Mr. Steven Spalding is a Senior Advisor for Econsult Solutions, Inc. and Principal of Point A Consulting. His practice focuses on technology-based economic development initiatives designed to strengthen and promote the knowledge economy assets of client communities. Spalding’s forte is integrating assessment of market opportunities with physical development strategies, to achieve place-based solutions as catalysts for growing regional innovation eco-systems.
His 30 years of experience includes leadership roles with research parks and technology incubators, as well as community-wide strategic planning initiatives. Since founding Point A Consulting in 2007 he has undertaken engagements related to strategic plans for innovation and technology-based economic development across the country, in partnership with leading urban design, technology commercialization and strategy consultancies.
Mr. Spalding began his professional career Philadelphia, where at PIDC he helped produce The City of Philadelphia: An Urban Strategy, a strategic plan to coordinate the community’s federally-funded investments. He also managed major federal grant efforts and a military base closing initiative. Earlier, at the City Planning Commission, he conducted studies on revitalization of older industrial areas that led to policies to retain and attract companies in the inner city.
From 1997 to 2007, Mr. Spalding was President & CEO of the Louisville Medical Center Development Corporation (LMCDC – now known as NUCLEUS). Spalding oversaw initial development of a five city-block life science research park — including 180,000 square feet of laboratory, medical manufacturing and office space, and a 50,000-square-foot incubator facility. He secured over $16 million in government and foundation grants to jumpstart the park and incubator initiatives.
Mr. Spalding also founded LMCDC’s business accelerator — MetaCyte Business Lab LLC — which provides hands-on management services to research faculty, clinicians and entrepreneurs seeking to build health science start-up companies.
Mr. Spalding worked as staff director of the Louisville Chamber of Commerce for two regionally-oriented “visioning plans” that put the community on a new economic development pathway. Spalding also was deeply involved in the launch of the first update to the County’s comprehensive land use plan in over 30 years, including an in-depth examination of capital infrastructure planning and investment strategies. Spalding also served as Vice President at Louisville Central Area, Inc., where he led the effort to establish a downtown Business Improvement District, and directed economic forecasting studies for the 1992 Louisville Downtown Master Plan.
He obtained a Masters in City Planning from the University of Pennsylvania, and a B.A. from Antioch College. Spalding, who speaks conversational French, is a native of Louisville, Kentucky.