Glendale Employee José Contreras Awarded 2025 Emerging Economic Developer Of The Year
Arizona Association For Economic Development Names José Contreras As Emerging Economic Developer Of The Year
The Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED) honored City of Glendale employee, José Contreras, MPA, with the prestigious Emerging Economic Developer of the Year award. The Economic Development Distinguished by Excellence (EDDE) Awards were established nearly 50 years ago to recognize the outstanding work of AAED members and were presented at the annual Spring Conference, held April 24, in Tucson, Arizona.
The Emerging Economic Developer of the Year award recognizes an individual’s overall economic impact to their community, the development of strong relationships, the innovation and creativity used in the process, and contributions to the economic development profession. Additionally, the award evaluates an emerging professional’s contributions to the advancement, involvement, and empowerment of future economic developers.
“Being recognized by peers in the industry is an incredible honor, and I’m deeply grateful to work alongside such talented and passionate professionals,” said Contreras, Business Attraction Program Manager. “I look forward to continuing this important work in service to our community.”
Contreras joined the City of Glendale’s Office of Economic Development in early 2024 and has since thrown himself into his work with passion and purpose. In his role as Business Attraction Program Manager, Contreras has partnered with state and regional organizations to land major projects and champion new tools like internal GIS systems for more efficient site planning. Additionally, he’s working towards his AZED Pro certification, was selected for the Emerging Leaders cohort, and was also profiled in AZ Big Media’s 'The Road to the Future’ supplement, published in late 2024.