Arizona Association for Economic Development

What Arizona Association for Economic Development does

Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED) is a private non-profit membership association founded in 1974, headquartered at 2828 N. Central Ave., Suite 1016, Phoenix, Arizona. It operates as the statewide unified voice for economic development professionals across all 15 Arizona counties, serving 500+ members who include economic and workforce development practitioners, elected officials, for-profit service providers, students, and emeritus professionals. AAED pursues a three-pillar mission: educate (Basic Economic Development Course, AZED Pro Certification, CEcD prep, Elected Official Training, Emerging Leaders, Mentorship), advocate (Government Affairs, 2026 Legislation Tracking, ED Champions, Advocacy Newsletter), and collaborate (committees, member directory, signature events).

AAED's offering is structured as a single membership program with five tiered annual dues — Provider ($348/yr), Practitioner ($323/yr), Elected Official ($150/yr), Emeritus ($75/yr), and Emerging Economic Developer ($50/yr) — plus a one-time $100 application fee for the Provider and Practitioner tiers. Revenue is supplemented by event registration for the Annual Spring Conference (2026 at El Conquistador Resort in Oro Valley), Fall Forum, Basic Economic Development Course, and Tribal Symposium, as well as tiered corporate partnerships and sponsorships (Premier, Presidential, Gold). The technology stack consists of a public website (aaed.com) and a GrowthZone-powered member portal (members.aaed.com) for membership management, event registration, and directory services; AAED does not develop proprietary technology. Additional products include the Knowledge Center (State of AZ Economic Development Report, Case Studies, Innovative Projects, Arizona Workforce Data & Labor Market Tools), the annual EDDE Awards, and the AAED Scholarship Fund.

AAED's go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: prospects join via a self-serve GrowthZone application, deepen engagement through committees, mentorship, and the Emerging Leaders pipeline, and renew based on the strength of the statewide network, advocacy influence, and certification pathways. The 1-10 employee staff is supplemented by a 2026-2027 elected Executive Committee and Board of Directors, with member-recruited acquisition (e.g., Resolution Copper's Bryan Seppala personally recruiting seven new members) and active social/earned-media presence on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. No AI, API, or proprietary technology capabilities are disclosed; the organization's competitive position rests on its 50-year brand, integrated education-to-advocacy pipeline, and Arizona-only statewide network density rather than on technology differentiation.

Name

Arizona Association for Economic Development

Legal name

Arizona Association for Economic Development

Website

https://aaed.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED) is a 501-style non-profit membership association founded in 1974 and headquartered in Phoenix, serving 500+ Arizona economic development professionals, elected officials, service providers, and students through tiered membership, certification (AZED Pro, CEcD), signature events, and statewide policy advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Active Adult / Senior Community Association Management (BPAJAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

AAC (Augmentative & Alternative Communication) Devices, Apps & Training (EDAKAIAB), ABA Assessment & Diagnostic Support (Functional Assessments, VB-MAPP/ABLLS-R) (EDAKAHAE), Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) Evaluation, Implementation & Training (School-Based) (EDAKAEAI), Autism Executive Functioning & Academic Skills Intervention (EDAKAKAI), Parent/Caregiver Training & Family Consultation (ABA) (EDAKAHAG), ABA Staff Training & RBT/Paraprofessional Support Services (EDAKAHAI), Social Skills, Play Skills & Group ABA Programs (EDAKAHAJ), Autism Communication Support (AAC, Pragmatics & Language) (EDAKAKAG)

Keywords

• Economic development association
• Professional membership network
• Workforce development training
• Certification programs
• Advocacy and education

