Thanks to the efforts and leadership of Mayor Mitch Landrieu, Co-Chairs Leslie Jacobs and the Honorable Ronald Sholes, Board members Henry L. Coaxum, Jr. and Aimee Quirk, and more than 200 business and community leaders, Prosperity NOLA received a prestigious award from IEDC.

WASHINGTON, DC (Sept. 27, 2016) – The New Orleans Business Alliance (NOLABA) received a Gold Excellence in Economic Development Award for its 2016 project in the category of Multi-Year Economic Development Program from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).

The honor was presented at an awards ceremony on Tuesday, Sept. 27, during the IEDC Annual Conference, which was held Sept. 25-28, in Cleveland, OH.

“On behalf of the IEDC board of directors and Excellence in Economic Development Awards Advisory Committee, congratulations to NOLABA. Not only did they work to provide a necessary service to their community; but also, their participation in the awards program sheds light on their stellar projects which other communities can now use a benchmark.”  – Barry Matherly, CEcD, FM, IEDC 2016 Board Chair, President & CEO of the Greater Richmond Partnership.

ProsperityNOLA – the first, comprehensive development plan in New Orleans’ recent history – is a catalyst for economic transformation, designed to ensure the city’s vitality for its tri-centennial in 2018 and beyond. Stakeholders from business, government, education and philanthropy, as well as the broader economic development community, came together to create ProsperityNOLA in 2012. Using a data-driven process, the initiative’s Strategic Advisory Council selected to aggressively support five key industry clusters based on their strength and projected growth.

The vision in ProsperityNOLA is, on the Tricentennial in 2018, to have a more inclusive and diverse economy that is equitable, with more opportunities for both residents and local businesses to participate in multiple industries.

IEDC’s Excellence in Economic Development Awards recognize the world’s best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, and the year’s most influential leaders. These awards honor organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban, and rural communities.

“The awards process is a thorough, non-biased and multi-layered process. These are extraordinary accomplishments for all winners, and an overall great effort by all participants. We look forward to next year’s awards competition,” Matherly said.

About the International Economic Development Council
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a non-profit membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 4,700 members, IEDC is the largest organization of its kind. Economic developers promote economic well-being and quality of life for their communities, by creating, retaining and expanding jobs that facilitate growth, enhance wealth and provide a stable tax base. From public to private, rural to urban, and local to international, IEDC’s members are engaged in the full range of economic development experience. Given the breadth of economic development work, our members are employed in a wide variety of settings including local, state, provincial and federal governments, public-private partnerships, chambers of commerce, universities and a variety of other institutions. IEDC’s members create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities and improve the quality of life in their regions. www.iedcONLINE.org.

Click here to read about all the award recipients.