What is your name?

Crystal Morphis

Where do you work and what is your job title?

Founder &CEO of Creative Economic Development Consulting

How long have you been in economic development?

25 years

How did you get started in economic development?

Curiosity about location theory led to working in BRE.

Tell us how your community is great.

Creative EDC is great because we get to think about solutions to community challenges.

How has being a member of SEDC benefited you?

We have benefitted from the network and professional development.

What is something you/your organization has accomplished that you are most proud of?

We are wrapping up a multi-year engagement with the SC Department of Commerce Rural Planning Initiative that not only provided planning services to municipalities across the state but also implementation funding for a catalyst project.

Where is your favorite spot in your community and why?

Trail running - we have access to several state parks, recreation areas, and a national park with waterfalls, granite domes, and vistas that go on forever.

What is a current podcast or book you would recommend?

The Art of Fighting: The Transformative Power of Conflict by Priya Parker.

What is your guilty pleasure TV show?

Don't have one - books are my go to.

What is something you do in your free time?

Spend time outside lost (on purpose lost) in the woods.

When you were younger, what did you envision yourself being when you grew up?

Lawyer

Who is on your Economic Development Mount Rushmore?

Ted Abernathy, Economic Leadership