Jessi Pederson New Economic Development Director

Posted on 10/09/2023

Jessi Pederson Appointed Economic Development Director

The city of Glendale is pleased to announce the appointment of Jessi Pederson as the Economic Development Director. She brings nearly two decades of experience in business development, strategic planning and community engagement, making her the ideal candidate to steer Glendale's economic agenda.

In this role, Pederson directs the city's long-range development plans and works to attract and retain new and expanding businesses in Glendale. She leads an expert team of economists and business development professionals. She also oversees the Convention and Visitors Bureau, Special Events and Arts & Culture divisions.

“Jessi is very experienced in this arena and has a strong understanding of what it takes to attract, grow and retain businesses here in our city,” said Glendale City Manager Kevin Phelps. “In addition, she truly believes in our community and gets excited when there are wins that make life better for our residents and visitors. Even though we’re going through a relatively robust growth period, we still want to keep the momentum going on job attraction and private investment and Jessi brings the skills to help us do exactly that.”

Pederson joined the city in 2008. As part of the Economic Development Department she focused on redevelopment, small business assistance and special projects. Previously, she spent two years as Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers’ Chief of Staff before rejoining the Economic Development team in 2017, serving as the Assistant Director of the department.

“I am honored and excited to serve as the new Economic Development Director for this community with strategic collaboration and innovation at the core of our approach,” said Pederson. “We work closely with local businesses, and community stakeholders to develop sustainable strategies that drive economic vitality and provide a better quality of life.”

She replaces longtime Economic Development Director Brian Friedman who retired in August 2023 after 30 years of service. Pederson is a graduate of Arizona State University and holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration.