The international event will highlight local efforts to increase the quality of life in every
community over the course of May 9 to May 13, 2022
ABILENE, TEXAS – The Development Corporation of Abilene (DCOA) marks the week of May 9 to May 13, 2022, as the next Economic Development Week. During this week, communities across North America will celebrate and recognize the contributions made by professional economic developers to create more economically vibrant and livable communities. Created in 2016 by International Economic Development Council (IEDC), the largest international professional trade association for economic developers, Economic Development Week aims to
increase awareness of local programs that create jobs, advance career development opportunities, and improve the quality of life in communities everywhere.
“Economic developers play essential roles in promoting the economic health and vitality of their communities,” says IEDC President & CEO Nathan Ohle. “The 2022 Economic Development Week will serve to recognize, honor, and celebrate the ingenuity and leadership practitioners have shown in working to create a more equitable and prosperous future for everyone.”
The Development Corporation of Abilene celebrated a record year in 2021 through the retention and expansion of new and existing Type A businesses in Abilene. Since its inception in 1989, the DCOA has secured 165 projects resulting in $3.275 billion in capital investment.
“Economic Development Week celebrates the monumental work of our community and the DevelopAbilene team every day,” said Misty Mayo, President and CEO of the DCOA. “Economic development plays a critical role for everyone in our community, empowering the DCOA to attract and sustain industries that support job creation, foster strong business, and ensure a prosperous community. We will continue to leverage the momentum we’ve built this past year as a catalyst for growth to build the future Abilene. Our future is bright in Abilene, Texas.”
Recently, the DCOA announced that Abilene was recognized as #8 in the country in economic development for populations under 200,000, according to results in annual rankings published by Site Selection Magazine. This recognition marked the first time Abilene ranked in the top 10 in the country since the award’s inception.
“The DCOA Board of Directors is committed to supporting innovative and robust economic development initiatives for Abilene,” added Sam Vinson, Chairman of the DCOA. “We celebrate our landmark projects over the past year and the entire DevelopAbilene Team during Economic
Development Week. We recognize that strong leadership and effective partnerships create a vibrant Abilene community.”
About Abilene
Abilene, Texas is centrally located in the state, directly on I-20 just a two and half hours from the Dallas/Fort Worth metro. The city has a population of 121,512 people, and has a labor shed of over 140,000.
About the Development Corporation of Abilene
The DCOA is the economic development driver of Abilene with the goal to increase job opportunities and capital investment, as well as recruit and retain companies for Abilene. The DCOA is focused on the future success of the community and leverages a partnership called DevelopAbilene to market Abilene as the premier location for business.
About the International Economic Development Council
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a non-profit membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 4,300 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 are engaged in the full range of economic development experience. Given the breadth of economic development work, our members are employed in a wide variety of settings including local, state, provincial and federal governments, public-private partnerships, chambers of commerce, universities, and a variety of other institutions. IEDC’s members create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities, and improve the quality of life in their regions. www.iedcONLINE.org.