Joe Wallace, CEO of the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership (CVEP)
Only Californian Named As One of 2023’s Top 50 Economic Developers in North America
MAY 31, 2023
Palm Desert, California – The Coachella Valley Economic Partnership (CVEP) announced that Chief Executive Officer, Joe Wallace, has been named one of the of top 50 Economic Developers in North America in 2023 – the only one in California and one of three in the western states. Recipients will be presented with their award at Consultant Connect’s ECONOMIX event in Atlanta, GA on Thursday, November 30th.
“I’m honored to have been nominated and named one of the top 50 economic developers in North America. Receiving this award in 2023 validates the hard work and creativity that the CVEP team invests every day to establish innovative regional programs to foster entrepreneurship and diversify industry,†said Joe Wallace, CEO of the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership (CVEP) and award recipient.
Consultant Connect, a consulting agency designed to bridge the gap between economic developers and site consultants, recently announced its 2023 list of North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers. The economic development professionals selected for this list were nominated by their colleagues in both the economic development and site location consulting industries for excellent practices, innovation and success in building the communities they serve.
CVEP, with Joe Wallace at the helm, has assisted numerous individuals and startup businesses to take their ideas to the next level. Below are just a few recent examples:
“CVEP believed in two moms wanting to change lives through STEM enrichment. They propelled us forward, providing a home base and mentors instrumental in our success; they believed in our mission to create the next generation of technology heroes, and enabled us to form lasting partnerships. To date, we have served thousands of students through exciting partnerships with school districts, ASES sites, youth organizations, museums, and community science centers.†– Liberty Naud, Co-Founder (SMaRT Education is dedicated to improving access to STEAM – science, technology, engineering, art, and math – offerings for the children of the Coachella Valley.)
“CVEP is key to drawing business, revenue and workforce to the Coachella Valley, and they are a voice for many business owners and startup companies.†– Guy Assif, CEO, Moducan Corporation (Moducan Corporation is an international company that specializes in the design and engineering of emergency building technology aimed to support FEMA and our military.)
“CVEP has created an environment where a diverse ecosystem of businesses can be created and thrive. Support of CVEP benefits the community to a far greater extent than the investment you will make.†– Bill Schlanger, EV Enterprises (EV Enterprises is a producer of lithium-ion battery components, microelectronics and other related products for electric vehicle applications and more.)
“CVEP’s mentorship and guidance is an imperative next step for our company to grow and scale our business.†– Rossana Jeran, Co-Founder/CEO Hello Computer, Inc. (Hello Computer, Inc. a social purpose, technology company that creates Edtech mobile apps to promote literacy and imagination in the Coachella Valley and worldwide, and was featured as a worldwide digital tool to promote literacy at the 2023 World Literacy Summit in the UK.)
Each Top 50 Economic Developer will have the opportunity to share industry knowledge, leadership insights and career wisdoms with fellow industry professionals. Consultant Connect strives to lift up the economic development industry by recognizing remarkable economic developers.
“The Consultant Connect team looks forward to releasing the Top 50 list every year because we believe that the work of economic developers is not only transformative to communities, but it is deeper than that. Each year jobs are created that impact individuals and their families. We are truly honored to provide a platform for North America’s top economic developers to be recognized for the passionate commitment they have made to the communities they serve,†said Carla Sones, Managing Director, Consultant Connect.
About CVEP
The mission of the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership is to incite a vision-driven economic transformation in the Greater Palm Springs region. Established in 1994, the nonprofit organization is a vital innovator of regional business development initiatives, fostering entrepreneurship and diversifying industry. As the only regional entity with the capacity to execute technology-led economic development, the partnership has dedicated significant resources to incubate cutting edge businesses through its pioneering iHubs in Palm Springs and Palm Desert. CVEP is committed to promoting a diversified, year-round economy through business attraction, retention, and expansion. Visit www.cvep.com or call 760-340-1575.
About Consultant Connect
Consultant Connect works to bridge the gap between leading economic developers and site location consultants through exclusive networking events, educational services and leadership development. Consultant Connect not only gives economic developers an inside look into the world of site selection – it gives them the applicable information necessary to propel their careers and communities forward. For more information, please visit www.consultantconnect.org.
FOOTNOTE: Joe Wallace was the former CEO Of GAGE-EVSANSVILLE and a part-time Editor Of the City-County OBSERVER.
