The Prince William County Department of Economic Development and Tourism (PWCDEDT) has been named the 2026 Economic Development Organization of the Year by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), the world’s largest association for economic development professionals.
Prince William County took the top honor in IEDC’s largest population category, recognizing economic development organizations serving communities of more than 500,000 people. The award places Prince William County alongside recent honorees representing major metropolitan areas including Sacramento, Tulsa, New Orleans, Detroit, Phoenix and Montréal.
“This is an extraordinary recognition for Prince William County and for the team that has worked to fundamentally change what economic development looks like here,” said Christina Winn, Executive Director, PWCDEDT. “We set out to build an organization that could compete with the very best anywhere. To now be recognized among the best by our peers is an incredible validation of that work and an even greater motivation for what comes next.”
The recognition follows a remarkable period of growth for both Prince William County and its economic development organization.
Over the past several years, Prince William County has deliberately built an economic development organization designed to do more than compete for projects. PWCDEDT now brings business attraction and retention, entrepreneurship, workforce development, tourism, redevelopment, placemaking, research and marketing together under one strategy.
The results are showing up across the county:
- Prince William County established Nexus234, Northern Virginia’s first officially designated Innovation District, encompassing 5,900 acres, more than 700 businesses and 12,000 employees.
- The department’s business attraction project success rate increased from 7 percent in 2021 to 56 percent in 2025.
- The county’s Calibrate Small Business program delivered more than 1,000 small business counseling sessions in 2025 and supported 211 jobs created or retained.
- Tourism generated $289 million in visitor spending across 3.1 million trips in 2025.
The department has accomplished these gains with a team of just 31 professionals, operating less than 20 miles from Washington, D.C., in one of the most competitive markets for investment, talent and jobs in the United States.
“Prince William County is leading the field of excellence in economic development,” said Nathan Ohle, President and CEO of the International Economic Development Council. “This award shines a spotlight on Prince William County’s commitment to its community and showcases the significant impact of economic development. IEDC is honored to celebrate their leadership and innovation in the field.”
A Pivotal Perception Shift in Motion
For decades, the county’s location in Northern Virginia meant many residents looked outside its borders for career opportunities. Today, Prince William County is increasingly becoming an employment and investment destination, home to major technology and digital infrastructure investments, a growing life sciences cluster, advanced manufacturing, federal and defense contractors, entrepreneurs, research institutions, and an expanding visitor economy.
Approximately 54 percent of employed Prince William residents still commute outside the county for work, making the creation of high-quality local employment one of PWCDEDT’s central economic development challenges. The department’s strategy is designed not simply to grow the county’s commercial tax base, but to create more opportunities for residents to build meaningful careers closer to home.
“This is the kind of recognition that changes how people see Prince William County,” said Deshundra Jefferson, Chair At-Large, Prince William Board of County Supervisors. “We’re not an emerging market waiting for our turn. We’re competing today with some of the most successful communities in the country for investment, jobs and talent, and we’re winning.”
The award follows another significant professional distinction for the department. Earlier this year, PWCDEDT earned reaccreditation as an Accredited Economic Development Organization (AEDO), confirming that its operations, strategy and organizational practices meet IEDC’s highest professional standards. The department’s reaccreditation review also identified Prince William County’s coordinated approach to expedited permitting as a national best practice.
“Being named Economic Development Organization of the Year is a tremendous accomplishment for our government and our commitment to our business community,” said Chris Shorter, County Executive, Prince William County Government. “Independent validation of excellence is a powerful statement about where Prince William County is headed.”
An Intentional Evolution Under the Microscope
Between 2022 and 2025, PWCDEDT integrated tourism, expanded its staff and responsibilities, built new workforce and redevelopment functions, navigated nationally visible land-use debates, and managed an increasingly complex pipeline of multibillion-dollar investments. Those same years produced the strongest economic development performance in the department’s history.
Instead of keeping status quo, PWCDEDT took the opportunity to develop an intentional department strategic plan and lean into a vision for what’s next.
PWCDEDT’s 2025–2030 Strategic Plan follows the county’s organizational strategic plan and is organized around six interconnected pillars:
- Investment
- Ecosystem Building
- Tourism Development
- Workforce Development
- Placemaking
- Values and Culture
Together, the pillars connect traditional economic development with the broader factors that determine whether communities can attract investment and create lasting prosperity.
The model reflects a larger shift occurring across the profession. Communities are increasingly competing not only on sites, incentives and infrastructure, but also on talent, quality of place, entrepreneurship, innovation ecosystems and their ability to turn investment into meaningful community outcomes.
Prince William County built its economic development organization to compete. Now, the world’s largest economic development association has named it one of the best.
PWCDEDT will formally receive the award during the IEDC 2026 Annual Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, October 25–28. The recognition comes during IEDC’s centennial year as the organization celebrates 100 years of advancing the economic development profession.
About the International Economic Development Council
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is the world’s largest association for economic development professionals. Based in Washington, D.C., IEDC represents practitioners working across local, state, provincial and federal governments, nonprofits, public-private partnerships, entrepreneurial support organizations, chambers of commerce, utilities, universities and other organizations.
In 2026, IEDC celebrates its 100th anniversary and a century of advancing the economic development profession through education, certification, research, conferences, networking, policy advocacy and partnerships. Learn more at https://www.iedconline.org.