One Acadiana Earns Prestigious Accreditation by the International Economic Development Council

by | Jan 21, 2020 | One Acadiana News

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LAFAYETTE, La. – Today, President and CEO Troy Wayman of One Acadiana (1A) and President and CEO Jeff Finkle of The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) announced 1A has earned recognition as an Accredited Economic Development Organization. 1A is one of only 66 economic development groups in the world to earn the AEDO status, which follows a six-month long documentation and site review process by the International Economic Development Council.

“One Acadiana displays the professionalism, commitment, and technical expertise that is deserving of this honor,” Finkle said. “AEDO accreditation tells the community, prospects, and stakeholders that their trust is well-placed in One Acadiana and their business is in good hands.”

The AEDO program is a comprehensive peer review process that measures economic development organizations against commonly held standards in the profession. The program consists of two phases: a documentation review and an onsite visit. Each phase is designed to evaluate information about the structure, organization, funding, program, and staff of the candidate economic development organization.

1A began the AEDO process in early 2019, compiling extensive documentation about the organization’s strategies, operations, and policies. IEDC’s review of 1A’s work in August of 2019 culminated with a December 2019 site visit by the AEDO Program review team.

“We are honored to be recognized by IEDC,” said 1A President and CEO Troy Wayman. “Earning AEDO accreditation is a significant achievement that places us among the best of the best in the industry. It is a testament to the efforts of 1A’s passionate and dedicated staff and our commitment to provide outstanding service to our partners and our community.”

“The AEDO designation assures the people and businesses of Acadiana that they have a world-class organization representing them in the pursuit of economic development results,” LED Secretary Don Pierson said. “When Louisiana Economic Development earned AEDO status in 2018, we became the only statewide agency then accredited by the International Economic Development Council. We are exceedingly proud of the leadership at One Acadiana and this accomplishment that places them in an elite group of Louisiana AEDOs by obtaining this certification.”

Maintenance of the AEDO status is required every three years and is accomplished through documentation submission and/or onsite visits by a team of the AEDO subcommittee.

About One Acadiana One Acadiana is the leading economic development organization for the nine-parish Acadiana region located in south Louisiana. With more than 800 investors, members, and partners, One Acadiana serves as the voice of the regional business community. The organization is located in the city of Lafayette and serves a region of nearly 700,000 people with a vibrant culture and unique entrepreneurial spirit. Learn more at OneAcadiana.org

About IEDC

The International Economic Development Council is the largest membership association serving economic and community development professionals in the world. With over 5,000 members nationwide and abroad, IEDC offers the economic development profession one source for information and professional development, one voice for the profession and one force for advocacy. For more information on IEDC or the AEDO program, call Dana Crater at (910) 833.7020; fax (202) 223.4745; write to IEDC at 734 15th Street NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005; email dcrater@iedconline.org; or visit IEDC’s website at www.iedconline.org.