2024 Year in Review: Looking Back on RCCEDC Accomplishments

The end of the year is an excellent time to reflect on our accomplishments and thank all of the supporters of the Roswell-Chaves County Economic Development Corporation (RCCEDC). Here is a list of 10 notable from 2024.

1. RCCEDC held a Recap following the close of the 2024 Legislative Session

Education and information sharing are important services of the RCCEDC. We hosted a 2024 Legislative Session Recap on February 22nd to discuss legislative actions that affected Chaves County’s residents and businesses.

RCCEDC would like to thank our legislators who attended: Sen. Greg Nibert, Rep. Candy Spence Ezzell, Rep. Jared Hembree, Rep. Andrea Reeb, and Rep. James Townsend. RCCEDC would also like to thank all of the community members who participated in this lively discussion. 

2. RCCEDC held a Workforce Development Roundtable

Over the last year and for many months prior, workforce recruitment and retention issues were among the most common concerns that we heard from our local businesses. Fortunately, our Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) program captured a handful of success stories and invited those businesses to share those best practices at a Workforce Development Panel on February 29th. They discussed hiring, retaining, and developing teams. A recording of this discussion is available on the RCCEDC YouTube channel.

We would love to thank its brilliant panelists:

• Ada Sandoval and Matti Cockrum from Krumland Auto Group
• Bruce Gwartney of J&G Electric
• Chuck Pinson of Central Valley Electric Coop
• Cody Burson, Lexi Bowers, and Matt Ingalls of Valley Bank of Commerce
• Adan Vasquez of Dean Baldwin Painting

3. Roswell is the new home of the National Championship Air Races

One of the most exciting announcements of the year was Roswell winning the bid to host the National Championship Air Races (NCAR). The first event in Roswell will be held September 10-14, 2025.

The Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) made the official announcement at a community reception in Roswell on May 23rd which included many residents and business leaders.

4. RCCEDC celebrated Its First Annual Gala

The RCCEDC hosted our first Annual Gala on July 18th at the Roswell Convention Center. The event had 38 table sponsorships and more than 350 attendees — the largest for any RCCEDC event in decades. Dr. Fred Telling’s presentation on the future of the National Championship Air Races (NCAR) in Roswell was fantastic. Congratulations to the 2024 Best of Chaves County winners:

• Community Service Award - Rick Hale
• Outstanding Small Business of the Year - Pepper's Grill & Bar
• Outstanding Large Business of the Year - Pecos Valley Production
• Best Enchiladas - Martin's Capitol Café
• Best Green Chile Cheeseburger - Pepper's Grill & Bar
• Best Customer Service (Dining) - Geli's Café
• Best Breakfast - Geli's Café
• Best Dessert - Sweet Baby J's
• Best Cup of Coffee - Stellar Coffee Co.
• Best Place to Get a Drink - Pecos Flavors Winery
• Best Clothing Store- Boutique - The Brave Co.
• Best Souvenir Shop - Hangar 209
• Best Customer Service (Shopping) - The Brave Co.
• Best Place for Men - Roswell Livestock & Farm Supply
• Best Place for Women - Imagine That! Scrapbooks and Gifts
• Best Professional Service - Barr & Company, LLC
• Best Veterinarian - Cielo Grande Veterinary Center
• Best Beauty Salon-Spa - The Artist Studio
• Best Place to Sweat - SBC-Mind & Body
• Best Car Service - Johnnie's Car Care Center
• Best Financial Institution - Valley Bank of Commerce
• Best Home Service Contractors - Redden Plumbing & Mechanical (RPM)
• Best Local Event - Eastern New Mexico State Fair
• Best Place to take an Out-of-towner - Bottomless Lakes State Park
• Best Place for Kids - Area 52
• Best Tourist Attraction - International UFO Museum & Research Center

5. RCCEDC recertified with the NM Economic Development Department

The RCCEDC takes pride in its good standing with the New Mexico Economic Development Department (NMEDD) and has been a Certified Economic Development Organization (EDO) since 2023. We received our recertification for Fiscal Year 2025 following an annual review in July.

6. RCCEDC received an Excellence in EconomicDevelopment Silver Award from the IEDC 

The International Economic Development Council recognized the RCCEDC with a 2024 Excellence in Economic Development Silver Award. The award was given specifically for the organization’s work in the Innovative Economic Development category that impacted communities of 25,000 - 200,000 residents. The RCCEDC was honored in September at the IEDC Annual Conference in Denver, Colorado.

7. RCCEDC received two awards from NMIDEA

RCCEDC was recognized by New Mexico IDEA–the state's Economic Development Professional Association–with these two inaugural awards: 

• The Business & Retention Expansion Award for our BRE Visitation Program 
• The Rural Project of the Year for the RCCEDC's successful effort to secure the National Championship Air Races.

8. RCCEDC received a LEADS Grant

Having available shovel-ready property is essential to our business attraction efforts. The Local Economic Assistance & Development Support (LEADS) program awarded the RCCEDC a grant to develop a 30-acre shovel-ready site using available City of Roswell property. 

9. RCCEDC participated in the NMEDD’s Site Readiness Program

RCCEDC also participated in the NMEDD Site Readiness Program. The EDD hired Global Location Strategies (GLS), a site selection firm, to complete a Site Readiness assessment for publicly owned sites across the state.

In November, GLS assessed three sites in Chaves County. When the review is complete, GLS will provide a report that highlights the site's details, strengths, and weaknesses and makes actionable recommendations for future improvements regarding site readiness in the interest of business attraction.

10. RCCEDC will be Recognized in Business Facilities Magazine

In December, the RCCEDC learned that it would be recognized in Business Facilities’ 2024 Impact Awards. Each year, their editors select a number of projects from the pool of entries that showcase corporate relocation and expansion investments that have a significant impact on the communities in which they are located. This feature will run in the upcoming Jan/Feb issue.

On behalf of the RCCEDC Board of Directors and staff, thank you to all our members and stakeholders for your support over the last year. This list of accomplishments could not have happened without you. A Merry Christmas and a Happy 2025 to you all!