Northeastern Economic Developers Association (NEDA) has announced the very best economic development achievements in the eleven Northeastern States for 2009. NEDA's Award for Member of the Year was officially presented at its Annual Conference on Monday, September 21 at the Hyatt Regency at Penn's Landing in Philadelphia.
Kenneth Lurvey, CEcD, EDP of Concord, Member of the Year, is a highly accomplished economic and community development professional. Over a 30-year career, working in tough but needy communities, he has succeeded in building new projects, new capacity and new ideas. Over the past 25 years Lurvey's real-estate development accomplishments are many, with over a dozen specific significant tangible project successes, resulting in an overall increase in tax-assessment value of over $200 million.
Lurvey has been "Mr. Go-to" for several generations of economic developers, including many past, current, and most likely future NEDA board members. The testimonials to Lurvey's assistance -structuring a TIF, making a project work, or helping a new director survive their first political battle - are many and sincere.
Lurvey has served many years on the boards of N.H. Economic Development Association and NEDA, and has served as president of both. More importantly, he's brought many others into leadership positions. NHEDA and other state economic development organizations frequently call on Lurvey to testify at legislative hearings, and he remains a trusted confidant of the state's top economic leaders.

The "Member of the Year" Award is given each year to a NEDA member in recognition of contributions made to the economic development profession, to NEDA as an organization, or both, typically over the course of many years of service. It is NEDA's most prestigious award.

The Northeastern Economic Developers Association consists of over 500 professional economic developers, appointed and volunteer economic development officials, and others committed to sound economic development practice, in the eleven Northeastern States and the District of Columbia. (Specifically, these States include Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont, as well as Washington DC.) NEDA provides professional development education, publishes information about best professional practices, and supports the pursuit of individual economic development education throughout the Northeast.