Economic development group awards Surprise for ad campaigns
City earns economic honors in its effort to attract businesses
A fictional catalog, called the "City of Surprise Collection," is online in hopes of attracting the attention of IKEA officials. The city is continuing its push to bring the retail giant to Surprise.
Courtesy city of Surprise
The Arizona Association for Economic Development recently honored the Surprise Economic Development Department with three Golden Prospector Awards, which encourage and recognize excellence in economic development.
Economic Development Director Jeanine Jerkovic, Project Manager Kirsten Hall and Coordinator Senior Kris Cassens accepted the three awards at the 2025 AAED Fall Forum in Prescott.
“These awards highlight our team’s commitment to creative, community-driven economic development,” Jerkovic said. “Each project reflects our passion for promoting Surprise as a vibrant, growing destination for both businesses and residents.”
You must be a member to read this story.
Join our family of readers starting at $5 for your first month and support local, unbiased journalism.
Click here to see your options for becoming a subscriber.
Register to comment
Click here create a free account for posting comments.
Note that free accounts do not include access to premium content on this site.
I am anchor
Business
Economic development group awards Surprise for ad campaigns
City earns economic honors in its effort to attract businesses
Courtesy city of Surprise
A fictional catalog, called the "City of Surprise Collection," is online in hopes of attracting the attention of IKEA officials. The city is continuing its push to bring the retail giant to Surprise.
Posted
These awards highlight our team’s commitment to creative, community-driven economic development.”
Jeanine Jerkovic | Surprise economic development director
The Arizona Association for Economic Development recently honored the Surprise Economic Development Department with three Golden Prospector Awards, which encourage and recognize excellence in economic development.
Economic Development Director Jeanine Jerkovic, Project Manager Kirsten Hall and Coordinator Senior Kris Cassens accepted the three awards at the 2025 AAED Fall Forum in Prescott.
“These awards highlight our team’s commitment to creative, community-driven economic development,” Jerkovic said. “Each project reflects our passion for promoting Surprise as a vibrant, growing destination for both businesses and residents.”
The city received the award for Marketing Brochure, for its April Fool’s Day marketing piece, “IKEA Catalog — City of Surprise Edition,” a fun and creative addition to the ongoing #SurpriseLovesIKEA campaign to attract the community’s top-requested retailer.
The catalog showcased a humorous, local take on the popular IKEA shopping experience, helping keep public engagement strong and the campaign top of mind for residents and developers alike. View the catalog at bit.ly/3XFyr2R.
A second Golden Prospector Award, this one for Special Events, was presented for the CTE Competition Series, a collaborative effort between Surprise, Ottawa University - Arizona and the Arizona Department of Education. The series saw three Career and Technical Education (CTE) competitions for West Valley high school students take place on the shared Surprise Civic Campus, fostering skill development and highlighting regional postsecondary opportunities and potential careers in municipal governance.
Finally, the department received an award of merit, for the “Mission: Cheesecake” video, a playful and cinematic campaign aimed at attracting The Cheesecake Factory, the top restaurant requested by Surprise residents.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here