The California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED) will host its 2025 Annual Conference at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Ontario, California, from May 7 to 9. This conference is a prime opportunity for those in the economic development space to learn from industry experts and connect with other economic developers from across the state. Known as the largest convening of hands-on decision-makers in local economic development, CALED’s Annual Conference is where collaboration and bold ideas become real-world solutions.
This year’s theme, “Growing Economies from the Ground Up,” emphasizes the important role communities, grassroots initiatives and place-based strategies play in driving sustainable economic development across the state. The three-day conference is packed with networking opportunities and educational sessions, and is designed to inform, inspire and celebrate economic developers at every level. The conference kicks off Wednesday, May 7, with a welcome session from City and County leaders to highlight recent success in economic development. Jennifer McLain Hiramoto, CALED Chair & City of Ontario’s Executive Director of Economic Development, and Derek Armstrong, San Bernardino County’s Director of Economic Development, are the conference co-chairs and will kick off the event.
On Thursday, May 8, Dee Dee Myers, Director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), will provide opening comments at the morning’s general session. A moderated panel discussion will follow and reveal how expert practitioners brought their projects from concept to construction, offering valuable tips for advancing economic development goals.
Moreover, since the conference coincides with Small Business Week, CALED will spotlight small businesses with Dr. Tara Lynn Gray, Director of the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA). During her listening session on May 8, attendees will learn how to help businesses become more resilient and discover available resources to support small businesses.
To conclude the conference, Stewart Knox, Secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, and Gurbax Sahota, President and CEO of CALED, will lead a general session on Friday, May 9. This session will address trends in workforce and economic development, focusing on finding solutions to challenges. It will be moderated by Stephen Baiter, East Bay EDA Executive Director.
Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with experts and gain invaluable information and networking experiences! For the full conference agenda — including the pre-conference teaching tour, additional networking events, and conference sessions — or to register, visit https://caled.org/2025-caled-annual-conference/.
About CALED
The California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED) is California’s premier economic development association. With about 1,000 members, it is one of the largest economic development associations in the country, which is why we refer to our membership as California’s Economic Development Network. Since 1980, when it was created, CALED has led the way in teaching economic developers, local elected officials, and state representatives the value of economic development and how it is used to grow businesses, generate revenue to support community development programs, and retain and create quality jobs.