Mike Tedesco named new Executive Director of Arvada Economic Development Association

Arvada, CO – The Arvada Economic Development Association (AEDA) is pleased to announce that Mike Tedesco has been named Executive Director. Tedesco comes to Arvada from the Pittsburgh area, where he has been leading economic development and municipal revitalization efforts in Crafton, Pennsylvania.

“My first priorities as I launch with AEDA are to listen and learn from the board members, individual business owners, AEDA staff, and City leadership,” said Tedesco. “Numerous plans and initiatives are already in place, and I sense an openness toward innovation. Those opportunities and conversations will emerge naturally as I settle into the position.”

Tedesco brings more than 20 years of experience in planning, project management and economic development, including time leading the revitalization of the riverwalk in another Front Range community, Pueblo. Over the course of his career, he has executed approximately $1.3 billion in public-private partnerships and business development initiatives.

At AEDA, Tedesco will lead business attraction, expansion, and retention efforts for the City of Arvada, partnering with local businesses and support agencies to help build and maintain Arvada’s thriving local economy. “Arvada already has all the tools in place – between the City, AEDA, AURA [Arvada Urban Renewal Authority], the BID [Olde Town Business Improvement District], and numerous partner agencies. This team has done the hard work of creating all these tools, so now the conversations can focus on meaningful results. I’m looking forward to collaborating with the larger team to help everyone succeed.”

Tedesco will also serve on the management team in the City of Arvada’s Community and Economic Development Department as Economic Development Manager.

“I’m thrilled that Mike is joining our innovative and collaborative team,” said Jessica Garner, Director of Community and Economic Development. “One of the City’s top priorities is, and will continue to be, supporting our business community, and having a dynamic leader in this position will help us continue and grow that work.”

In 2025, AEDA awarded more than $200,000 in grant funding for business improvements and helped welcome 126 net new businesses to Arvada. AEDA was reaccredited by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) in 2024 and was the first IEDC-accredited economic development organization in Colorado. Tedesco joins a team of three, along with Senior Economic Development Managers Nancy Flock and Sarah Miley.

About AEDA
Founded in 1991, the Arvada Economic Development Association is a 501(c)(6) organization developed to help businesses grow and prosper in Arvada. AEDA’s mission is to provide business and commercial development services to new and existing businesses, so that businesses can grow and expand to create jobs, increase revenues, and make capital investment within the City. For more information about AEDA, visit the AEDA website.