Mesa Office of Economic Development receives award for excellence

The City of Mesa Office of Economic Development has received a 2026 Excellence in Economic Development Silver Award from the International Economic Development Council.

The award is for the Mesa AI-Enabled Economic Development Intelligence System in the category of innovative economic development.

Mesa OED will be honored at the IEDC 2026 Annual Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, Oct. 25-28.

“Mesa continues to lead by embracing innovative tools that help us compete for quality jobs and investment,” Mayor Mark Freeman said in a release. “This recognition reflects the forward-thinking work of our Economic Development team and our commitment to using technology to better serve businesses considering Mesa for their next location or expansion. By working smarter and responding faster, we are strengthening Mesa’s reputation as a premier destination for business.”

The Mesa AI-Enabled Economic Development Intelligence System is a written operating standard that guides how Mesa OED uses AI for research, analysis and business development.

It establishes a consistent, responsible approach requiring authoritative sources, confidence labels and clear separation between verified facts and analyst judgment.

The system supports market profiles, benchmarking, site-selection research, executive briefings, CRM support and prospect responses, helping staff work faster while maintaining human review, quality and credibility.

“I couldn’t be more pleased to see this innovative project recognized,” Mesa Economic Development Director Jaye O’Donnell said in the release. “Our AI-Enabled Economic Development Intelligence System has transformed how we respond to prospective businesses, significantly reducing response times and making it faster and easier to provide companies with the information they need when considering Mesa for a new location or expansion.”

Go to www.SelectMesa.com.