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The City of Mesa congratulates The Boeing Company on receiving the Best of Arizona Award from the Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED), recognizing the company's extraordinary economic impact and long-standing leadership in the state's aerospace and defense industry. This prestigious award honors an organization or individual whose dedication to economic development has made a significant statewide impact.
Boeing's Arizona presence is anchored in Mesa, where its campus has served for decades as the home of AH-64 Apache helicopter production and advanced aerospace manufacturing. Boeing employs more than 4,500 Arizonans, works with more than 270 suppliers and vendors statewide, supports an estimated 49,000 direct and indirect jobs and generated $1.1 billion in supplier spending in 2025.
"Boeing has been one of Mesa's most important economic partners for generations," said Mayor Mark Freeman. "This Best of Arizona honor reflects the company's tremendous contribution to Mesa, to the aerospace and defense sector and to Arizona's economy as a whole."
The award also highlights Boeing's long-term economic role in Mesa through major Apache-related contracts, including a nearly $4.7 billion U.S. Army contract supporting production in Mesa through at least 2032, along with approximately $2.7 billion in post-production support and sustainment services through 2030. These investments help reinforce Arizona's position as a global center for rotorcraft manufacturing, logistics, engineering and sustainment.
"Boeing's continued investment in Mesa has created high-quality jobs, strengthened our supplier ecosystem and reinforced our city's role as a center for advanced manufacturing and aerospace innovation," said City Manager Scott Butler. "We are proud to celebrate this well-earned recognition."
Beyond Mesa, Boeing's Arizona operations extend to Chandler and Goodyear and support a broad aerospace value chain, including manufacturing, logistics, supply chain management and engineering. The company's partnerships with universities, community colleges and technical institutions also help strengthen the workforce pipeline through internships, apprenticeships, STEM collaboration and veteran transition programs.
Mesa is proud to be home to Boeing's flagship Arizona manufacturing and defense operations and applauds the company's continued investment in innovation, workforce development and economic strength.
About the Arizona Association for Economic Development
AAED, founded in 1974, serves as Arizona's unified voice for responsible economic development through professional education, public policy and collaboration.
About City of Mesa Office of Economic Development
Mesa's Office of Economic Development (OED) works to enhance Mesa's economy by promoting a culture of quality, supporting the creation of higher wage jobs, promoting direct investment, and increasing prosperity of our residents. OED focuses on four lines of service to accomplish its mission: business attraction, retention, and expansion; entrepreneurship and small business development; redevelopment and revitalization; and workforce development and talent attraction. OED is the primary point of contact for existing businesses and prospective businesses, site selectors, developers, and community stakeholders to obtain technical expertise and support services necessary to properly evaluate business opportunities in Mesa.