(ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.) May 12, 2025 – Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance ( AREA) is proud to announce its participation in the 2025 Economic Development Week from May 11-17, a global initiative led by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).
“Economic Development Week is a crucial time to reflect on our collective achievements and to plan for a future of inclusive and sustainable growth,” said Danielle Casey, President & CEO for AREA. “On May 15 at 3 p.m., we will be screening a new short documentary film written by AREA and produced by Comcast, titled ‘The Evolution and Future Path of Greater Albuquerque’s Economy’ at Revel Entertainment. We are inviting businesses, community leaders, and the public to join us in celebrating our progress and to engage in meaningful discussions about the economic future of our community.”
“The future of economic development is centered around collaboration and partnerships,” said IEDC president and CEO Nathan Ohle. “Economic Development Week is an opportunity to celebrate and lift up the stories of economic development happening throughout the world. At the heart of this year’s Economic Development Week are stories of collaboration and partnership, and how the field of economic development works together to support, cultivate, and drive economic prosperity for place of all sizes, in every region in the world.”
The IEDC created Economic Development Week in 2016 to recognize the work that EDOs and professionals do in their communities. IEDC celebrates Economic Development Week every year, highlighting the programs, best practices, and exceptional individuals that positively impact life in their communities. In just a few years the event has become one of the most widely recognized awareness weeks of its kind validating the—often unheralded—work of the economic development profession. Learn more about Economic Development Week at www.iedconline.org/EDW.
AREA is proud this week to have the opportunity to celebrate its organizational leaders. It’s Board of Directors was recently recognized by Albuquerque Business First as the Nonprofit Board of the Year at its 2025 Philanthropy Awards.
In 2024, AREA received the Bronze Award in the Economic Development Organization (EDO) of the Year category for entities serving a population of 500,000 or more and it also became an Accredited Economic Development Organization – the 79th to achieve this credential globally, and the first to do so in New Mexico.
Please follow AREA’s social media channels for regular updates and video testimonials online all week from local economic development heroes and from our professional association partner representing economic developers across New Mexico, New Mexico IDEA. Economic developers typically work for cities, counties, states, public-private partnerships, and chambers of commerce to promote economic well-being and quality of life for their communities by creating, retaining, and expanding high-quality jobs that facilitate growth, enhance wealth, and provide a stable tax base. New Mexico IDEA represents economic developers across the state and has been a key advocacy organization and a producing partner for the annual Governor’s Conference on Economic Development.
For more information on AREA’s staff, leadership, Advisory Councils, strategic plan, or various tools available to support the greater Albuquerque region, visit www.abq.org. To keep in the know all week long on activities far and wide, follow #econdevweek on your social media channels.
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About the International Economic Development Council (IEDC)
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that, for nearly 100 years, has been helping economic developers around the world facilitate economic well- being in their communities. With thousands of members, IEDC is the largest organization of its kind. From public to private, rural to urban, and local to international, IEDC’s members are engaged in the full range of economic development work to develop vibrant communities. Learn more about IEDC and Economic Development Week at www.iedconline.org/EDW.
About AREA
The Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to lead and execute strategies designed to grow and diversify the economic base of the greater Albuquerque region, creating a prosperous, diverse and inclusive economy and elevating the standard of living for all. It’s supporters include private businesses as well as local county and city government partners across the four-county greater Albuqueruqe region. AREA provides confidential assistance to businesses considering the area for expansion and new investment. Since its creation in 1960, AREA has recruited more than 250 companies and more than 35,000 jobs to the Albuquerque metro area. AREA also provides retention and expansion assistance to existing industry. For more information, visit www.ABQ.org.