to create opportunities for more commercial and residential growth. It all fits together like pieces of a puzzle.”

Through his involvement with GEDI, Dunlap is sharing the lessons he’s learned over the years with young economic development professionals and community leaders. He teaches a range of subjects, including development finance, structuring deals and best practices for organizing a local economic development program. He’s grateful he turned to GEDI for professional development when he was getting started in the field, and he’s glad to see young leaders from around the state coming to campus to do the same thing.

“There really aren’t a lot of places you go and study how to be an economic developer,” he said. “The truth of the matter is our business is about using common sense approaches and simply working very hard to compete for opportunities to come to your community. I thoroughly enjoy working with new people in the business, who are here because they see an opportunity to better their community for their fellow citizens.”