Leadership changes at the Greater Phoenix Economic Council took effect on January 22, 2015, when the board of directors unanimously selected Chris Camacho as the organization’s fourth President and CEO.
Board Unanimously Appoints New Leadership
During a morning meeting of the Board of Directors, members voted to place Camacho at the helm of the regional business development group. Don Smith, GPEC board chairman and CopperPoint Mutual president, stated that Camacho stands out as a leading professional in the economic development field.
“Chris is one of the leading economic development professionals in the country and unquestionably the best candidate for the position,” said Don Smith, GPEC board chairman and CopperPoint Mutual president.
Prior to this appointment, Camacho earned multiple regional and national recognitions. Consultant Connect named him a Top 50 Economic Developer in North America earlier in January 2015. His career history includes serving as president of the Arizona Association for Economic Development, which also named him Economic Developer of the Year in 2011. Additional honors include a 40 under 40 recognition from the Phoenix Business Journal in 2012 and a similar acknowledgment from Development Counsellors International in 2013.
National Recognition for Business Development Staff
Days following the leadership announcement, GPEC reported that two of its vice presidents received national distinction. Development Counsellors International honored GPEC Vice Presidents of Business Development Chris Petroff and Angela Talbot as 40 Under 40 Rising Stars in economic development.
Development Counsellors International presented the awards on January 26, 2015, at the International Economic Development Council conference.
Market Intelligence Releases Software Industry Analysis
Alongside personnel milestones, GPEC published the latest Market Intelligence report: An In-Depth Analysis of the Software Industry on January 23, 2015. This report, which was produced by GPEC in partnership with economic development directors, details the sector and its importance to the Greater Phoenix economy.
