Charleston County Economic Development (CCED) received two 2025 Excellence in Economic Development Awards from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). The awards were bestowed for the organization’s work on its 2024 Annual Report, earning a Bronze award, and the Business Resource Guide, earning a Silver award. Both projects served residents and businesses across Charleston County, a community of more than 400,000 people. CCED was honored at the IEDC 2025 Annual Conference in Detroit, Michigan, September 14-17.
“Charleston County Economic Development is leading the field of excellence in economic development with its 2024 Annual Report and Business Resource Guide projects. These awards shine a spotlight on Charleston County Economic Development’s commitment to its community and showcase the significant impact of economic development,” said IEDC President and CEO Nathan Ohle. “IEDC is honored to present these awards to Charleston County Economic Development to celebrate both their leadership and innovation in the field.”
Each year, IEDC honors organizations, government entities, and programs that consistently demonstrate excellence in the field of economic development. The honorees lead transformational projects that revitalize communities and advance the practice of economic development.
“We are incredibly proud to receive these prestigious awards from the IEDC,” said Charleston County Economic Development Executive Director Merle Johnson. “Our team’s dedication to creating high-quality, impactful resources like our Annual Report and Business Resource Guide is essential to showcasing Charleston County’s vibrant and supportive business environment. We look forward to continuing our mission of promoting sustainable economic growth for all of our citizens.”
About the International Economic Development Council
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization serving economic developers. With thousands of 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 a 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 we succeed, our members create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities, and improve the quality of life in their regions. Learn more at https://www.iedconline.org/.
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.
Blog
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.
