Podcast 209: Building a Cross-Border Economic Engine with Heath Vescovi-Chiordi

Episode 209 of the Econ Dev Show Podcast is out. Listen now.

Building a Cross-Border Economic Engine with Heath Vescovi-Chiordi

How Pima County is leveraging cross-border trade, university research, and strategic policy to drive regional growth across 9,000 square miles of Southern Arizona with Heath Vescovi-Chiordi.

Econ Dev Show Podcast - Economic DevelopmentDane Carlson

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson sits down with Heath Vescovi-Chiordi, Director of Economic Development for Pima County, Arizona, to explore how one of the largest counties in the country balances rural biodiversity, cross-border trade with Mexico, aerospace and optics clusters, semiconductor workforce development, and even controversial data center projects. 

Heath shares how a four-and-a-half-person team coordinates across municipalities, tribal nations, academia, and public health to execute a regional strategy that blends quantitative results with qualitative community engagement. 

From a $1.2 billion battery manufacturing project to evolving policies on nondisclosure agreements and enhanced due diligence, this conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at modern county-level economic development in action 

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10 Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers

1. Align every major project with an adopted strategic plan to create policy cover and clarity.
2. Blend quantitative metrics with qualitative measures like community engagement and advocacy.
3. For controversial projects, increase transparency early through enhanced due diligence policies.
4. Reevaluate NDA usage to balance confidentiality with public trust.
5. Leverage anchor employers to build long-term industry clusters.
6. Partner deeply with universities to align workforce training with future industry targets.
7. Think regionally, even if your jurisdiction is municipal. Collaboration beats competition.
8. Use publicly owned land strategically to generate jobs and move assets back onto tax rolls.
9. Recognize that rural communities require tailored strategies rooted in their unique assets.
10. Stay flexible in the face of trade policy shifts, especially if international trade drives your economy.

Episode Links

• Heath Vescovi-Chiordi, MPA, AZED Pro | LinkedIn — Heath Vescovi-Chiordi, MPA, AZED Pro
• Economic Development | Pima County, AZ