GPEC recognized as top economic development organization for 9th year in a row

Published: 05/01/2025

Site Selection Magazine names GPEC a top EDO in 2025 Mac Conway Awards

PHOENIX (May 1, 2024) — For the ninth consecutive year, the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) has been named among the top economic development organizations in the United States by Site Selection Magazine.

Since 2016, GPEC has been recognized by the magazine’s Mac Conway Award every year as one of the 20 EDOs that best contributed to the growth of its community. Criteria for these awards are driven by business expansions and jobs created.

“As the market has aggressively matured over the last 15 years, GPEC has prioritized elevating Greater Phoenix as a national-class center of innovation built for the future,” said GPEC President & CEO Chris Camacho. “GPEC takes pride in the transformation of the region, and with the support of our communities and partners, the strategies to develop hubs for advanced technology have led to tangible outcomes for the economy and businesses that operate within.”

Historically, recipients for the Mac Conway Awards are selected based on six criteria: total projects, total investment, total jobs associated with said projects, and per-capita calculations of each metric.

In the 2024 calendar year, GPEC supported the expansion or relocation efforts of 50 companies to Greater Phoenix, which created more than 6,600 jobs and over $2 billion in capital investment. These companies include CarbonCapture, CMS Cooling, DSV, Dutch Bros, Fender Musical Instruments, JX Advanced Materials, Lego, Old Dominion Freight Line, Pentagon Technologies and Republic Services. The organization reached the 1,000 locate mark in FY24, a key milestone for the economic development organization that celebrated its 35th anniversary in October 2024.

This announcement follows the Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED) awarding GPEC its Large Organization of the Year Award in the 2025 Economic Development Distinguished by Excellence (EDDE) Awards in April.