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual recurring membership fees across five tiers: Provider ($348/yr), Practitioner ($323/yr), Elected Official ($150/yr), Emeritus ($75/yr), and Emerging Economic Developer ($50/yr). Provider and Practitioner tiers also carry a one-time $100 application fee. Federal Tax ID 94-2783913; dues are deductible as a business expense (7% non-deductible under IRC Sec. 6033).
2. Event & Conference Revenue: Revenue generated through registration fees and ticketing for signature events such as the Spring Conference, Fall Forum, Basic Economic Development Course, AZED Pro Certification, and Tribal Symposium.
3. Corporate Sponsorships & Partnerships: Tiered partnership and sponsorship programs (e.g., Premier Partner status for SRP; Presidential Partner-level relationship with Resolution Copper; Gold Sponsor City of Glendale for 2026 Spring Conference; Colliers Engineering & Design sponsoring Spring Conference and Tribal Symposium).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

AAED operates as a statewide membership association for Arizona economic development professionals, offering tiered annual membership (Provider, Practitioner, Elected Official, Emerging Economic Developer, and Emeritus) that unlocks access to certification courses (AZED Pro, CEcD/Basic Economic Development), elected official training, mentorship, advocacy, and signature events (Spring Conference, Fall Forum, Tribal Symposium). It is funded primarily by membership dues, event registrations, and corporate partnerships/sponsorships.

Product overview

AAED is a non-profit membership association (founded 1974) operating a single unified "membership organization" rather than a multi-product SaaS platform. Its core offering is AAED Membership, delivered through Provider, Practitioner, Elected Official, Emerging Economic Developer, and Emeritus tiers, which unlocks access to a portfolio of programs and resources: the AZED Pro Certification and the CEcD & Basic Economic Development Course (Career Center credentials), the Elected Official Training and Policy & Advocacy / Government Affairs pillar, the Mentorship Program and Emerging Leaders Program (Connect pillar), the Knowledge Center (including the State of AZ Economic Development Report, Case Studies, Awards, Innovative Projects, and the Arizona Workforce Data & Labor Market Tools), the Committees structure, the Signature Events (Spring Conference, Fall Forum, Tribal Symposium), and the annual EDDE Awards program. The membership application form and event registration run on GrowthZone, and aaed.com serves as the public-facing brand site while members.aaed.com hosts the member portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AAED Membership Annual tiered membership program for Arizona economic development professionals, providing access to a 500+ member network, advocacy involvement, committees, professional development, mentorship, and signature events.
• AZED Pro Certification Arizona-specific professional credential for economic development practitioners that recognizes members who complete specialized coursework in Arizona economic development practice.
• CEcD & Basic Economic Development Course Foundational training course for economic development practitioners that covers core economic development practice and prepares members for the Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) credential.
• Elected Official Training Education program designed to train elected Arizona officials on economic development principles, policy, and advocacy, delivered through the AAED Policy & Advocacy pillar.
• Signature Events Recurring signature events including the annual Spring Conference, Fall Forum, Basic Economic Development Course, and Tribal Symposium that provide networking and professional education to AAED members.
• EDDE Awards Program Annual awards program (Economic Development Distinguished by Excellence) honoring individuals, organizations, and companies that have significantly contributed to Arizona's economic growth, presented at the Spring Conference.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ members across Arizona
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship / premier, major, flagship, minor and core.

