Kendrick J. Curtis, PhD, is the Assistant Director for the Middle Tennessee Industrial Development Association (MTIDA), where he leads initiatives to promote economic development across 40 counties in central Tennessee. MTIDA, a partnership of regional electric power and natural gas distributors, collaborates closely with the State of Tennessee and the Tennessee Valley Authority to support industrial recruitment and economic growth in central Tennessee.Before joining MTIDA, Kendrick served as the Community and Rural Development Director at the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD). In this role, he oversaw key programs, including the Select Tennessee Industrial Site Certification, Main Street, National Flood Insurance, Retire Tennessee, and Adventure Tourism initiatives, driving economic development in rural areas and small towns. Prior to this, Kendrick was TNECD’s Technical Program Director, where he managed the development of the state’s industrial site certification program and facilitated supplier preparation for the Uranium Processing Facility at Y-12.Earlier in his career, Kendrick worked in Tennessee’s Local Planning Assistance Office, holding dual roles as GIS Manager and Principal Planner. He earned a PhD and MS in geography from the University of Tennessee and a BA from the University of North Alabama.