New CVEP CEO Announced, as 20th Annual Summit Details Valley’s Future

20th Annual CVEP Summit to provide new details on Coachella Valley economic outlook

We're learning more about the Coachella Valley's economic outlook with the release of a new economic report made during this year's annual Coachella Valley Economic Partnership Summit in Rancho Mirage.

2024 marks the 20th straight year of the annual CVEP Summit, presented by the College of the Desert, held at Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage.

This year's newly released economic report included an in-depth look at economic and sociodemographic data within the region between 1994 and 2004.

During those years, in the early 2000s, valley cities such as Indio, La Quinta, and Cathedral City experienced the most significant increase in population. However, from 2004-2024, Coachella and Desert Hot Springs moved into the second and third spots due to their population increase.

Indio saw the most significant population increase in both periods, with a population increase of just over 32,000 from 2004 to 2024. The report also shows that the Coachella Valley has seen a 154% increase in employment and a 72% jump in population since 1994.

Of note in this year's finding was also a comparison between the Valley and the Inland Empire, comparing 2003 income variables with data from 2024. Looking at median household income figures for the Valley, income is lower than in 2003. Figures also show that the per capita income in the Coachella Valley of $41,529 is higher than in the Inland Empire, which is at $35,834 for 2024.

Another headline at this year's CVEP Summit is Laura James's introduction as the leader of an organization that has been the region's premier economic springboard. Most recently, James served as CVEP's interim CEO and represents the only certified economic developer in the Coachella Valley. Today, CVEP announced her appointment as the organization's new CEO. According to a press release, James has been with CVEP for nearly 10 years and has spearheaded several innovative projects, including the Coachella Valley Fast Pitch and COVID-19 business impact survey.

You can read more about James in the press release included in this article.

You can learn more about CVEP and their mission here.

News Channel 3 will have more details about James's vision for CVEP and all the headlines from this year's CVEP Summitt in our newscast.