• Salt River Project (SRP)flagship / premierStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAED Premier Partner. SRP's Economic Development team actively participates as AAED members and contributes authored content (e.g., 'Why Alert the Power Utility About Your Project?' and 'Why a Balanced Approach to Power Generation is Critical to Economic Growth'). SRP supports new developments across the Phoenix metro area through early-stage project coordination and Integrated System Planning. Karla Moran (SRP Senior Manager of Economic Development) and Marc Valenzuela (Senior Economic Development Project Manager at SRP) are featured AAED member spotlight subjects.
• Resolution CoppermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAED Presidential Partner-level relationship created by Bryan Seppala (Principal Advisor) that funds five Copper Corridor memberships and sponsors multiple AAED events annually. Resolution Copper is a major Arizona copper mining project with up to $61B in projected 60-year economic value, 1,500 direct jobs, and $2B+ invested to date.
• Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGPEC contributes authored content for AAED's Economic Development Insights (e.g., Kristen Stephenson on branding/perception; Evaluating Data Resources; Higher Ed in Economic Development). Multiple GPEC staff are featured AAED members (Pooja Wood, Fiona Onyango, Christine Mackay, Thomas Maynard). GPEC partners with AAED on regional economic data tools and the 'A New Way To City' brand campaign.
• Colliers Engineering & DesignmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerNamed AAED Provider of the Year. Sponsors the 2025 Tribal Symposium and 2026 Spring Conference. Jodi James serves on the Spring Conference and Tribal Committees, previously chaired the Membership Committee, and generates approximately 15,000 LinkedIn impressions per week promoting AAED initiatives. CED contributes to Arizona economic development through infrastructure work including the NorthPark master-planned development and West Industrial Area in Casa Grande.
• Arizona State University (ASU)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASU's Office of Economic Development (Kimberly Hanes, Associate Director) contributes authored insights for AAED. ASU's economic impact on Arizona is $32 billion. The City of Goodyear expanded a formal partnership with ASU's Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute to bring university-backed mentorship and programming to Goodyear's small business community (per 2026 EDDE Award details). ASU's Edge program powers soft-skills curriculum in Tempe's Career Ready program (featured in AAED content).
• First Things First (FTF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArizona's early childhood agency and AAED content partner. First Things First authored the 'Arizona Works When Childcare Works' AAED Insights piece, framing childcare as a $4.7B annual economic development issue for Arizona businesses. Co-hosted Child Care Forum with the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
• City of GoodyearmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAED Gold-level engagement. Named EDDE Economic Development Organization of the Year (Medium). Hosted January 2025 AAED Basic Economic Development Course at Goodyear City Hall; four team members serve on AAED committees; seven of eight team members hold or pursue AZED Pro certification. InnovationHub (now in eleventh year) has supported more than 8,000 entrepreneurs. Co-developed GSQ civic square with Globe Corporation.
• City of MesamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAED deep partnership. Co-winner (with Boeing) of Best of Arizona EDDE Award. Mesa secured 47 relocation/expansion projects (27% above target), 5M+ sq ft commercial development, $3.49B capital investment, and 3,370 new high-quality jobs under Jaye O'Donnell's leadership. Mesa's Palo District redevelopment and the $2B Legacy Park mixed-use development projected at $56B economic output and 20,000+ jobs over 20 years.
• City of GlendalemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNamed EDDE Economic Development Organization of the Year (Large). Gold Sponsor of the 2026 AAED Spring Conference. Three team members completed the 2026 AAED Basic Academy; five hold the AZED Pro designation; Cutter Chamberlain serves on the AAED Board of Directors. Externally recognized as Best City to Do Business and Best Place to Work.
• The Boeing CompanymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-winner (with City of Mesa) of the 2026 Best of Arizona Award. Boeing's Arizona presence anchors the Mesa Apache helicopter production campus; employs more than 4,500 Arizonans across Mesa, Chandler, and Goodyear; partners with 270+ in-state suppliers supporting ~49,000 jobs; holds nearly $4.7B U.S. Army Apache production contract through 2032.
• City of BuckeyemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAED member organization whose staff contribute leadership and case studies to AAED. Harry Paxton (CEcD) won William Lampkin Long-Term Excellence award; Buckeye is profiled in multiple EDDE categories (Healthcare Attraction Journey, Foreign Trade Zone #277 championed by Paxton). Staff participate on AAED committees and host events.
• LG Energy Solution (LGES)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral project in AAED's Queen Creek economic development recognition - one of the largest economic development projects in Arizona history, representing $5.5B in capital investment, approximately 2,800 high-quality jobs, and the largest stand-alone battery manufacturing facility in North America. Pinal County also facilitating LGES economic development and talent plan.
• Globe CorporationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic development partner with the City of Goodyear for the GSQ (Goodyear Civic Square) public-private partnership - a 150+ acre mixed-use downtown project featuring city hall, Class A office (GEN1), library, parking, restaurants, and residential. Detailed in AAED's 2024 'Transforming Goodyear: The Rise of GSQ' content.
• Avila University (via Global University Systems - GUS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership brokered through City of Goodyear's 'Project Higher Education' outreach initiative (featured in AAED content). Avila University Arizona began student recruitment in March 2025 for Fall 2025 program launch in Goodyear's GSQ district; outreach underway in Nepal and India through GUS.
• GrowthZone (Micronetonline)coreTechnology or IntegrationAAED's website member portal and membership application system are powered by GrowthZone (micnetononline). GrowthZone provides the member directory, event registration, online application form, and CRM infrastructure used by AAED members.
• Maricopa County Workforce Development BoardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAED committee participation (Katelyn Harris-Lange serves as AAED Workforce Committee Vice Chair; grew apprenticeship partners from 8 to 17 in current role). Co-developed the Arizona Workforce Data & Labor Market Tools resource featured on AAED Knowledge Center.
• Arizona Chamber of Commerce and IndustryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosted Child Care Forum with First Things First where Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity executive officer Carlos Contreras identified child care as a pillar of Arizona's economic growth.
• Southern Arizona Business CoalitionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-founder Rick Grinnell quoted in AAED content supporting domestic mining/copper industry expansion as an economic development driver.
• Flinn FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Tammy McLeod (President and CEO) featured in AAED Member Spotlight June 2026; Flinn-Brown Network cited as a key Arizona civic leadership pipeline. Funder of Katelyn Harris-Lange's referenced study on Arizona childcare economic impacts.
• Tempe Chamber FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with City of Tempe and the City's Economic Development Department on the Career Ready Tempe program (featured in AAED content) - a paid high-school internship program aligned with Achieve65Tempe.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• International Economic Development Council (IEDC): IEDC is the largest international membership association for economic developers and offers the Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) credential that AAED members prepare for. IEDC is a direct upstream/downstream peer — AAED is effectively a state-level chapter-style affiliate with complementary state-specific certification (AZED Pro).
• NAIOP (Commercial Real Estate Development Association): NAIOP is a national trade association for commercial real estate developers and owners with state chapters. Many AAED Provider-tier members (engineering, real estate, construction) hold dual NAIOP membership, making it an adjacent peer for AAED's for-profit service provider segment.

