Hail, the returning economic-development hero!

Economic-development circles here are bubbling with news of the return to Albuquerque of global rural-economic-development guru Ernesto Sirolli in July. And for good reason.

Sirolli swept into Albuquerque three years ago and just plain knocked out everyone at a two-day event called "Building a World Class City: Albuquerque's Economic Future."

Organized by City Councilors Martin Heinrich and Eric Griego - with a big helping hand from Carol Radosevich from Public Service Company of New Mexico - it was very much a case of the right person with the right message at precisely the right time.

What made Sirolli's advice so compelling was his common-sense approach to economic development, born of working in small, rural villages in Africa, Australia, the Middle East and beyond. Something clicked about it for New Mexico.

I had never heard of the man but was smitten within five minutes. What got me first was this: In order for economic development practices to stick, he said, you only go where you are invited.

That got my attention. Having sat through endless presentations and the like from "economic development" peddlers for far too long, it was refreshing.

The better news was that something clicked for more important people than me. The Sirolli Institute's program has gotten up and running in three New Mexico counties, with particular success in Taos County where it points to the creation of 21 small businesses as a result.

But I'm particularly pleased to see the beginnings of something special in the Southeast Heights, a place where you might least expect it.

"It isn't rural, certainly," said Richard Forbes, a board member of the institute here. "But it's segregated."

I know Richard Forbes, and there's a good fit here - again, right guy at the right time.

The former investment banker and his wife took a fateful detour to Nairobi from Cypress for a two-week conference that extended into a three-month stay. While there, they dug in, trying to get a better handle on ending poverty in third-world countries.

Forbes got excited about Sirolli's methodology and felt there was a good fit here, as well.

Another attendee for the conference in Albuquerque three years ago was Steve Walsh, chairman of the entrepreneurship program at the University of New Mexico, who is now working with Forbes to get UNM students involved with helping to write business plans for their clients in Albuquerque and statewide.

Yet another attendee was Steve Whitman, at the time the senior economic development planner for the city of Santa Fe. Now, he's enterprise facilitator for the Sirolli effort in the Southeast Heights.

Trumball Village is a long way from Canyon Road, but Whitman says he discovered a lot going on there.

"These folks are very active. You hear about Nob Hill and such, but we're a little under the radar," he said.

He's particularly proud of what they've been able to do helping Joann and Jerry Landry, who run Interfaith Bible Church at Mesilla Street and Trumball Avenue Southeast, to get a temporary-worker service up and running. Forbes and some UNM students were involved as well.

The efforts, small as they may seem to those of us dazzled by splashy headlines about planes and electric cars, point to how specific the needs can be in an area.

The Sirolli people see two styles of economic development: "buffalo hunting," where cities go out and stalk the big kill of major employers, and "gardening economy," where you tend local potential small-business owners because the roots will go deeper over time.

"We're getting a lot of people who want to get legitimate," Whitman said. "They don't want to be under the table anymore, especially Spanish speakers."

We may not see it in headlines, but seeds are being planted.

In July, it'll be a year since the Sirolli Institute efforts started in the state. There will be lots of applause for the results in Taos County, and it'll be well deserved. But we should be grateful the Sirolli scope has included a part of our city looking to elevate itself, as well.