The week-long Basic Economic Development course, hosted at Western New Mexico University in mid-July brought community planners, tribal leaders, municipal managers and economic developers to Silver City. The professional development program, made possible through the generous sponsorship of the WNMU Foundation and Freeport-McMoRan, equipped participants with actionable strategies to drive local job creation and foster sustainable regional growth.
Serving as an essential first step toward earning the Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) credential, the course focused on practical economic principles applied to contemporary community challenges through simulated real-world case studies.
All sessions took place at the Besse-Forward Global Resource Center. The curriculum equipped participants with cost-effective frameworks to stimulate regional employment and manage shifting economic realities.
“We’ve been proud to offer this course since 1991; this session was a great success,” said Course Director for the International Academy for Economic Development, Noreen Scott, CEcD, FM, HLM. “We hosted a fantastic cross-section of participants from across the state. About half were taking the first step toward professional certification, while the remaining participants representing local communities wanted to deepen their economic development knowledge. It is a deeply rewarding program to deliver.”
The comprehensive week-long lecture schedule featured insights from prominent economic development practitioners. The week opened on Monday with foundational concepts, including an analysis of the changing economic landscape. Participants explored community assessment methodologies and targeted strategies for industry attraction and business retention. The first evening featured a specialized dinner session at the historic Graham Gymnasium, where participants learned more about how to work effectively with state legislators.
Ethics section on Wednesday morning as a subject. Tuesday’s programming prioritized organizational management, workforce development and statistical research methods. Mid-week modules focused on ethics, operational execution and advanced technical tools. Wednesday also introduced discussions on applying artificial intelligence to economic modeling, alongside an examination of border-zone economics. The afternoon concluded with real estate structuring and strategic community planning, followed by an evening networking reception.
“Western New Mexico University is proud to host and partner on initiatives like this that directly empower our state’s workforce,” said Professor of Business at Western New Mexico University Miguel Vicens, Ph.D. “Economic development is at the heart of building resilient, forward-looking communities. Providing local leaders with access to top-tier, internationally certified training ensures New Mexico remains competitive and prepared for strategic economic growth.”
The training program wrapped up its instructional hours with advanced financial deal structuring and sales systems, as well as a briefing on statewide tourism initiatives. The cohort concluded the course with program evaluations and an official graduation ceremony recognizing their foundational advancement toward CEcD certification.
“This is one of only 19 courses nationwide certified by the International Economic Development Council based in Washington, D.C., making it the launching pad for becoming a Certified Economic Developer,” Scott added. “Much like passing the CPA exam, earning this credential signals to site selectors, corporate real estate firms, and consultants that you adhere to an international code of ethics and speak a common industry language. Even though New Mexico doesn’t mandate certification, having certified leaders gives our local communities a real competitive edge—it builds trust, protects all parties involved and creates true win-win partnerships.”