Direct peers

• California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED): CALED is a state-level professional association for California economic development practitioners, offering training, advocacy, and networking. It is the closest analogue to AAED in mission, structure (membership tiers, advocacy, certification), and audience, only in a larger state.
• Florida Economic Development Council (FEDC): FEDC serves as Florida's statewide professional association for economic developers, providing training, advocacy, networking events, and awards programs. Like AAED, it operates a membership-and-events model for state-level practitioners.
• Ohio Economic Development Association (OEDA): OEDA serves Ohio's economic development professionals through training, networking, an annual summit, and legislative advocacy. Structurally parallel to AAED with a similar membership-driven, education-focused value proposition.
• Georgia Economic Developers Association (GEDA): GEDA is a state-level association for economic development professionals in Georgia, offering conferences, education, and advocacy. It is structurally and operationally comparable to AAED at a smaller scale.
• Pennsylvania Economic Development Association (PEDA): PEDA is a state-level professional association for Pennsylvania's economic development community, offering education, advocacy, and conferences. Comparable to AAED in mission, governance, and program structure.
• Carolinas Economic Development Council: The Carolinas Economic Development Council serves North and South Carolina economic developers with training, networking, and advocacy. It is a multi-state regional analogue to AAED's single-state model.
• Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC): TEDC is the leading professional association for economic developers in Texas, offering the Certified Texas Economic Developer designation, legislative advocacy, and an annual conference. It mirrors AAED's state-association model with a larger membership footprint.

Regional players

• Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC): GPEC is a regional (Phoenix-metro) economic development organization that partners closely with AAED and contributes content and members. It is a regional peer — both organizations serve overlapping audiences but GPEC focuses on attraction/marketing while AAED focuses on practitioner professional development.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@aaed4486
• Facebookfacebook.com/ArizonaAssociationforEconomicDevelopment
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arizona-association-for-economic-development
• Instagraminstagram.com/aaed_az
• Xx.com/_aaed

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Arizona Association for Economic Development