CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WVDN) — The West Virginia Small Business Development Center (WV SBDC), a division of the WV Division of Economic Development, and the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) are proud to announce that Mark Burdette, Deputy Director of the WV SBDC and Network Builder of WV BusinessLink, has been appointed to the IEDC Board of Directors for a two-year term, starting on January 1, 2026. The nomination was approved at IEDC’s 2025 Annual Conference in Detroit, Mich.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mark Burdette to IEDC’s 2026 Board of Directors. Mark’s experience and commitment to the economic development profession have prepared him well for this new leadership role,” said IEDC President and CEO Nathan Ohle. “We look forward to Mark’s leadership in helping shape the future of IEDC, the profession and the economic well-being of communities across the world.”
Burdette brings more than three decades of hands-on entrepreneurial and business leadership experience to his work in economic and ecosystem development. Before joining the West Virginia Small Business Development Center, Burdette was directly involved in launching, scaling, and supporting multiple ventures across technology, manufacturing, marketing and professional services, most notably as one of the co-founders of Citynet and General Manager of the Advantage Valley Entrepreneurial League System® (ELS®). This background gives him a practitioner’s perspective on the real-world challenges entrepreneurs face, from early-stage startup hurdles to growth, capital access, and operational scalability and sustainability.
In addition, Burdette is a nationally recognized ecosystem builder and holds the Entrepreneurship Development Professional (EDP) certification through the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). His work today focuses on strengthening the connective infrastructure of West Virginia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by aligning resource partners, improving access to capital and technical assistance, and advancing entrepreneurship-led economic development strategies across both rural and urban communities. He is known for emphasizing collaboration, data-informed decision-making, and long-term ecosystem sustainability, particularly in rural states facing geographic, capacity, and access challenges.
“I’m honored to serve on the IEDC Board of Directors and to represent West Virginia alongside economic development leaders from around the world. This role provides an important opportunity to share the realities and opportunities facing rural states, elevate best practices in entrepreneurship-led economic development, and help create greater awareness and understanding around the issues that matter most to entrepreneurs and the organizations that support them,” said Burdette. “I look forward to contributing to IEDC’s mission through collaboration, learning, and thoughtful engagement with peers across our profession.”
IEDC’s Board is composed of 55 voting members who serve as stewards of IEDC’s vision, mission, values and resources. They serve two-year terms, for up to four terms. Following a nominations process, Board members must be approved by the Board at IEDC’s Annual Conference, and each term begins on January 1 of the following year.
“IEDC Board members represent more than 5,000 members globally, bringing their expertise and local perspectives on economic development to the table to advance our industry,” concluded IEDC Nominating Committee Chair Dr. Eloisa Klementich, CEcD.
About International Economic Development Council
IEDC is the world’s largest association for economic developers. Originating nearly a century ago, IEDC is a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization that represents the entire economic development profession. Members work in communities of all sizes across the globe, including roles in local, state, provincial, and federal governments, public-private partnerships, non-profits, chambers of commerce, universities, and a variety of other institutions.
IEDC is the leading voice in driving the future of the field. It provides learning, networking, research, policy advocacy, partnerships, and other valuable offerings to economic development professionals worldwide. For more information, please visit
www.IEDC.org.
About the West Virginia Small Business Development Center
The WV SBDC, an accredited partner program with the U.S. Small Business Administration, a division of the West Virginia Division of Economic Development, helps small businesses at all stages of development by connecting entrepreneurs to coaching, training and resources.
WV SBDC business coaches have professional certifications ranging from Certified Business Advisor® (CBA), Entrepreneurship Development Professional (EDP), MBAs, design thinking, AI, cybersecurity, and exporting, along with experience in technology, innovation, manufacturing, finance, management, HR and marketing.
For more information about the WV SBDC and its services, visit
wvsbdc.com.
