Photo caption: Albany-­‐Dougherty Economic Development Commission (ADEDC) President Justin Strickland, center left, and ADEDC Vice President Bárbara Rivera Holmes, center right, receive the Gold Excellence in Economic Development Award in Fort Worth, Texas. 

The Albany-­‐Dougherty Economic Development Commission’s video campaign featuring the “We Are Albany” and “Made in Albany” videos received a Gold Excellence in Economic Development Award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). The gold award, the most prestigious offered, was received in the category of Video/Multimedia Promotion for communities with populations of 25,000 -­‐ 200,000.

"Economic development efforts have long been a keystone in the quest to bolster the economy and improve quality of life in every locality across the country," said IEDC Chair Bill Sproull. "As the nation continues to tackle challenges in the midst of global uncertainty, these efforts have taken on an even greater significance. With this award, we laud trendsetting organizations like the Albany-­‐Dougherty Economic Development Commission for leading the charge."

“The ADEDC is a traditional economic development organization that is taking an untraditional approach to marketing the community by placing emphasis on the internal audience,” said Justin Strickland, president of the Albany-­‐Dougherty Economic Development Commission. “Our campaign is about rediscovering what makes Albany-­‐ Dougherty County so special and about restoring community pride. We’re honored that our hard work has been recognized by IEDC, but our greatest honor is being able to serve Albany-­‐Dougherty County and to share its story.”

Albany-­‐Doughertt County is a community of about 96,000 that has long been known as the capital of Southwest Georgia. It is the hub of the five-­‐county Albany Metropolitan Statistical Area and is the retail destination of a 460,000-­‐person area.

Albany has abundant natural resources, warm people, thriving local businesses, impressive global industries and limitless opportunities.

The videos’ scenes are typical of a day in Albany, but are presented in a way that allows viewers to gain a new appreciation for the life that Albany offers and to have an emotional response to what they are experiencing through the videos.The campaign has reignited community passion and begun a new conversation about Albany.

The ADEDC collaborated with Lattimer Communications on the videos.

The videos, which tie in to the ADEDC’s “There’s Only One Albany” campaign, can be viewed at www.onlyonealbany.com.

The IEDC honor was presented at an awards ceremony during the IEDC Annual Conference, which was held October 19-­‐22, in Fort Worth, Texas.

IEDC's Excellence in Economic Development Awards recognize the world’s best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials and the year’s most influential leaders. These awards honor organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban and rural communities.