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Alex Pearlstein has overseen nearly 70 strategic engagements for more than 50 communities in 26 U.S. states and one Canadian province during his 18-year career in economic development consulting. These include fast-growing regions such as Austin, Texas and Nashville, Tennessee as well as smaller communities like Halifax County, Virginia, Summit County, Colorado, and rural southeastern Arizona. At the state and provincial level, Alex led the development of an economic development strategy for the state of Missouri and an innovation plan for Alberta, Canada.

While all places are different, exposure to consistent challenges and opportunities in communities of all sizes has given Alex a well-honed perspective on strategically addressing these issues. Above all, he believes that developing a plan is just the “end of the beginning;” creating an effective framework for implementation is critical to achieving lasting success.

Alex received a Bachelor’s in Communications at the University of California, San Diego and a Master’s of Community and Regional Planning at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He has been quoted in economic development related stories in the New York Times, Bloomberg.com, CNBC.com, and multiple local and regional newspapers, business journals, and magazines. His perspectives on the industry have been shared as an instructor at IEDC Basic Economic Development Courses in Atlanta, Little Rock, and Montgomery.

A native of Los Angeles, Alex now lives in Birmingham, Alabama with his wife, daughter, and son. His idea of a perfect Saturday is walking the lively streets of Birmingham’s many historic commercial districts, reliving the city’s industrial past at Sloss Furnaces or Red Mountain Park, and ending the day with a visit to the iconic Vulcan statue and its expansive observation deck overlooking Birmingham and Jones Valley.