Charleston County Economic Development (CCED) has earned two 2024 Gold Excellence in Economic Development Awards from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), honoring the organization’s achievements in the 2023 Annual Report and 2024 Economic Development Week categories. These awards recognize CCED’s outstanding work in communities with populations between 200,000 and 500,000 residents and were presented at IEDC’s Annual Conference in Denver, CO, on September 15-18, 2024.
CCED’s 2023 Annual Report highlights three decades of economic growth, including creating 40,000 new jobs and $7 billion in capital investment since the department’s founding in 1993. The report showcases CCED’s role in attracting new businesses, supporting local industries, and enhancing the regional business environment.
In May 2024, CCED celebrated Economic Development Week by fostering community connections and highlighting local achievements. Activities included visits to 31 businesses, multiple events focused on industry collaboration, and a panel discussion with local government leaders. The week also saw the Charleston County Council adopt a resolution honoring the department’s contributions.
The IEDC’s Excellence Awards spotlight top-performing organizations that demonstrate consistent excellence in economic development, community revitalization, and advancing the profession.
“Winning two Gold Awards is a tremendous honor for our team,” said Steve Dykes, Executive Director of CCED. “These awards validate the hard work, dedication, and innovative thinking that drive our mission to foster economic growth and improve the quality of life in Charleston County. We’re excited to continue building on this success.”
About the International Economic Development Council
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 4,300 members, IEDC is the largest organization of its kind. Economic developers promote economic well-being and quality of life for their communities by creating, retaining, and expanding jobs that facilitate growth, enhance wealth, and provide a stable tax base. From public to private, rural to urban, and local to international, IEDC’s members engage in the full range of economic development practices. Given the breadth of economic development work, our members are employed in various settings, including local, state, provincial, and federal governments, public-private partnerships, chambers of commerce, universities, and a variety of other institutions. When IEDC succeeds, its members create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities, and improve the quality of life in their regions. Learn more at http://www.iedconline.org today!
About Charleston County Economic Development
For over three decades, Charleston County Economic Development Department has been dedicated to establishing and maintaining business relationships with new and existing industries to preserve the Charleston area’s exceptional business climate and quality of life. To learn more about Charleston County Economic Development, visit www.charlestoncountydevelopment.org.
Announcement
July 2, 2026
Charleston County Economic Development is excited to launch its Job Development Incentive (JDI), a new program to support business growth and strengthen the region’s economic competitiveness.
Announcement
June 17, 2026
A new economic impact study conducted by University of South Carolina Research Economist Dr. Joseph Von Nessen found that companies that have located and grown in Charleston County through Charleston County Economic Development's efforts now support 79,241 jobs and generate $26.2 billion in annual economic activity across the county.
