East Bay EDA is one of the biggest champions of economic development in our region, which took center stage at this year’s California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED) Annual Conference in Ontario from May 7-9, 2025. This year’s conference theme, “growing economies from the ground up”, helped to put a brighter spotlight on communities around California that have created effective partnerships, strategies, and tools to build, reimagine, and strengthen their local and regional economies.
Representatives from more than a dozen East Bay cities attended the conference, the vast majority of whom received awards. All of the East Bay cities listed below were recognized for their outstanding work at the Celebrating Success Awards Luncheon during the second day of the conference; visit the CALED website for more details about each of them.
Award of Merit – Innovation in Digital Media
- City of Hayward: Hashtag Hayward
Awards of Merit – Programs & Promotions
- City of Antioch: Antioch Business Collaborative
- City of Concord: Creative Concord
- City of Dublin: Economic Development Strategy & General Plan Economic Development Element
- City of Hayward: Learn to Earn and Hire Hayward Programs
- City of Newark: The Plan, Prepare, Response, Recover (PPRR) Program
- City of Oakley: Oakley Entrepreneurial Workshop Program
- City of Richmond: Mobile Vendor Program
- City of Richmond: Richmond Main Street Initiative
- City of San Leandro: Small Business Technical Assistance Program
- City of Walnut Creek: Business Leaders for the Arts
Attending this year’s conference from East Bay EDA included Executive Director, Stephen Baiter, who serves as a CALED Board Member, as well as Patience Ofodu, Head of Community Relations & Strategic Partnerships. Baiter closed out the conference plenary session, moderating a conversation with CALED President & CEO Gurbax Sahota and the California Labor & Workforce Development Agency Secretary, Stewart Knox. Reflecting on both the awards luncheon recognition ceremony and the conference as a whole, Baiter said, “The East Bay is very fortunate to have an abundance of passionate and talented people leading economic development efforts that add value to our cities across our region. East Bay EDA has been excited about better connecting these different regional efforts and networks so that all East Bay communities can realize their full economic potential.”