Goodyear, AZ Economic Development

City of Goodyear Receives Excellence in Economic Development Award from the International Economic Development Council

Washington, DC – City of Goodyear won a Silver Rank for its Holiday Shop Local Campaign, a project in the category of Digital Media of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).  The honor was presented today at an awards ceremony during the IEDC Annual Conference, which is currently underway.

IEDC's Excellence in Economic Development Awards recognize the world's best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, and the year's most influential leaders. 25 award categories honor organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban, and rural communities. Awards are judged by a diverse panel of economic and community developers, following a nomination process held earlier this year. IEDC received over 500 submissions from 4 countries.

Goodyear is a rapidly growing community of nearly 93,000 residents in the Phoenix metro area. The COVID-19 pandemic has threatened our blossoming retail industry and small businesses have been hit especially hard by government shutdowns and consumer uncertainty. Each year there is a nationwide push to support small businesses during the holiday season known as Small Business Saturday, but in 2020 it was especially important to highlight the impact of shopping small and local throughout the holiday season.

A four-week social media campaign was developed to encourage residents to shop small, local, and most importantly safe. In addition, a Shop Local web page with a listing of all Goodyear retailers who were open and ready for business was developed. It served, and continues to serve, as a community shopping information hub. While the campaign ended in December 2020, the retail web page remains one of our top viewed web pages.

“The winners of IEDC’s Excellence in Economic Development awards represent the best of economic development and exemplify the leadership that our profession strives for every day,” said 2021 IEDC Board Chair and Invest Buffalo Niagara, President, and CEO Tom Kucharski. “We’re honored to recognize the more than 100 communities whose marketing submissions, projects, and partnerships have improved regional quality of life.”

We're incredibly honored to recognize the outstanding organizations that received this year's Excellence Awards. This year, more than ever, has presented opportunities to innovate, impact, and progress the cities, neighborhoods, and communities around us. Each of this year's recipients represents the best of the economic development profession and exemplifies the ingenuity for fellow economic developers to aspire to in the years to come.

About the International Economic Development Council

The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 5,000 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 engage in the full range of economic development experiences. Given the breadth of economic development work, our members are employed in various settings, including local, state, provincial, and federal governments, public-private partnerships, chambers of commerce, universities, and a variety of other institutions. When we succeed, our members create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities, and improve the quality of life in their regions. Learn more at iedconline.org.

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