AREA is honored to receive the 2022 Cleve Matthews Vision Award from NAIOP New Mexico. Every day we strive to achieve the goals set forth in the AREA 1.0 Strategic Plan, which aligns with the spirit of the award which is: “to recognize a company or project that has the vision to make something better for the benefit of all of us.” We will continue our work to leverage all of the amazing assets the greater Albuquerque area has. Watch our President & CEO — Danielle Casey’s — acceptance speech below.
“Having been a past chair of both NAIOP and also AREA, formerly known as AED, and being a part of the transformation from AED to AREA during my chairmanship, I am absolutely ecstatic that NAIOP recognizes the importance of the transformation of AREA and what it means to the community. I’m glad to have been a part of it.” – Joe Farr, President of Duke City Commercial LLC
The Albuquerque Journal covered the awards ceremony and interviewed our President & CEO Danielle Casey:
“While Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance has been working to grow the regional economy for decades, the organization has undergone a significant shift in the last two years. Since hiring president and CEO Danielle Casey in 2020, AREA has overhauled its bylaws, implemented a strategic plan and developed a new organizational structure, all of which were unanimously approved by the group’s board of directors.
Casey said there are some days when she wakes up frustrated because she wants to have more accomplished after two years in the community, but the recognition from NAIOP New Mexico makes her take stock of all AREA has accomplished so far.
‘Nothing happens without a team, so any of us getting this recognition is really a recognition of our entire board of directors and all of the many community partners who have really gone on a huge leap of faith with us on significant strategic changes in our organization and our approach and vision for economic development,’ she said.
A significant benchmark for AREA happened just last week, when the Internal Revenue Service gave the thumbs up for AREA to become a charitable organization, registered as a 501(c)(3).
‘It’s a huge deal,’ Casey said. ‘It’s going to allow us to do a lot more work pursuing grant dollars. I think opportunities and possibilities are available that have never been on the table before.’
Sigmon said AREA’s focus on bringing good jobs to New Mexico is tremendously important.
‘We’re grateful for the work AREA has done to go out and attract businesses to our state and to educate people on the benefits of doing business here in New Mexico,’ he said. ‘We have a great story to tell here, and I’m grateful for AREA that they go out and tell that story.’
What is NAIOP NM?
NAIOP New Mexico is a commercial real estate development association with members who come from all industries that touch on commercial real estate, including architects, contractors, engineers, developers and more. NAIOP NM is a local chapter of the national organization.
“NAIOP” isn’t an acronym — not anymore, anyway. The letters comes from a past version of the organization’s name, which once was the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties. The national branch is now simply known as the NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association.” – Albuquerque Journal