CoStar Impact Awards
We are proud to announce that MWM Consulting won the CoStar Sale/Acquisition of the Year for Lexington, Kentucky, and Lease of the Year for Lexington, Kentucky. Read more about these transformational projects: Sale/Acquisition of the Year for Lexington, Kentucky: Lexington, Kentucky, sale of flex industrial space keeps it local – https://www.costar.com/article/1567360005/lexington-kentucky-sale-of-flex-industrial-space-keeps-it-local Lease of the Year […]
LIVE from the 2026 #AmericanSouth Site Selection Summit – Bethany Shockney, Dennis Wiggins, Lucas Witt
On location at the 2026 American South Site Selection Summit in Arlington, Texas, host Ray Methvin of Insyteful sits down for a series of one-on-one interviews highlighting specialized approaches to community growth and leadership. The opening segment features Bethany Shockney, President and CEO of the Limestone County Economic Development Association in Alabama, who discusses navigating […]
Building Competitive Communities: The Role of State Support in Economic Development
By Elizabeth Carter The Rising Importance of Site Readiness As the 2026 session of the Kentucky General Assembly continues forward, economic development funding decisions will determine how well Kentucky communities can position themselves for future projects. Local leaders drive their own strategies but face a rising bar for market-ready sites, while neighboring states have benefited […]
Stocks are Expensive, and Increasingly Concentrated – Presenting an Opportunity for Commercial Real Estate
By Mac McLean *Market conditions and data referenced in this article are current as of December 23rd, 2025. Equity Markets Delivering Exceptional Returns The S&P 500 has been on a tear over the last three years, posting gains of 26% in 2023, 25% in 2024, and another 14% as of early December 2025. All three […]
What happened in 2025 and where are we going next?
By Lucas Witt A Yearly Recap A statistic that has been consistent for decades is that about half of US small businesses fail within 5 years, and only a third of them will still be operating after 10 years. At MWM Consulting, we just completed our 5th full year of operation, and I am here […]
Finding Your Community Identity for Economic Development
By Elizabeth Carter When communities set out to compete in economic development, the focus often starts with product: What sites are available? Are there move-in-ready buildings on the market? How strong is the utility infrastructure? What kind of access do we have to highways, interstates, ports, or rail? These are foundational questions, but the answers […]
MWM Mid-Year 2025 Letter
By Lucas Witt Volatility, Patience, and Positioning for What’s Next We’re halfway through 2025, and if there’s one word that best describes the market right now, it’s uncertain. At MWM, we’ve seen the effects of that uncertainty across the board: slower deal cycles, cautious capital, and communities navigating a more complex investment landscape than they’ve […]
Why Business Retention and Expansion Matter
By Audrey Grace Hacker A community’s most valuable assets are its people and businesses that already call it home. However, in the race to attract the next big company or “hot” industry, existing businesses often get overlooked. While new business attraction is a critical component of economic development, business retention and expansion are at the […]
How Kentucky’s KIASI Grants Supercharge Industrial Growth
By Audrey Grace Hacker As high-quality, rail-served industrial sites become increasingly scarce across the United States, rail companies and states are taking action to protect and expand the critical rail infrastructure. Kentucky is one such state that is taking action in investing through the Kentucky Industrial Access and Safety Improvement (“KIASI”) program. How the KIASI […]
Local Government and Real Estate Professionals: Can They Go Hand-in-Hand for Economic Growth?
By Elizabeth Carter For years, commercial real estate and community-driven economic development have operated in silos, with limited interaction between local governments and real estate professionals. However, when approached strategically, the integration of real estate expertise can be a significant asset for a community seeking long-term economic success. Leveraging Publicly Controlled Land For counties, cities, […]