Presentation

Economic 
Development 
Strategic Plan
September 17, 2026

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Strategic Plan.
Define Mesa’s long-term 
vision and economic  
priorities, providing a 
clear roadmap to align 
resources, guide decision-
making, and achieve 
measurable results.
2

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Scope of Work (FY27-29 Strategic Plan).
Sharpening Mesa’s Economic Development Direction
Target Industry Growth
Business Retention and Expansion
Entrepreneurship
Workforce and Talent
Mesa’s Market Identity
Organizational Capacity
3

Economic 
Development 
Strategic Plan
2027-2029

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How the Plan Was Developed.
5
Stakeholders 
Engaged
150
Industry 
Cluster 
Analysis
Competitive 
Benchmarking
Market
Data
NEARLY

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Five Findings that Shaped the Strategic Direction.
6
Mesa’s fundamentals are strong.
Growth constraints are changing the work.
A more focused industry strategy will increase impact.
Mesa-based businesses are key to future growth.
Execution is the next differentiator.
Its reputation has not fully caught up with its economic transformation
Infrastructure capacity and less greenfield land make coordination and redevelopment 
essential.
Mesa must concentrate on the clusters where it has established strengths and credible 
opportunities for growth.
Existing employers and scaling businesses are among Mesa’s strongest sources of future 
jobs, investment and innovation.
Alignment, organizational capacity and meaningful measures will determine results.

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Mesa’s SOAR Summary.
7
STRENGTHS
S
Mesa's competitive advantage is built on an affordable, 
low-barrier business environment, a unique two-airport 
ecosystem anchored by Mesa Gateway, and one of the 
state's deepest education pipelines, from the largest K-12 
system in Arizona through Arizona State University, 
Benedictine University, Mesa Community College and East 
Valley Institute of Technology.
OPPORTUNITIES
O
Mesa has the opportunity to accelerate its transformation 
over the next five years by revitalizing downtown into a 
true live/work/play destination, scaling Mesa Gateway 
Airport into a leading aerospace and advanced air mobility 
hub and intentionally growing its emerging bioscience and 
medical device cluster.
ASPIRATIONS
A
Success means Mesa is recognized as a standalone major 
American city rather than a suburb of Phoenix, known as 
the fastest and most predictable place to do business in the 
region, with vibrant districts that keep residents living, 
working, and playing locally.
RESULTS
R
We will know Mesa is succeeding when high-wage job 
creation and employer retention continue to grow, the 
City's revenue base becomes more diversified, and Mesa is 
recognized as a leader in delivering a transparent, 
predictable, and business-friendly development 
experience.

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Industry Data.
8
Arlington, VA
Aurora, CO
Colorado Springs, CO
Greensboro, SC
Nashville, TN
Round Rock, TX
Santa Barbara, CA

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A More Focused, Interconnected Industry Framework.
9

Many entities play a role in improving a community.
COMMUNITY
INDICATORS
Foundations
Private 
Sector
Utilities
Community
Development
Org
Non-Profits
Economic
Development
Org
Talent and
Education
Government
EDOs are a part of a larger team of public, private, and 
non-profit organizations all committed to helping drive 
positive change in the community.  Each partner needs 
to focus on their core strengths to maximize limited 
resources and create the greatest impact.

Each city office influences Mesa’s competitiveness.
COMMUNITY
INDICATORS
Parks and
Recreation
Arts and
Culture
Utilities
Transportation
Public
Safety
Economic
Development
Workforce
 Development
Planning and
Development
The Office of Economic Development is part of a larger 
team of city offices all committed to helping drive 
positive change in the community.  Each partner needs 
to focus on their core strengths to maximize limited 
resources and create the greatest impact.

