The City of Mesa's Office of Economic Development (OED) has been honored by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) with gold and silver Excellence in Economic Development Awards. In addition, JD Beatty, Senior Project Manager with OED, was named Young Economic Developer of the Year, and Mesa business owner, resident, and vice chair of the City of Mesa Economic Development Advisory Board, Rich Adams received the Citizen Leadership Award. The awards were presented at ceremonies during the IEDC Annual Conference held in Nashville, Tennessee.
IEDC's Excellence in Economic Development Awards recognize the world's best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, and the year's most influential leaders. Twenty-five award categories honor organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban, and rural communities. Awards are judged by a diverse panel of economic and community developers from around the world, following a nomination process held earlier this year. IEDC received more than 500 submissions from four countries. The City of Mesa Office of Economic Development received accolades in the following categories:
GOLD AWARD
Economic Equity and Inclusion
Mesa CARES HUUB Digital Platform
(For a community with population more than 500,000)
SILVER AWARD
Economic Development Organization of the Year
City of Mesa Office of Economic Development
(For a community with population more than 500,000)
YOUNG ECONOMIC DEVELOPER OF THE YEAR
JD Beatty, Senior Economic Development Manager
City of Mesa Office of Economic Development
CITIZEN LEADERSHIP AWARD
Rich Adams
Member of the City of Mesa
Economic Development Advisory Board
"Mesa's Office of Economic Development has done a tremendous job in responding to the needs of our businesses in a time of uncertainty, while also balancing the influx of new clients and a growing economy. I'm very grateful for and proud of the work of Mesa's Office of Economic Development, and their recognition is well-deserved," said Mesa Mayor John Giles. "Rich Adams has been a consistent advocate for progressive business policy and innovative economic development initiatives in the City of Mesa, and I'm also pleased to congratulate him on receiving the Citizen Leadership Award."
"This is a well-deserved award for JD and our Office of Economic Development," said City Manager Chris Brady. "JD has led development efforts across Mesa, especially in the Elliot Road Technology Corridor and the Riverview District. He has played a key role helping us with more than 50 attraction and retention projects totaling more than 2,700 jobs."
"We are honored to receive these awards of excellence in economic development and are very pleased with the well-deserved commendations given to Rich Adams and JD Beatty," said City of Mesa Economic Development Director Bill Jabjiniak. "Our economic development team and community partners have worked diligently to provide the important tools and assistance needed to make Mesa an extraordinary place for businesses to locate and thrive."
"We are so honored to work with the City of Mesa in developing HUUB, a new technology-forward approach to small business support," stated Jenny Poon, Founder at CO+HOOTS and HUUB. "The number of livelihoods changed for our most underrepresented is the real award. We hope our innovative collaboration with Mesa becomes a roadmap for other communities across the globe looking to better support small business beyond the pandemic."
"The winners of IEDC's Excellence in Economic Development awards represent the best of economic development and exemplify the leadership that our profession strives for every day," said 2021 IEDC Board Chair and Invest Buffalo Niagara, President, and CEO Tom Kucharski. "We're honored to recognize the more than 100 communities whose marketing submissions, projects, and partnerships have improved regional quality of life."
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.
Office of Economic Development
Contact: Kim Lofgreen
480-644-3962
kim.lofgreen@mesaaz.gov