January 2026 Member Spotlight
Marc Valenzuela
Senior Economic Development Project Manager at Salt River Project
Where are you originally from and what brought you to Arizona?
I grew up in a super small town in the Imperial Valley of California, in an agricultural community about 45 minutes West of Yuma and about an hour and a half East of San Diego. My whole family is still out there and I love the community and I love the people, but I had the opportunity to study at Arizona State University and that’s really what brought me out to Arizona.
How did you come to work in the economic development profession?
While I was studying at ASU, I was able to get an internship in their Economic Development Office and that internship turned into a job offer when I graduated. So, I’ve been working in economic development in Arizona since I got here.
What drew you to the opportunity at SRP and how long have you been in your current role?
I have been with SRP for six years now and I threw my hat in the ring for the position when I heard someone was retiring from SRP’s economic development team. I’ve had the opportunity to do economic development at the state level while at ASU and then moved to the City of Mesa for a few years. It’s much different doing economic development at the municipal level than it is at a statewide level. For example at Mesa, you’re representing the Office of Economic Development through the pre-submittal process, so you’re learning about all of the things that go into an actual project’s development – you’re pitching properties, you’re putting packages together, and you’re organizing site visits. I credit the City of Mesa for giving me outstanding training in economic development. That expertise gave me the ability to provide creative and engaging solutions for clients that I now take with me to SRP.
What are your thoughts and experiences with AAED?
AAED is an organization that I got involved with when I first started in economic development and I would say that participating in AAED and the connections I’ve made is really what has helped grow my career. Building those relationships and that network of people that I could turn to for advice and support whenever I was thinking about making a career move, or when I had a question about a project, becomes such a good resource. AAED does an excellent job at creating these connections and creating networks for people that they can lean on.
What committees are you involved in?
I’ve been involved in multiple committees during my time with AAED – the Government Relations Committee, the Membership Engagement Committee, and I’ve always been on the Awards Committee, where I’m currently the Committee Chairperson. I love the work that we do on the Awards Committee. There are a lot of innovative and cutting-edge things that Arizona’s economic developers and service providers are coming up with and the Awards Committee gives us the opportunity to look at best practices from across the state and really celebrate each other.
Are there any projects that you’re particularly proud of?
I think one of the programs that I’m most proud of is reengaging the City of Mesa’s business retention and expansion program. Engaging with existing businesses, gathering a lot of good information, and starting to build out that process was a great opportunity and building up the strategy around that was a lot of fun.
One of my favorite things about the utility is that our team gets to touch all of the projects that are locating across the SRP service territory, so I’ve had the opportunity to work on a ton of big locates over the last six years. They are all very valuable to the community in their own respective ways, but any project that is going to create jobs and opportunity for our community members is something that gets me excited.
What comes to mind when you think about Arizona?
Opportunity… and the Five C’s… and the beautiful sunsets. I think there’s a ton of opportunity for investment and job creation, and we’re seeing a lot of it playing out right now. Plus, I think there’s going to be more to come. And it really is a beautiful place to live. We have a very proximate location to a lot of lifestyle amenities and things to do.
What is it that you like to do outside of work?
I love to spend time with my wife, Leah, and our dog, Remi. We like to go for walks in the evening whenever we can. In addition to that, I have a very big family and we are always doing things together, like camping, off-roading, and spending time at the beach in Mexico. I have an 8-year-old nephew who’s frequently our little tagalong. Spending time outdoors and doing fun things with my family are the biggest go-to’s when I’m not working.
Is there anything else that you can share?
I think one of the things that we’re seeing a lot more of is foreign direct investment activity and it’s been super interesting to watch. I think Greater Phoenix’s international profile is on the rise and as an economic developer, it’s exciting to see that we’re not just on the national stage, but we’re at the forefront of economic development on an international stage.
Also, AAED just opened our Economic Development Distinguished by Excellence (EDDE) Awards application process and we’re accepting entries now through February 12th. If you’re working on cool things or your organization is doing cool things, we’d love to see your application submitted.
