Arcadia in the Running for Most Business Friendly City of 2017

Last year’s annual gala for the Eddy Awards. – Courtesy photo / LAEDC

The City of Arcadia was named a finalist for the second consecutive year; Winner will be announced later this year

By Monica Sanchez

The City of Arcadia may very well receive the recognition it deserves soon at the 22nd Annual Eddy Awards this year. Since 1996. the Eddy Awards serve to recognize cities in LA County that take great strides in leadership to economically develop business, education, and government. Recently, the City of Arcadia was announced as an Eddy Awards finalist for Most Business-Friendly City of 2017.

Arcadia qualified for this nomination in the category of cities with a population under 68,000, and it is the second consecutive year that the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) has selected Arcadia as a finalist in this category.

Arcadia did not win the Eddy Award in 2016, having been overtaken by the work of Pico Rivera. However, as the City of Arcadia has been growing and building upon zoning projects for the expansion of commerce in Downtown Arcadia, it’s no surprise that they were nominated a second time for this prestigious award.

LAEDC gave their official reason for nominating Arcadia yet again:

“Encapsulated in their marketing campaign ‘See Arcadia. Above & Beyond’, Arcadia prides itself on having a nimble and dedicated city staff, a vibrant local economy, and a business friendly approach committed to going above and beyond your expectations. City highlights include Santa Anita Park, Westfield Santa Anita mall, a resurgent historic Downtown District, and world-renowned Asian cuisine. Arcadia’s high quality of life, great schools, and cultural amenities continue to attract new residents and visitors, and a new business-friendly zoning code adopted in 2016 demonstrates the city’s continued commitment to cutting red tape, promoting economic growth, and supporting local businesses.”

In the battle for bragging rights however, Arcadia is competing against the cities of Azusa, Monrovia, Rosemead and Santa Fe Springs. Read more about all the finalists here in order to gage what Arcadia’s competition looks like.

But despite the competition, Mayor Peter Amundson was extremely pleased by the LAEDC’s nomination:

“It’s great to see the City of Arcadia continuing to be leader in in our economic development efforts. Arcadia has long been known to be a great place to raise a family but being recognized for our unique approach to business attraction and development for two years in a row is no small feat. It’s important for the business community and entrepreneurs to know that the city is here to help them pursue their dreams in Arcadia.”

In taking great strides to streamline commercial growth and development, Assistant City Manager/Development Services Director Jason Kruckeberg emphasized that “We are focused on finding creative solutions for new businesses, providing resources and assistance to existing businesses, and fostering a business-friendly environment throughout the city.”

Winners will be announced on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017 at the Intercontinental Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, where the annual gala for the Eddy Awards will be held. Everyone is welcome to cheer Arcadia on and show their support at the gala if they have the moolah to join in on this festive fundraiser. Tickets are $500 a pop!

But if you have the dough, it’s a worthwhile experience according to the LAEDC, who stated that “It is an extraordinary opportunity to network with the leaders you want to meet, from all sectors in the region.” Meet the movers and shakers, Arcadia representatives included, who contribute to transforming and progressing LA County into a new era of commerce.

For tickets and more information, please visit the LAEDC website at www.laedc.org/eddy-awards, or contact contact Rick Moelis at (213) 236-4812 rick.moelis@laedc.org.

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