After more than 40 years as Pueblo’s primary economic development partner, the Pueblo Economic Development Corp. (PEDCO) now begins a new, independent chapter. Although its contract with the City of Pueblo ended last year, PEDCO continues its core mission with a full project pipeline in the City and County of Pueblo, focusing on continuity, recalibration and long-term positioning.
On Sept. 29, 2025, the City of Pueblo formally notified PEDCO that its contract for economic development services would be terminated effective Dec. 31, 2025, in accordance with the contract’s 90-day notice provision. The decision followed a 5-2 City Council vote approving Resolution No. 16120, which directed the city to issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) seeking new economic development partners. The RFQ process is open to all qualified organizations, including PEDCO, and is intended to help the city evaluate future approaches to economic development services.
According to PEDCO President and CEO Jeff Shaw, the change in contractual structure has not altered the organization’s purpose or day-to-day work. Instead, PEDCO has pivoted strategically, adjusting its marketing approach for the region and its funding allocation for certain initiatives, while remaining actively engaged in business attraction, retention and expansion efforts.
“We’re operating without a contract with the city, and it doesn’t change our mission,” Shaw says. “We’re still working on projects, still moving deals forward and still focused on the City and County of Pueblo.”
PEDCO has led economic development in the City and County of Pueblo since 1981 and is a 501(c)(6) member organization. Shaw says membership and partner funding means PEDCO continues without interruption.
“This is a pivot, not a pause,” Shaw says. “We’re adjusting how we operate, but what we do and why we do it hasn’t changed.”
As the organization moves into 2026, PEDCO has several active projects, most tied to manufacturing, a sector long considered the region’s economic backbone. Shaw says the organization anticipates multiple project announcements in the coming months, including potential opportunities in aerospace, defense and advanced manufacturing.
In addition to project recruitment, PEDCO continues to prioritize site readiness, infrastructure and workforce alignment. The organization actively tracks available industrial square footage, particularly at the Pueblo Memorial Airport Industrial Park, where multiple manufacturing buildings and rail-served sites are already in place. With construction timelines and costs increasing statewide, having shovel-ready facilities has become a critical competitive advantage.
“Being able to move fast matters more than ever,” Shaw says. “We watch square footage carefully because companies don’t want to wait 18 months just to get a building online.”
Workforce availability remains one of the most important factors shaping PEDCO’s strategy. Rather than chasing projects that could overwhelm the local labor market or compete with existing employers, the organization conducts detailed workforce analyses to ensure long-term sustainability. Partnerships with Pueblo Community College and Colorado State University Pueblo play a key role in aligning training programs with employer needs, particularly in technical and manufacturing-related fields.
Although PEDCO no longer operates under a formal city contract, Shaw emphasizes that collaboration with local government has not ended. The organization continues to work closely with the mayor’s office, new City Council members, Pueblo County officials and regional partners on permitting, incentives and development coordination.
Shaw expressed optimism that 2026 will bring improved working relationships with city leadership after last year’s changes, noting that economic development ultimately benefits from consistency and long-term vision.
Beyond deals and data, PEDCO also is focused on reshaping outside perceptions of Pueblo. Shaw acknowledges that outdated narratives about safety and stagnation continue to surface in site-selector conversations but says firsthand experience often tells a different story.
“If we can just get people off the interstate and into Pueblo, I think they’d be surprised at what they find,” he says. “The best ambassadors for this community are often the engineers and managers who moved here for work and decided to stay.”
As PEDCO moves forward independently, its leadership sees the current moment not as a setback but as an opportunity to refine its role, strengthen partnerships and focus squarely on economic outcomes.
“Our mission is attraction, retention and expansion,” Shaw says. “Retention is the most important thing we do, even if it doesn’t always make headlines.”
For Pueblo County’s economic development engine, 2026 is shaping up to be less about contracts and more about continuity, capacity and confidence in the region’s long-term potential.