Strategic Focus Area: Marketing
1. External Image Campaign
Target key domestic and international areas to tell an updated and comprehensive story of Mesa as one of America’s most 
successful large cities.
4. City of Mesa, Downtown Mesa Association, and Visit Mesa Collaboration
Strengthen coordination between Mesa Office of Economic Development and Visit Mesa to align messaging and leverage 
complementary organizational strengths.
3. Brand Neighborhoods and Districts
Brand neighborhoods and districts as unique areas within a unified City of Mesa message. 
2. Lifestyle Amenities Promotion
Promote the retail, entertainment, arts and culture, and sports amenities in the City domestically and to future lifestyle 
developers.
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Goal: Promote the community's value proposition, assets, and competitive advantages to target industries, site selectors, and investors 
to build awareness and generate leads.

Strategic Focus Area: Marketing
8. Thought Leadership Papers
Author or co-author quarterly white papers that can both inform and education stakeholders on current issues or core 
concepts. 
7. NYC Media Mission 
Conduct a media mission to New York City pitching stories that connect Mesa to the national stage.
6. Economic Development Summit
Celebrate past economic development wins and lay the groundwork for future success.
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9. Educational Ecosystem Promotion
Share Mesa’s education story with local stakeholders and external audiences.
5. Development Services Processes Education
Partner with Development Services to coordinate and amplify key messaging.
Goal: Promote the community's value proposition, assets, and competitive advantages to target industries, site selectors, and investors 
to build awareness and generate leads.

Strategic Focus Area: Attraction, Retention and Expansion
1. Target Industry Supply Chains
For each traded industry cluster, conduct supply chain research in support of lead generation.
4. Evolve Programming of Mesa Business Builder
Evaluate efforts to grow Mesa-based small businesses and develop tiered funding support. 
3. Comprehensive Broker Program
Develop a formal communications program targeting brokers and developers.
2. Expand Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Efforts
Expand FDI efforts to recruit international companies in strategic markets.
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5. Increase Domestic Marketing Efforts
Increase opportunities to connect with domestic target companies by including additional time into already planned missions.
Goal: Recruit new employers, strengthen small business and entrepreneurship, and proactively support existing businesses to help 
them start, stay, grow, and reinvest locally.

Strategic Focus Area: Attraction, Retention and Expansion
8. Target Industry Roundtables
Host bi-annual roundtables based on the updated target industry framework to encourage collaboration and assess industry 
needs. 
7. Mesa’s Creative Economy Ecosystem
Evaluate and develop a program centered around Mesa’s Creative Economy Ecosystem to grow and attract new businesses.
6. Comprehensive Site Selector Program
Enhance Site Selector engagement by facilitating a multi-pronged approach.
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9. Position Mesa for Emerging Office Demand
Prepare Mesa to capture emerging office demand by identifying greenfield, infill and redevelopment opportunities that can 
support high-quality Class A office product and positioning the City as a competitive alternative to higher-cost regional office 
markets.
Goal: Recruit new employers, strengthen small business and entrepreneurship, and proactively support existing businesses to help 
them start, stay, grow, and reinvest locally.

Strategic Focus Area: Workforce and Talent 
1. Build Workforce Development Within the City Organization
Position the City of Mesa as an employer of choice by expanding workforce pathways, strengthening employee development, 
and cultivating future public sector talent.
4. Grow Postsecondary Access to Increase Educational Attainment
Increase educational attainment and career readiness by improving access to education, early learning, and workforce 
preparation opportunities for Mesa residents.
3. Connect Industry and Education Partners
Strengthen collaboration between employers, education providers, and workforce partners to develop talent pipelines aligned 
with Mesa's economic development priorities.
2. Strengthen Mesa's Industry Workforce Alignment and Growth
Strengthen Mesa's talent pipeline by aligning workforce development efforts with the evolving needs of target industries and 
employers.
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Goal: Revitalize underutilized properties and strengthen existing corridors or districts to maximize the value of limited land.

Strategic Focus Area: Redevelopment and Revitalization 
1. Build Relationships with Redevelopment Community 
Cultivate relationships with developers of choice to speed the process of building a city aligned with Mesa’s long-term goals.
3. Develop and Coordinate Creative Placemaking Initiatives
Direct targeted public investment toward catalytic improvements in priority zones, particularly Downtown Mesa, to unlock 
private redevelopment and grow the creative economy.
2. Proactive Redevelopment Preparedness
Proactively ready identified sites through rezoning, planning, and possible acquisition. Map and market sites throughout the 
city that are available for infill development.
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Goal: Revitalize underutilized properties and strengthen existing corridors or districts to maximize the value of limited land.

