Arizona Association for Economic Development Earns Gold Award from the International Economic Development Council

(PHOENIX – Oct. 21, 2021) – The International Economic Development Council has awarded the Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED) with an Innovation in Economic Development Gold Award for its program “Economic Development Week 2021: Collaborative Arizona Communities.” The honor was presented to AAED during the IEDC Annual Conference in Nashville.

AAED earned the ranking for its program Economic Development Week 2021: Collaborative Arizona Communities which took place May 9-15, 2021. The program highlighted the ways Arizona communities have continued to stay strong during the pandemic through collaboration. The campaign included networking sessions, policy impact celebrations to honor state legislators and resulted in Gov. Doug Ducey proclaiming that week as Economic Development Week.

“We feel very honored to be recognized among our peers for the work we have done during Economic Development Week,” said Carrie Kelly, executive director of AAED. “Collaboration has been key to achieving responsible economic development and we’re proud to facilitate collaboration among all communities, both rural and urban, in Arizona.”

Each year, IEDC recognizes the world’s best economic development programs and partnerships through its Excellence in Economic Development Awards. Recipients were chosen from more than 500 submissions from four countries by a judging panel comprised of diverse economic and community developers.

Three other Arizona organizations were honored with a Gold Award from IEDC. The Office of Economic Development at the City of Mesa received an Economic Equity and Inclusion Gold Award for CARES HUUB, a digital platform that connects small business owners and entrepreneurs to banking services. The City of Tucson and Pima Community College received a Partnerships with Educational Institutions Gold Award for its Thrive in the 05 program, aimed at reducing crime and improving affordable housing in the area. Greater Phoenix Economic Council was awarded with an Economic Development Organization of the Year Gold Award for its efforts as an organization.

In addition, six other communities in Arizona received Silver Awards for their economic development efforts. The City of Surprise received three Silver Awards: Multimedia and Video Promotion Silver Award for attracting virtual tourists in the “Drive to Surprise Virtual Tour” program; Special Event Silver Award for recruiting out-of-state businesses for its “Surprise Virtual Spring Training Tent Event” and a Multi-year Economic Development Silver Award for the Annual Retail Survey to gather information about the community’s desires and growth needs. A Digital Media Silver Award was given to the City of Goodyear for promoting local businesses in its Holiday Shop Local Campaign. The City of Goodyear and Merit Partners Inc. received a Multi-year Economic Development Silver Award for the completion of the PV303 Business Park. The Office of Economic Development at the City of Mesa was awarded an Economic Development Organization of the Year Silver Award for its economic initiatives the past year.

About the Arizona Association for Economic Development

AAED, founded in 1974, has a mission to serve as Arizona’s unified voice advocating for responsible economic development through an effective program of professional education, public policy, and collaboration. For more information on AAED, visit www.aaed.com or call (602) 240-2233.

About the International Economic Development Council

The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 5,000 members, IEDC is the largest organization of its kind. Economic developers promote economic well-being and quality of life for their communities by creating, retaining, and expanding jobs that facilitate growth, enhance wealth and provide a stable tax base. From public to private, rural to urban, and local to international, IEDC’s members engage in the full range of economic development experiences. Given the breadth of economic development work, our members are employed in various settings, including local, state, provincial, and federal governments, public-private partnerships, chambers of commerce, universities, and a variety of other institutions. When we succeed, our members create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities, and improve the quality of life in their regions. Learn more at iedconline.org.

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