Economic Development Alliance for Jefferson County, Arkansas Accredited by the International Economic Development Council

October 24, 2023

Back row (from L to R): Marc Oudin, Chad Pittillo, Bryan Robinson, Tim DeJarnette, Kevin Bonnette, Steven Brown, and Jeff Vanderpool. Front row (from L to R): Felicia Wall, Nancy Lee McNew, Allison J.H. Thompson, and Jennifer Kline.

The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) announces that the Economic Development Alliance for Jefferson County, Arkansas has been recognized as one of 74 economic development organizations accredited by IEDC as an Accredited Economic Development Organization (AEDO).

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

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, programs, and staff of the candidate economic development organization.

Earning the AEDO accreditation tells the community and prospects that the Alliance has attained a measure of excellence assuring that 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 the largest membership association serving economic and community development professionals in the world. With over 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.

Board members not present in photo: John Lawson, Laurence Alexander, David Beck, Duke Fakouri, and Ford Trotter.