News Release
12/21/23
ALBUQUERQUE — Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance (AREA) Senior Vice President Chad Matheson was recently named one of North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers of 2023 by Consultant Connect at their annual Economix Conference in Atlanta, GA. Matheson was recognized based on nominations from economic development professionals and site location consultants who rated nominees on excellent practices, innovation and success in building the communities they serve.
“This award highlights both Chad’s outstanding work as a professional and his passion, dedication and innovation as a leader that continues to earn him admiration and recognition on the national stage,” said AREA President & CEO Danielle Casey. “We’re honored to have him on the AREA team and we look forward to seeing how his work will continue to positively impact greater Albuquerque.”
As part of the recognition, Matheson received a certificate and on-stage recogntition at Economix, and starting June 1, Matheson will be part of a Consultant Connect social media series where honorees will share industry knowledge, leadership insights and career wisdoms with fellow industry professionals. Matheson was one the only honoree from New Mexico and only one of two honorees from the Southwest this year.
“The Consultant Connect team looks forward to releasing the Top 50 list every year because we believe that the work of economic developers is not only transformative to communities, but it is deeper than that,” said Consultant Connect Managing Director Carla Sones. “Each year jobs are created that impact individuals and their families. We are truly honored to provide a platform for North America’s top economic developers to be recognized for the passionate commitment they have made to the communities they serve.”
As Senior Vice President, Matheson leads strategic planning implementation for AREA and oversees the business development and research and analysis team. Matheson has held the role since being promoted from Vice President of Economic Competitiveness in spring 2023.
Prior to joining AREA, Matheson previously served as the Vice President of Business Intelligence at the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce where he worked in partnership with senior staff, business executives and the University of Memphis to launch the Center for Economic Competitiveness, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing regional economic competitiveness using a data-driven approach long-term job creation, workforce development and equity and inclusion strategies.
Matheson also previously served as the Director of Business Intelligence at the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance, where he was a key member of the strategy team responsible for the creation and implementation of regional growth strategies. Matheson holds a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Old Dominion University and an associate degree in social sciences from Tidewater Community College.
Consultant Connect is Southwest Michigan First’s nationally recognized consultant division that has gained national recognition for it’s educational networking events and services designed to bridge the gap between leading economic developers and location consultants, by providing a platform for each group to gain transparent feedback, invaluable insight and build lasting business relationships. Consultant Connect has served more than 230 national and international clients since 2013.
In addition to Matheson, Casey was also recognized by Consultant Connect as one of North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers of 2022.
For more information about the team, visit: www.abq.or/staff. For more information about Consultant Connect, visit: www.consultantconnect.org.
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About AREA
The Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance is a private, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is leads and executes 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. 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 ABQ.org.