Klamath County Economic Development Association

What Klamath County Economic Development Association does

Klamath County Economic Development Association (KCEDA), branded as "Choose Klamath," is a non-profit 501(c)(4) economic development organization founded in 1994 and headquartered at 205 Riverside Dr, Suite E, Klamath Falls, Oregon. It serves as the lead regional body for business attraction, retention, and expansion in Klamath County and the broader Southern Oregon region, engaging businesses considering relocation or expansion, existing local employers, and government and education partners such as the Chamber of Commerce, Oregon Institute of Technology, and Klamath Community College.

KCEDA's core offerings include site selection and incentive packaging services (used in projects such as Wilsonart's $20M+ manufacturing facility, Ferguson Hotel Development's $13.75M Fairfield Inn & Suites, and the $750M+ Swan Lake Energy Storage Project), the Klamath Prospector GIS-based property and community analysis tool, the build-ready Tech Hills Business Park (1 to 100 acre sites adjacent to Oregon Tech), an Enterprise Zone incentive framework, and a tiered membership program. Underlying technology is non-proprietary and centered on GIS property data, demographic visualization, and stakeholder coordination rather than software product development.

The organization's revenue model is a "pay-to-play" member/investor structure adopted by the board in 2014, replacing prior funding from Klamath County lottery dollars. Members pay tiered dues (Principal through Bronze), corporate sponsors fund events such as the annual Economic Summit and Klamath Basin Oktoberfest, and the organization supplements this with grants and in-kind support from county, city, and institutional partners. KCEDA operates with 1-10 employees and is governed by a board of directors led by CEO Randy Cox.

Name

Klamath County Economic Development Association

Legal name

Klamath County Economic Development Association

Website

https://chooseklamath.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Klamath County Economic Development Association (KCEDA / Choose Klamath) is a non-profit 501(c)(4) economic development organization in Klamath Falls, Oregon that recruits, retains, and expands businesses in Klamath County and Southern Oregon through site selection, incentive packaging, and a tiered member-investor program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Klamath Falls

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: KCEDA operates a pay-to-play membership model where organizations pay dues to become members. In 2014, the board adopted this member/investor business model. Prior to 2014, funding came primarily from Klamath County lottery dollars focused on business recruitment.
2. Event Sponsorships: Revenue generated through sponsorship of events including Economic Summit, Annual Meeting, Quarterly Members Meetings, and Klamath Basin Oktoberfest.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

KCEDA is a non-profit 501(c)(4) economic development organization that recruits businesses to relocate or expand in Klamath County, Oregon through site selection consulting, incentive packaging, permitting assistance, workforce development support, and property marketing. It operates a tiered pay-to-play membership program and manages the Klamath Prospector GIS property analysis tool and the Tech Hills Business Park commercial and industrial real estate.

