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Alaska Regional Development Organizations - ARDORs

ARDOR's HUB

ARDOR Program Overview

The ARDOR Program's mission has remained consistent throughout the years: to encourage the formation of regional development organizations to prepare and implement regional development strategies. Current legislation has extended the ARDOR Program through 2031 (Alaska House Bill 192). Through regional development strategies, local knowledge, and coordinated implementation, ARDORs champion economic development planning for Alaska’s regions and communities.

About the ARDORs

As partners of the State of Alaska and leaders of regional economic development efforts, ARDORs serve as conduits to a network of economic development programs and support services for their regions, communities, and businesses. Although ARDORs have much in common and implement similar scopes of work, the form and function of each ARDOR is customized to the region. Decisions are made by elected or appointed boards of directors that reflect the economic diversity and character of the region.

ARDOR Work Plans

ARDORs develop customized work plans that contain goals, objectives, and strategies for addressing regional economic development needs including:

  1. Facilitating development of a healthy regional economy that results in sustainable business growth, new business investment, and economic diversification
  2. Identifying and working to eliminate regional economic development barriers.
  3. Developing and implementing a comprehensive economic development strategy.
  4. Coordinating regional planning efforts that result in new employment and business opportunities.
  5. Working to enable multiple communities to collaborate and pool limited resources.
  6. Strengthening partnerships with public, private, and non-government organizations.
  7. Providing technical assistance to encourage business startup, retention, and expansion.

Economic Development Strategies

As provided by Alaska Administrative Code (3 AAC 57.090), ARDORs are required to develop and implement regional economic development strategies or similar economic development plans. These strategies or plans are commonly referred to as comprehensive economic development strategies (CEDS) that satisfy the following requirements:

  • Fact-gathering, to assure the region understands the current development situation.
  • Identification of potential resources that serve as assets for economic development initiatives.
  • Establishment of goals and objectives to guide direction of economic development activities.
  • Production of a strategy for regional and local economic development that includes a work plan detailing the methods, resources, responsibilities, and schedules for implementing the strategy.
  • Development of a set of regional and local economic profiles for every community within the region.
  • For more information about individual ARDORs, including their Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy documents, visit the ARDORs HUB page on DCRA's Community Database Online.

Contact Information

Anchorage Economic Development Corporation

Jenna Wright , President and CEO
510 L Street, Suite 603
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
Phone: 907.258.3700
Fax: 907.258.6646
jwright@aedcweb.com
Website: www.aedcweb.com
Anchorage Economic Development Corporation logo

Bering Strait Development Council

Barbara Nickels, Program Director
Kawerak, Inc.
P.O. Box 948
Nome, Alaska 99762
Phone: 907.443.1833
Fax: 907.443.4449
bnickels@kawerak.org
Website: www.kawerak.org
Bering Strait Development Council logo

Copper Valley Development Association

Jen Rosenthal
Mile 111 Richardson Highway
P.O. Box 9
Glennallen, Alaska 99588
Phone: 907.947.5835
Phone: 907.822.5001
Phone: 907.822.5006
Fax: 907.822.5009
cvda@cvinternet.net
Website: https://www.facebook.com/CopperValleyDevelopment
Copper Valley Development Association logo

Fairbanks North Star Borough Economic Development Commission

Jim Williams, Chief of Staff
P.O. Box 71267
907 Terminal Street
Fairbanks, AK 99701
Phone: 907.459.1300
Fax: 907.459.1102
edc@fnsb.us
Website: https://www.fnsb.gov/452/Economic-Development-Commission
2016 FNSB Logo

Kenai Penninsula Economic Development District

Caitlin Coreson, Program Manager
14896 Kenai Spur Highway, Suite 103A
Kenai, Alaska 99611
Phone: 907.283.3335
Fax: 907.283.3913
caitlin@kpedd.org
Website: https://kpedd.org/
Kenai Penninsula Economic Development District logo

Northwest Arctic Borough Economic Development Commission

Fritz Westlake, Director of Economic Development
P.O. Box 1110
Kotzebue, AK 99752
Phone: 907.442.2500
Phone: 800-478-1110 (in AK)
Fax: 907.442.3740
FWestlake@nwabor.org
Website: https://www.nwabor.org/
Northwest Arctic Borough logo

Prince William Sound Economic Development District

Kristin Carpenter, Executive Director
1000 Orca Road, #237
Cordova, AK 99574
907.424.5533
executivedirector@pwsedd.org Website: www.pwsedd.org Prince William Sound Economic Development District logo

Southeast Conference

Robert Venables, Executive Director
9360 Glacier Highway, #201
P.O. Box 21989
Juneau, Alaska 99802
Phone: 907.586.4360
Fax: 907.463.5670
robert@seconference.org
info@seconference.org
Website: www.seconference.org
Southeast Conference logo

Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference

David Nelson, Executive Director
3300 Arctic Boulevard, Suite 203
Anchorage, AK 99503
Phone: 907.562.7380
Phone: 888.356.1206
dnelson@swamc.org
admin@swamc.org
Website: swamc.org
Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference logo

Useful Links

Revised 09/22/2025