PHOENIX, ARIZ. (July 13, 2023) — The Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED) is pleased to announce the election of five members to serve on the Executive Committee of its Board of Directors.
The committee includes President Vincent “Skip” Becker, President-elect Karla Moran, Vice President Jennifer Lindley, Secretary/Treasurer Heath Vescovi-Chiordi, and Immediate Past President Wendy Bridges.
The members of the new Executive Committee bring a combined more than 80 years of experience in economic development.
Becker serves as the President of Becker Development and Consulting LLC. He provides the resources and knowledge to help companies with site selection, project management, agribusiness development, and consulting needs. Based in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, Becker serves his local community and those across the state. Becker is a nationally certified economic developer and was named the 2015 Developer of the Year by AAED.
“It’s an honor to serve as president and work alongside so many of my talented colleagues. We are eager to collaborate with others and create new initiatives to grow economic development in Arizona,” Becker said.
Moran is an Economic Development Principal with Salt River Project (SRP) and brings more than 15 years of economic development experience, including roles with the Arizona Department of Commerce, the Arizona Commerce Authority, and the Town of Gilbert.
Lindley is the Downtown Development Manager with the Town of Queen Creek and has more than 17 years of experience in nonprofit leadership and economic development. Lindley is responsible for co-founding AZ Downtowns, a group that was created to ensure there is better statewide collaboration and legislation for downtown development and redevelopment. She was recently named one of the Phoenix Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 award winners for 2022.
Vescovi-Chiordi is the Director of Economic Development for Pima County. In his role he focuses on economic development and workforce development initiatives. Vescovi-Chiordi was previously with the Town of Marana as an Assistant to the Town Manager.
As the Immediate Past President, Bridges will remain on the Executive Committee and will assist the board in its continuing efforts. Bridges is the Economic Development Director for the City of Goodyear. Bridges has more than 25 years of experience in county and municipal government and has served communities throughout Arizona.
The Executive Committee members were approved at AAED’s Annual Spring Conference, which was held on April 28 in Tucson. They began their positions on July 1.
About AAED
The Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED) was founded in 1974 with a mission to serve as Arizona’s unified voice for responsible economic development through professional education, public policy, and collaboration. The Association works to promote economic development in the State of Arizona through an exchange of information and educational opportunities among its members, to act as a liaison with outside groups, to influence legislation affecting economic development, and to empower members to create relationships to improve the economic outlook for Arizona. For more information on AAED, visit aaed.com or call (602) 240-2233.
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