Strength to Strategy: Creating Connections, Building Our Community

By Jeff Campbell, Director of Marketing and Business Development, CDOD

Economic development is one of those things everyone hears about, but few ever get to see up close. Most of the work happens behind the scenes, before a groundbreaking or a ribbon-cutting, and long before a new restaurant or industry ever puts up a sign. Yet these small, unseen decisions shape the future of Carlsbad and Eddy County for decades.

That’s why the Carlsbad Department of Development (CDOD) is launching a new monthly column to pull back the curtain, share real insight, and keep our community informed about how we’re positioning Carlsbad for long-term growth and resilience.

What CDOD Actually Does and Why It Matters

The CDOD is the economic development agency for the City of Carlsbad and Eddy County. Formed in 1966, the CDOD focuses on business attraction, industry support, housing solutions, workforce development, and strategic planning that ensures Carlsbad remains competitive in national and state markets.

The CDOD is a member-based organization, with a board of directors comprised of 40 business CEOs and elected officials. The board represents the main industries in Carlsbad—oil and gas, potash, nuclear, medical, manufacturing, and small business—the people and companies who want to see Carlsbad grow, develop, and prosper.

Part of what makes the CDOD a key part of the economic development function is the data and intelligence we collect and utilize. Understanding the market and community and being able to showcase the strengths and opportunities to new companies looking for a site where they can expand is crucial for growth initiatives.

Looking at Carlsbad and Eddy County from the outside will not always tell the full story. That’s where we play a major role: providing insights that outsiders will not know and helping people understand the actual nature of our market. Workforce availability, industrial readiness, retail demand, housing shortages, and infrastructure capacity all play major roles in modern site selection, and the organization works to keep Carlsbad aligned with these needs.

We work strategically with city and county leaders to ensure that we are all on the same page, and that targeted growth happens in conjunction with business development. To that end, the CDOD has professionals on staff who cover different areas.

Today, the organization operates with a modernized structure and a team built around key priorities:

Executive leadership guiding organizational strategy, financial stability, business recruitment, and regional advocacy.

Marketing and business development supporting retail attraction, tradeshows, and industry recruitment.

Local development and operations advancing housing initiatives, workforce partnerships, and day-to-day agency functions.

The monthly series will explore topics such as retail trends, housing growth, industrial development, workforce challenges, energy and infrastructure issues, national policy impacts, and other factors influencing Carlsbad’s future. Each column will break down complex topics into accessible updates for residents and businesses.

The CDOD is always working for the betterment of Carlsbad and Eddy County. We firmly believe that Eddy County is where energy, industry, and innovation power opportunity. We also subscribe to the belief in Carlsbad moving forward, built on strength and driven by vision.

With this new column, CDOD aims to provide a clear and consistent source of information to help the community understand how economic development decisions are made and how those decisions support long-term prosperity across Eddy County.