Chad Matheson Named Permanent President and CEO of Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance

The man who helped steer Castelion's 1,000-acre hypersonic manufacturing campus to Sandoval County has been confirmed as the permanent head of the regional economic development organization that closed the deal. AREA's board named Chad Matheson as president and CEO on April 1, ending a nationwide search that had been underway since he took the role on an interim basis in August 2025.

Matheson joined AREA in 2022 as a vice president, advanced to senior vice president, and spent the better part of a year running the organization before the board made the appointment official. Board Chair Josh Parsons framed the decision as a vote of confidence in the direction AREA had taken under Matheson's watch. "Chad has embraced and grown in his role as the Interim President and CEO by offering a strategic vision, and a deep commitment to advancing economic competitiveness across the Greater Albuquerque region," Parsons said in a statement.

The tenure that earned that confidence includes a string of high-profile project wins with direct consequences for Sandoval County. Most prominent is Project Ranger, the Castelion Corp. hypersonics campus now under construction in Sandoval County. The company broke ground in January on the 1,000-acre facility, which represents a $220 million private investment and is projected to generate $650 million in regional economic output over the next decade while supporting 300 high-wage jobs. Matheson was AREA's point person on that recruitment. Under his leadership, AREA also helped Pacific Fusion secure a site at Mesa del Sol for a $1 billion nuclear fusion facility projected to add 200 long-term jobs to the region.

Matheson bolstered his professional credentials in 2025, earning the Certified Economic Developer designation from the International Economic Development Council, the profession's highest credential. He has also been recognized among North America's top economic developers.

In his own statement, Matheson pointed to the region's competitive strengths as the foundation for what comes next. "The Greater Albuquerque region has extraordinary assets, a growing and innovative ecosystem with a community of leaders ready to drive meaningful progress," he said, adding that he looked forward to working with partners to "advance bold strategies that strengthen our regional economy for the long term."

For Sandoval County, the appointment signals continuity rather than a strategic reset. AREA functions as the primary channel through which major manufacturers and technology companies are recruited to the Greater Albuquerque area, and Project Ranger's ongoing buildout means the alliance remains actively engaged in a project with direct workforce, infrastructure, and supply-chain implications for the county. With Matheson now holding a permanent title rather than an interim one, county officials and business leaders have a settled counterpart at AREA as that work continues to unfold.