Strategic Focus Area: Organizational
1. Economic Development, Office of Urban Transformation and CIP Alignment
Annually engage in a process to align economic development and redevelopment goals of the Office of Economic 
Development with OUT and CIP expenditures over a ten-year horizon.
5. Task Reduction Review
Determine current tasks that could be done internally or in collaboration with community partners.
4. One Stop Business Center
Build on ongoing efforts to develop a one-stop business center that becomes seen as a National Model for best practices. 
3. AI Integration
Encourage careful and deliberate integration of AI into current operations.
2. Economic Development Resource Alignment
To effectively and holistically support future efforts, evaluate resources and staffing related to economic development.
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Goal: Build the internal capacity, governance, and operational structure needed for the economic development organization to effectively 
deliver on its mission.

Success will be measured by activity, impact and lasting value.
19
What the city can control
→
What the work produces
→
What Mesa influences
INPUTS
DIRECT IMPACTS
COMMUNITY OUTCOMES
Qualified leads
Prospects and visits
BRE engagement
Small-business 
engagement
Marketing reach
Jobs
Capital investment
Payroll and wages
Commercial and industrial 
space
Business growth
Economic resilience
Workforce participation
Tax-base diversification
Private investment 
leveraged
Quality job opportunity
Track what we do. Connect it to what changes. Measure the value that 
continues over time.

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Strategic Plan Metrics: Inputs. 
INPUT METRIC
DEFINITION
REASON
Annual Goal 3 Year Goal
Number of New 
Prospects
A company that has plans to 
expand and would consider 
the city.
Projects, via leads or direct, deliver 
realistic opportunities for near term 
announcements. 
50
150
Percent of Prospects 
in Target Clusters
75% of prospects are in the 
Mesa target clusters.
Demonstrates a proactive cluster-
based approach to business 
development.
Greater 
than 75%
Greater 
than 75%
Number of Prospect 
Visits
A company visit to the city.
A company visiting the city is the 
best indication of a serious project.
50
150
Number of BRE Visits
Visits to existing business 
within the city of Mesa.
Most of the business growth comes 
from existing businesses.
150
450
Number of Small 
Business 
Engagements
Any interaction with small 
businesses within the city of 
Mesa.
Small businesses account for most of 
the employment in a community.
1,000
3,000

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Strategic Plan Metrics: Inputs. 
INPUT METRIC
DEFINITION
REASON
Annual Goal
3 Year Goal
Number of Media 
Impressions
Total number of times 
content (ad, social media 
post, webpage, etc.) is 
displayed on a user’s screen.
Creating awareness of the 
advantages of a community is 
the first step in attracting 
business.
300 Million
900 Million
Number of Social 
Media Followers
Total number of followers on 
all social media platforms.
Direct marketing to an engaged 
group of followers builds 
connectivity to the city. 
15% Increase
Compounded 
15% Increase
Number of Economic 
Reporter Newsletter 
Subscribers
Total number of subscribers 
receiving the newsletter.
Newsletters keep a community 
top-of-mind through regular 
contact.
10% Increase
Compounded
10% Increase

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Strategic Plan Metrics: Impacts. 
IMPACT METRIC
DEFINITION
REASON
Annual Goal 3 Year Goal
Number of New Jobs 
Direct and Indirect jobs 
because of a project.
Jobs, in total, are a core tenet of 
economic development.  
2,500
7,500
Amount of New 
Investment
Direct and Indirect 
investment as a result of a 
project.
Taxes on corporate investments 
provide funding for needed 
community services.
$1 Billion
$3 Billion
Average Wage of 
Jobs Created or 
Retained
Increase in average wage for 
new or retained jobs.
Providing jobs that increase wages 
contributes to the wealth of local 
citizens.
*Above 
$65,000
*Above 
$65,000
New Commercial 
and Industrial Square 
Footage
Total commercial and 
industrial SF added within 
the city.
A key indicator of permeant growth 
in the business base.
3 Million
9 Million
*135% of county median.

