Jeanine Jerkovic, CEcD

Jeanine Jerkovic, CEcD, is an award-winning economic development leader with over 20 years of experience driving transformative growth in the Greater Phoenix area. Since 2014, she has served as Economic Development Director for the City of Surprise, where she has spearheaded initiatives like launching the West Valley’s first business incubator, the AZ TechCelerator, which is pivoting into the new Spark Surprise small
business hub. Her often-unconventional methods have helped attract 17 (and counting!) new major top-most-wanted retailers, starting with a Costco, which had told her they “were never coming to Surprise.” Marquee investments around Costco have kicked off millions of square feet of retail development along the Loop 303 Prasada Corridor, now the #1 performing retail power center in Arizona with 13.1 million annual visitors.
A Certified Economic Developer with degrees from Arizona State University Honors College and the London School of Economics, Jeanine blends strategic vision with community passion, serving on national and regional boards and contributing locally through civic leadership and historic preservation.