Product overview

KCEDA (Klamath County Economic Development Association) is a non-profit 501(c)(4) economic development organization that offers a suite of services to support business recruitment, retention, and expansion in Klamath County, Oregon. The organization's core offerings include the Klamath Prospector GIS tool for property and community analysis, Tech Hills Business Park commercial/industrial real estate, site selection consulting services, business expansion support, and a membership program. These services work together to provide a comprehensive economic development ecosystem supporting companies throughout the site selection, relocation, and expansion process.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tech Hills Business Park Commercial and industrial property park located adjacent to Oregon Institute of Technology, offering build-ready sites from 1 to 100 acres with utilities, fiber optics, and Enterprise Zone incentives for relocating or expanding businesses.
• Site Selection Services Comprehensive site selection consulting including mapping assistance, market research, operating cost proformas, and incentive packaging for businesses looking to relocate or expand in Klamath County.
• Business Expansion Support Economic development support services including permitting assistance, workforce development, infrastructure development, and technical solutions for businesses expanding within Klamath County.
• Membership Program Pay-to-play membership model with Principal, Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze tiers, offering organizations a voice in defining economic priorities, networking opportunities, and collaborative leadership in community development for Klamath County.
• Klamath Prospector GIS-based property and community analysis tool providing census data, heat maps, zoning information, infographics, and charts to help businesses find and evaluate locations in Klamath Falls and surrounding communities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50 direct family-wage jobs and 40 spin-off jobs created through Wilsonart facility ($20M+ investment)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership with the Chamber of Commerce for joint business development efforts and community economic initiatives.
• Oregon Institute of Technology (Oregon Tech)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey educational partner providing workforce pipeline. Oregon Tech is the Pacific Northwest's only 4-year polytechnic university with 90% engineering graduate placement rate. Home to Tech Hills Business Park location adjacent to campus.
• Klamath Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEssential workforce development partner offering apprenticeship programs, work skills programs, and industry-tailored training. Collaborated with Wilsonart to develop talent pipeline and scholarship programs.
• South Central Oregon Economic Development District (SCOEDD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional economic development partnership for coordinated development efforts across Southern Oregon.
• Klamath IDEAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity initiative focused on economic development ideas and innovation in Klamath County.
• Small Business Development CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing small business support services and resources for local entrepreneurs.
• Discover Klamath Visitor and Convention BureaucoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTourism-focused partnership promoting Klamath County as a destination for visitors and conventions.
• Rye Development / National GridcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKCEDA partnered with Rye Development and National Grid to advance the Swan Lake Energy Storage Project through FERC application process and facilitate Strategic Investment Plan between developers and Klamath County Board of Commissioners.
• Sky Lakes Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrincipal KCEDA member and key healthcare partner. Community-owned, internationally accredited hospital serving as economic anchor institution with 176 beds and partnership with OHSU.
• JELD-WENcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold KCEDA member; founded in Klamath Falls in 1960. Major employer with global operations headquartered in the county. Key manufacturing partner supporting regional economic growth.
• Avista UtilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlatinum KCEDA member providing utility infrastructure essential for business development and industrial operations.
• Pacific PowercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlatinum KCEDA member and utility provider supporting industrial and commercial development with power infrastructure including new 500 kV Snow Goose substation.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Greater Houston Partnership: Hybrid chamber + EDO for the Houston region running business recruitment, member services, and regional promotion — shares KCEDA's dual EDO/chamber identity but at materially larger scale and breadth.
• Wyoming Business Council: State-level economic development agency focused on rural business attraction, incentive packaging, and workforce development in low-population geographies — same rural-attraction challenges and limited-tax-base dynamics that define KCEDA's operating context.
• Metro Atlanta Chamber: Large regional chamber with explicit economic development programming (site selection, incentives, talent) — same hybrid member+EDO model as KCEDA's but at a much larger scale and broader portfolio.

Direct peers

• Greater Portland Inc: Regional public-private economic development organization serving the Portland-metro area, with the same business attraction, retention, and expansion mission as KCEDA, and a member/investor funding model that mirrors KCEDA's 2014 pivot. Most directly comparable Oregon-headquartered peer.
• Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC): Large metropolitan EDO with mission of corporate attraction, expansion, and workforce development — same core value proposition as KCEDA, scaled up to a top US metro market and serving as a benchmark for what a high-performing regional EDO looks like at scale.
• Louisville Forward: City/metro-government economic development arm providing site selection, incentive packaging, and project management for relocating/expanding businesses — directly analogous services to KCEDA's at a county/metro-level scale.
• SEDCOR (Strategic Economic Development Corporation): Mid-sized regional EDO serving Oregon's Willamette Valley with comparable member-driven funding, business recruitment focus, and small professional staff — the closest scale-match peer to KCEDA within Oregon.
• Greater Raleigh Chamber: Regional chamber and EDO serving the Raleigh-Durham area, focused on corporate recruitment/expansion and talent pipeline — directly comparable mission and member-driven funding model.
• Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Economic Development: County-level economic development function providing recruitment, retention, and incentive support for a single-county jurisdiction — closely comparable to KCEDA in governance structure and geographic scope.

Others

• Business Oregon: State of Oregon's primary economic development agency overseeing state-level incentives, business recruitment, and infrastructure support — KCEDA operates as the county-level node within this statewide EDO ecosystem and accesses Business Oregon programs alongside its own local services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCBTzLgOttB4aRcI3-ehtShg
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChooseKlamath
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/klamath-county-economic-development-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/chooseklamath

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Klamath County Economic Development Association