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Operationalize in programs of work
Collaboration and check ins across 
departments
Quarterly metrics review
Annual reporting
Next steps.
23

Discussion.

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Benchmarking.
25
Economic Indicators
→Economic scale
→Workforce availability
→Educational attainment
→Occupational mix
→Growth Patterns
→Housing conditions
→Unemployment
→Size and composition of 
each market’s industries
Category
Market
Relevance to Mesa
Direct Competitor
Round Rock, TX
Semiconductor and Technology 
competition, proximity to major 
metro
Colorado Springs, CO
Aerospace and Defense 
competition, similar growth profile
Aurora, CO
Proximity to major metro, industry 
and workforce distribution
Arlington, TX
High growth prospects, regionally 
competitive across similar industries
Benchmark 
Community
Nashville, TN
Strong attraction efforts and 
successful diversification of regional 
economy
Greensboro, NC
Manufacturing ang logistics hub 
with successful relocation profile
Atlanta, Ga
Base for regional growth due to 
high connectivity and diversified 
industries
Lead Generation 
Sources
Santa Barbara, CA
Legacy industries in Technology, 
Aerospace and Defense, and 
Bioscience

Strategic Plan Organization.
01
Goals, Strategies and Action Plan
Combining qualitative data gathered from stakeholder 
engagement with quantitative research, Hickey Global developed 
a suite of strategies to help Mesa OED enhance its economic 
development ecosystem. Strategies are organized into strategic 
focus areas and assigned short-, medium-, and long-term 
implementation stages.
02
Stakeholder Engagement Report
Hickey Global interviewed business and community leaders 
virtually, in person, and through an online survey. Over 150 
participants were invited to participate including businesses, 
development partners, utility providers, education and workforce 
leaders, partner organizations, and key staff leadership. Ten 
interviews provided smaller, focused discussions with 
Councilmembers, employers/businesses, utility providers, and 
state partners. 
03
Market Overview and Analysis
The Mesa community is characterized by significant growth in 
population and employment. To contextualize Mesa's ecosystem 
within the broader region, macroeconomic data covering various 
topics was analyzed for Maricopa County, the state of Arizona 
and select competitor communities. 
04 Target Industries and Sector Analysis
Using established criteria to identify and validate target 
industries, Hickey Global employed a data-driven approach to 
confirm the presence and contribution of target businesses to 
local economic growth, resulting in a comprehensive overview of 
current industry activity and strategic recommendations.
26

Goal: Promote the 
community's value 
proposition, assets, and 
competitive advantages 
to target industries, site 
selectors, and investors to 
build awareness and 
generate leads.
Marketing
Goal: Revitalize 
underutilized properties 
and strengthen existing 
corridors or districts to 
maximize the value of 
limited land.
Goal: Recruit new 
employers, strengthen 
small business and 
entrepreneurship, and 
proactively support 
existing businesses to 
help them start, stay, 
grow, and reinvest locally.
Attraction, 
Retention & 
Expansion
Goal: Build the internal 
capacity, governance, and 
operational structure 
needed for the economic 
development organization 
to effectively deliver on its 
mission.
Goal: Align education, 
training, and workforce 
development programs 
with employer needs to 
build a pipeline of talent.
Redevelopment & 
Revitalization
Workforce & 
Talent
Organizational
Strategic Focus Areas

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Implementation is phased and shared across the City.
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1
Short-term
2–3
Medium-term
4+
Long-term
Direction • coordination • 
accountability
Advocacy • connection • 
amplification
Year
Years
Years
Immediate actions and 
foundations
Sustained initiatives and 
system building
Transformational work 
that begins now
OED LEADS
Economic development 
is collective work.
OED SUPPORTS