Whether on a neighbourhood or national scale, economic development is a complex, demanding endeavour. It requires financial skills, political acumen and the ability to gauge the social benefit that will result from a given undertaking. Since the late 1970s, Jeffrey A. Finkle has demonstrated mastery of all those skills, applying them worldwide—from his native Ohio to the Far East and most points in between.

This experience has made Jeff Finkle a recognized leader and international authority on economic development. As President and CEO of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), the world's largest economic development membership organization, he contributes his expertise on community revitalization, business development and job creation to projects nationwide. Jeff has established multi-lateral partnerships with regional and national economic development organizations around the world and currently sits on the Consultative Committee of World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA). He has advised on economic development in China, Europe, Latin America, and Oceania. He now serves on the Board of Directors for Climate Prosperity. Inc., a company based on creating important regional economic outcomes -- green savings, green opportunity, and green talent -- while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

He is also a leader in community service and philanthropy. In 2005, Jeff organized 250 economic development volunteers to work in Gulf Coast communities endeavouring to recover from Hurricane Katrina. He also founded the Bollinger Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance to educate and support children who have lost one or more parent who worked in the field of economic development. The foundation to date has awarded approximately $500,000 in grants.

A former Deputy Assistant Secretary in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, where he oversaw programs such as Community Development Block Grants and Urban Development Action Grants, Jeff writes and lectures frequently about economic development issues and advises Congressional Committees. His vigorous support of the use of eminent domain to promote economic development, upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, garnered him national media attention, including appearances on CBS Sunday Morning, Fox television and the Journal Report on PBS.

With the formation of IEDC in 2001, Jeff set the course for a more effective and influential economic development organization. IEDC resulted from the merger of the Council for Urban Economic Development (CUED), where Jeff was president for 15 years, and the American Economic Development Council (AEDC). Addressing significant financial and organizational challenges, Jeff has grown IEDC to a $5 million annual operation with 30 employees. IEDC is recognized for its leadership in making sustainable economic development a priority in communities of all sizes and for professionalizing and diversifying the field of economic development.

A past member of the Arlington Virginia Economic Development Commission, he served on its BRAC Task Force in 2005, dealing with issues that directly impacted 4 million square feet of Arlington office space and 17,000 jobs. He sits on the Executive Committee of the Commission.

Jeff maintains a long-standing relationship with Ohio University's Voinovich School for Leadership and Public Affairs and serves on the School's Institute for Local Government Administration and Rural Development Advising Committee, where he regularly participates in programs of direct benefit to Appalachia Ohio. In this capacity, he worked closely with Ohio governors as well as other political and community leaders throughout the state. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in communications in 1976 from Ohio University in Athens and pursued graduate studies in business administration at Ohio State University.