Sharon Younger is the founder of Younger Associates, Inc., an economic research and strategic communications firm that provides services to private developers, site consultants, economic development organizations and transportation agencies.
Dr. Younger is a frequent speaker at national conferences for professional organizations. She has been an economic development instructor for the Economic Development Institute, IEDC, University of Oklahoma, Auburn University, University of Tennessee, Louisiana State University and CETYS University in Mexico.
Before founding Younger Associates, Dr. Younger was an associate professor of market research and advertising at Union University. During her time at Union, she launched the Center for Business and Economic Services where she served as director. Prior to her work at the University, Dr. Younger worked in market research for a Fortune 100 company.
Recognized nationally as a leading researcher in the field of economic and community development, Dr. Younger and her firm have successfully completed regional and statewide research for clients in twenty-six states. Workforce development strategies led by Dr. Younger for Wyoming and Louisiana have been profiled in the national media and noted as the best in the nation for solving workforce shortages.
As a skilled facilitator, Dr. Younger conducts focus groups and leads strategic planning programs. She has expertise in guiding groups through developing successful plans with realistic goals and measurable benchmarks. Her planning work has a successful track record for gaining acceptance by multiple stakeholders and support from elected leaders.
Dr. Younger managed the Public Involvement Program for the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s Long-Range Transportation Plan, the first statewide 25-year multi-modal plan in Tennessee. As Public Involvement Lead Consultant, she planned and implemented the statewide public and stakeholder meetings and public outreach strategy. Additionally, Younger Associates was charged with the development of the final plan document.
Dr. Younger has worked with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to develop successful strategies for recruiting the plastics and automotive industries. Also, for TVA, she conducted a potential freight movement for the Port of Cates Landing Industrial Park in Tennessee.
Her firm also worked with TVA to analyze the economic impact of the megasite program by analyzing the activity in five megasites and strategies for developing two additional megasites. The firm conducts continuing economic impact analyses and benefit cost analyses to determine incentive levels for projects and prospects.
In a project funded by the U.S. Trade Development Agency, Dr. Younger worked with the Republic of Cameroon to develop a feasibility plan to attract the World Bank and other international financing initiatives for the development of a deep-water port in the city of Limbe.
The staff at Younger Associates advises a number of economic development agencies and industrial development boards on strategic communications with location consultants and prospects; marketing and attraction programs; evaluating incentives and conducting economic impact analyses.
Dr. Younger has developed target industry strategies for a wide range of cities, states, regions and individual economic development agencies including Bradenton/Sarasota, FL; Memphis Regional Economic Development Council (52 County Region); The Shoals Region of AL; Ocala, FL; Charlotte, NC and Chattanooga. Younger Associates research has played a key role in many site selection decisions across the United States, including automotive assembly plants, foreign investments and global technology companies such as Space X.
The firm completed a comprehensive analysis for the 10-county Thomas Jefferson Partnership region centered in Charlottesville, VA. The study encompassed six distinct components: a workforce analysis, existing business cluster analysis, emerging and growth industries analysis, technology assets inventory, strengths weaknesses opportunities and threats assessment, and an economic targeting strategy. This was the first study for an economic development agency that combined these areas of expertise to develop a marketing strategy for the region.
Professional Affiliations
International Economic Development Council
Economic Development Institute
Tennessee Economic Development Council
Southern Economic Development Council