Rick Weddle, FM, HLM
President & CEO
Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance
Norfolk, VA
Rick L. Weddle joined the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance as President & CEO in April 2016. In his role, he leads the operations of a regional marketing organization with a 9-person staff that represents 11 municipalities and over 75 private sector investors in the Hampton Roads region. Prior to joining the Alliance, Rick spent five years as President and CEO of the Orlando Economic Development Commission. Over the course of his tenure, Rick created 17,000 jobs with an annual payroll of $800 million, more than $1 billion in capital investment and 5.3 million square feet of space absorbed.
Before leading Orlando’s ED Commission, Rick spent seven years as President and CEO of the Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina, owner and developer of The Research Triangle Park. Under his leadership, the Research Triangle Park generated development projects with projected capital investment of over $800 million and the projected creation of over 6,300 new, high-quality jobs.
Before North Carolina, Rick led the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) from 1997-2004. During his tenure at the GPEC as President and CEO, he assisted 170 companies with expansions and/or relocations to Greater Phoenix, creating over 28,000 jobs with a payroll of $1 billion. The companies in the Greater Phoenix region generated $1.8 billion in capital investment, approximately $224 million in annual state, county and community revenues, and resulted in the absorption of 13 million square feet of industrial and office space.
Prior to arriving in Phoenix, Rick spent four years in Toledo, Ohio, where he served as President and CEO of the Regional Growth Partnership (RGP). Under his leadership, RGP assisted 134 companies with expansions and/or relocations, creating 12,500 jobs and generating $4.4 billion in capital investment. From 1991-93, Rick was President and CEO of the San Joaquin Partnership & Business Council in Stockton, California. In two years, the partnership brought 1,200 jobs and $100 million in capital investment to the area. From 1987-91, he was in North Carolina where, as President and CEO of Winston-Salem Business Inc., the organization brought in 1,300 new jobs and $74 million in capital investment.
Rick is an active speaker and leader in numerous economic development and science park organizations. He currently holds the distinction of being the only American ever to serve as President of the International Association of Science Parks (IASP). Rick was elected to a two-year term as the IASP President in June of 2012. From 2007-09, he served as the President of IASP-North American Division.
Active in the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) since its inception, Rick, a Fellow Member, was awarded the designation of Honorary Life Member in 2007 and received the 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Economic Development in honor of Edward deLuca. In 2002, Rick was elected as the first Chairman of the Board of the IEDC, when the organization was formed by the merger of the American Economic Development Council (AEDC) and the Council for Urban and Economic Development (CUED). He was first elected to AEDC's Board of Directors in 1995, and in 1998 was appointed Western Regional Vice Chair and member of the Executive Committee.
Rick was an instructor at the Economic Development Institute (EDI) from 1986-2004 and has taught at accredited economic development courses in seven states.
Rick is a co-founder of the IEDC Economic Development Research Partners (ERDP), the research arm of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and is currently serving as the 2018 EDRP Chair.