The International Economic Development Council recently announced the city of Mesa’s office of economic development has once again been recognized as one of 75 economic development organizations accredited by IEDC as an Accredited Economic Development Organization.

Originally accredited in August 2017, the organization was reaccredited by IEDC following six successful years of activity as an AEDO member, according to a release.

“This recognition of our Office of Economic Development is a tribute to the innovation, persistence and professionalism of the staff in bringing new development and jobs to Mesa,” City Manager Chris Brady said in the release.

The AEDO program is a comprehensive peer review process that measures economic development organizations against commonly held standards in the profession. The program consists of two phases: a documentation review and an onsite visit. Each phase is designed to evaluate information about the structure, organization, funding, program and staff of the candidate economic development organization.

“The city of Mesa office of economic development displays the professionalism, commitment, and technical expertise that is deserving of this honor,” said IEDC President and CEO Nathan Ohle.

In the report, the review team noted that “OED staff hold themselves to a higher standard in terms of providing superior customer service and, as such, are extremely professional and well-regarded.... Mesa is well known for being business-friendly and has a very supportive business environment, with staff noted as being very intentional in creating a sense of urgency with economic development projects.”

Earning the AEDO accreditation tells the community and prospects that the city of Mesa office of economic development attained a measure of excellence assuring the community and prospects their trust is well placed and their business is in good hands.

Maintenance of the AEDO status is required every three years and is accomplished through documentation submission and/or onsite visits by a team of the AEDO subcommittee.

The International Economic Development Council is a membership association serving economic and community development professionals. With more than 5,000 members nationwide and abroad, IEDC offers the economic development profession one source for information and professional development, one voice for the profession, and one force for advocacy. For information on the AEDO program, contact AEDO Program Manager Dana Crater at 910-821-9245 or dcrater@iedconline.org or visit IEDC’s website at iedconline.org/AEDO.