PEDC Receives Texas Economic Development Council State Award for Community Economic Development

The Paris Economic Development Corporation (PEDC) received the Texas Economic Development Council's (TEDC) Community Economic Development Award (CEDA) in May 2025, recognizing the organization's achievements in 2024. The CEDA is the TEDC's premier award for local economic development organizations, evaluating applicants across criteria including capital investment, job creation, infrastructure development, workforce partnerships, and community impact.

The PEDC's winning application highlighted a year in which nearly $100 million in new capital investment was attracted to Lamar County, supporting the creation or retention of 540 direct jobs. The application specifically cited the Huhtamaki $85 million expansion as a centerpiece project, alongside the Amazon last-mile delivery station, the TxDOT Paris District headquarters, Rodgers Wade's $12 million expansion, and the Zelestra solar portfolio entering the development pipeline.

What the TEDC CEDA measures

The Community Economic Development Award is not a participation award. The TEDC evaluates applicants on the breadth and depth of their economic development programming, including business retention and expansion efforts, recruitment of new industry, workforce development initiatives, infrastructure improvements, and the use of economic development tools such as tax abatement, public improvement districts, and Opportunity Zone investments.

The PEDC's application demonstrated strength across all categories. The organization coordinated with multiple public and private partners across the county, from the City of Paris and Lamar County to private developers, educational institutions like Paris Junior College, and nonprofit partners like Rural Development Partners. The collaborative model was a central theme in the TEDC's evaluation and was cited as a key reason for the award.

Recognition for rural development excellence

The award is especially significant because it places Paris and Lamar County in competition with economic development organizations across the entire state of Texas, including those serving much larger metropolitan areas. For a county of approximately 51,500 residents to win the TEDC's top award demonstrates that the PEDC's approach is not just effective by rural standards, it is effective by any standard.

The recognition aligns with the broader national trend in economic development: rural communities that invest in professional economic development capacity, maintain inventories of development-ready sites, and build strong relationships with state and federal partners are competing successfully for projects that would have bypassed them a decade ago. Paris is emerging as a case study in how to do this well.

What it means for commercial property investors

A TEDC Community Economic Development Award carries weight far beyond the ceremony. It signals to site selection consultants, corporate real estate executives, and institutional investors that the PEDC has the organizational infrastructure, track record, and partnership network to support significant capital projects. When a company evaluates whether to invest in Paris, the knowledge that the local EDC has been recognized by the TEDC reduces perceived risk and increases confidence.

For owners and investors in commercial properties like 1905 E Price St, the award is another data point in a growing body of evidence that Paris is operating at a professional economic development standard that supports long-term property appreciation. An ED organization with this level of capability is an active asset for property owners, working to fill commercial space, attract complementary businesses, and maintain the economic momentum that drives lease demand and property values.